DKW Bio - Litigation and Fire Emphasis - for PLRB 2016 (I128916)

Douglas K. Wood

Partner / Attorney

Morris Polich & Purdy LLP

Doug is a Martindale-Hubbell “

AV-Preeminent

” rated trial attorney, and is rated “

10.0 Superb

” by Avvo. He is honored to have been named repeatedly by his peers and Judges as a “

Top Rated Insurance Lawyer

”, one of the “

Bay Area’s Best Insurance Lawyers

”, and one of Northern California’s

Super Lawyers

(a Thomson Reuters distinction honoring the top 5% of lawyers in the region as selected by other lawyers and Judges)

. In 2012 PLRB honored Doug (who has been instructing for PLRB for fifteen years, and serves on the Annual Conference Planning Committee) with an “

Outstanding Presentations Award

Doug tried his first Insurance “Bad Faith” case almost 30 years ago, and has been representing and defending insurers in coverage and “Bad Faith” litigation involving complex insurance claims and disputes ever since. Doug has successfully defended many such cases through trial and appeal.

Doug also counsels insurance company clients regarding the full spectrum of property and casualty insurance coverage issues, including challenging claims arising out of arson fires, involving suspected fraud, commercial and business interruption losses, smoke / soot, theft, vandalism, earth movement and earthquake, various types of water and/or flood losses, wind damage, collapse, mold, etc.

Among Doug’s publication credits are: three chapters in a Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)

Property Insurance

treatise (

Business Interruption Insurance

Insurable Interests

Mortgagee Claims

), a chapter in the CEB treatise

Scientific Evidence in California Criminal Cases

, and a chapter in the CEB treatise

Scientific Evidence and Expert Testimony

. Doug also was honored to have been deeply involved in updating, revising, and peer reviewing the last several editions of the highly acclaimed treatise

Kirk’s Fire Investigation

. He also co-authored, and appears as on-camera Subject Matter Expert for a pair of International Association of Arson Investigators

CFITrainer.net

® courses regarding expert witness depositions.

Doug gained early trial experience serving the People of California as a Deputy District Attorney for the County of Alameda, and started his civil law career at Cooley Godward in 1985. From 1992 to 1998 Doug was an Equity Partner in Gordon & Rees. Before joining his current law firm, Morris Polich & Purdy LLP, Doug was a Founding Partner of Rudloff Wood & Barrows LLP, a property and casualty insurance and "bad faith" boutique. While practicing law full time, Doug also served for several years as an Adjunct Professor of Law for the University of California's Hastings College of the Law, teaching Trial Evidence and Advocacy.

He is an avid

instrument rated private pilot

who delights in saving his clients’ money by flying himself to depositions, loss scenes, client meetings, and court appearances all over the western states.

For additional details, please see:

http://mpplaw.com/douglas-k-wood/