JOHN H. PODESTA
PARTNER
jpodesta@bbgslaw.com

John Podesta is a Partner in our Contracts and Insurance Coverage Practice Group. He practices throughout California and Nevada on varied cases relating to license and real estate contracts, insurance coverage, bad faith, and professional liability related matters including Construction (Ongoing Operations, Construction Defect and OCIP/Wrap-Up Matters), Environmental Contamination and Personal Injury, as well as commercial and residential Fire and Water Damage claims.

John Podesta represents individuals and businesses with insurance recovery and litigation matters that require a specialist. As a former Claim Supervisor for a Major Insurer prior to practicing law, his unique perspective gets claims resolved quickly and smoothly. He is a knowledgeable and aggressive advocate to achieve the clients’ goals cost effectively. As a Partner in our Insurance Coverage Practice Group, he also represents major insurers as both litigation counsel and offering coverage advice on a wide variety of insurance related matters including policy issuance and effective endorsements. He has been counsel of record in insurance matters in both trial and appellate courts in California.

He is also a frequent lecturer in the area of Insurance Coverage. Past engagements include International Risk Management annual Construction Conference in 2005, Lorman Educational’s seminar on Construction Insurance, the Santa Clara County Bar Association, and Mealey’s conference on Construction Defects and Mold, as well as a guest speaker at CALPASC’s annual meeting.

Education and Background:
Graduate of University of San Francisco School of Law, 1991; Univ. of California, Berkeley, AB Legal Studies 1983. Born La Jolla, California; admitted to the California Bar 1991, and Nevada Bar 2000.

Member of the State Bar of California and State Bar of Nevada (Including all Federal and State Courts). Member of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, the ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, and the Construction Subcommittee of ABA Section of Litigation Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee.

Articles and Links:

• Midsummer’s Nightmare "The Docket" January 2006
• OCIP Liability Claim Challenges Presented at the Annual Construction Conference of International Risk Management Institute, 2005
• The Carrier’s Response to a Tender of Defense and Additional Insured Coverage and Contractual Liability Coverage materials from Lorman Educational seminar, “Everything a Construction Player Needs to Know About Insurance”, December 2006
• Maryland Casualty v. Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. (1998) 65 Cal.App.4th 21(Maryland I), counsel for co-plaintiff
• Maryland Casualty v. Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. (2000) 80 Cal.App.4th 1082 (Maryland II) Counsel for co-plaintiff.

Legal Assistant: Kim Perez, kperez@bbgslaw.com

Branson, Brinkop, Griffith & Strong, LLP
643 Bair Island Road, Suite 400
Redwood City, CA 94063
Tel: (650) 365-7710
Fax: (650) 365-7981