Reed Smith LLP has announced that Richard C. Giller has joined the Insurance Recovery Practice Group as a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office.
Giller was formerly a principal in the Los Angeles office of Polsinelli, where his practice focused on insurance disputes and insurance recovery with an emphasis on sports and entertainment insurance recovery. He also has a complex litigation and appellate practice.
“Richard is an exceptional fit for Reed Smith,” said David M. Halbreich, Practice Group Leader of Reed Smith’s Insurance Recovery Practice Group. “He is a strong advocate for policyholders and his work with the sports and entertainment industries on loss-of-value and event cancellation insurance is particularly well aligned with the needs of our clients served by our global Entertainment & Media Practice.”
Giller is one of a handful of lawyers in the country representing professional athletes in the NBA, NFL and MLB in insurance recovery matters. Among his clients are Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler, the team’s first round draft pick in 2015, Mitch Moreland, the first baseman for the Boston Red Sox, Meyers Leonard, center for the Portland Trail Blazers, and Brady Aiken, a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, among others.
Giller is a 1984 graduate of Southwestern School of Law. He has represented both individual and institutional policyholders nationwide in complex business disputes with insurers, and secured substantial defense and indemnity payments for clients under a variety of insurance lines. His representation of professional athletes includes successfully resolving their insurance disputes involving disability, loss-of-value, and workers’ compensation claims.
“I was drawn to Reed Smith because of its well-respected and award-winning insurance recovery practice; perhaps the most acclaimed insurance recovery group in the country if not the world” Giller said. “Just as important though, were the people I met while interviewing at the firm; Reed Smith defines the collegial and entrepreneurial climate in which I thrive.”
In addition to a focus on insurance recovery dispute resolution, Giller counsels clients about their insurance needs and claims; analyzes and advises complex insurance coverage issues; deals with insolvent insurance carriers, retrospective premium disputes, and captive insurance programs; as well as prosecuting and defending insurance coverage and bad faith cases. His general litigation background includes defending complex products liability, environmental and toxic tort cases.
Giller has tried a number of state and federal cases and has substantial arbitration and mediation experience as well as extensive appellate experience, including numerous appearances before several California Courts of Appeal and authoring several amicus briefs filed with the California Supreme Court.
Reed Smith’s Los Angeles Managing Partner Lorenzo E. Gasparetti said, “Our Insurance Recovery attorneys are providing a great deal of the vision and leadership driving our growth in the California market. Richard is well positioned to play a key role in meeting the demands and needs of our clients.”
