Expert Details
Legal Operations, Legal Spend Management, Insurance, Claims & Litigation Management
ID: 737892
Florida, USA
Expert began her career in Chicago. She spent ten years trying insurance cases both in private practice and as part of the legal department of two major insurance companies and the Chicago Transit Authority. In 2005, she moved to Arizona, where she spent the next three years handling insurance cases in private practice and as part of a major insurance company's legal department.
In 2008, Expert transitioned from the practice of law to litigation management when she became the Director of Litigation for Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Expert oversaw, directed, and managed all corporate & claim litigation to which the company was a party, including 7,000 individual lawsuits arising out of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and four class actions with exposure greater than $1B. She managed outside counsel and other legal vendors. Expert created processes and standards for hiring and auditing outside counsel performance. She led a personally chosen five-person Legal Operations Department team. Expert reported to the Chief Operating Officer and Board of Directors regarding litigation strategy, resolution opportunities, legal costs, budget compliance, outside counsel efficiency & effectiveness, and long-term strategic planning for claim and litigation management. Expert testified multiple times at both trials and contested hearings as part of her duties. Expert became an expert in bad faith law, good faith claim handling, and litigation management through this experience.
In 2011, Expert moved to the insurance world's corporate side, working as Corporate Counsel for a large, super-regional insurance carrier in Jacksonville, Florida. In this position, Expert advised Main Street General Counsel and senior executives on legal, insurance, and contractual issues, including underwriting, claims, state insurance laws, and regulations and drafted, negotiated, and managed company contracts. She oversaw all corporate litigation, including outside counsel and vendor management, appeared as a company representative in legal matters, and reviewed/approved legal bills. She also oversaw the completion of annual Conflict of Interest process and prepared corporate governance documents for quarterly Board of Directors and Board Committee meetings.
In 2013, Expert founded and was CEO of an insurance coverage, bad faith, claim and litigation management, legal operations, and legal spend management company. In 2014, Expert, founded, developed, and grew the company's Legal Bill Review business line as part of the Legal Operations Group. She developed all processes, procedures, standards, and training for the business line in this position. Expert's responsibilities included achieving all business line financial targets, including revenue, margin, and cost budgets. She worked with the Sales Team to prepare proposals, responses to RFPs, statements of work, and pricing for new customers. Expert implemented all new bill review customers, including designing the solution, creating project plans, change management, and project management. Expert further managed customer relationships, functioned as an escalation point for all customers, and functioned as a Subject Matter Expert, providing consulting services on various legal operations and legal spend management topics. Expert further designed and utilized performance metrics and data analytics to provide dynamic customer reporting and insight into cost-savings and account trends.
After some time off in the first half of 2020, Expert joined a sales team where she leverages Artificial Intelligence with advanced data analytics and expert legal bill review. In this position, Expert collaborated with the company's Business Development Team and customer procurement teams to drive sales to global corporate and insurance company law departments. She was also the legal spend management and legal operations Subject Matter Expert who advised customers regarding innovative ways to enhance their legal invoice review process and maximize their cost savings. In April 2022, Expert was promoted into a newly created position in which she worked with enterprise customers to ensure that their program was successful and was meeting the client’s strategic, business, financial goals.
In February 2023, Expert founded a company through which she provides claim adjusting services (licensed in sixteen states [see below]), and consulting and expert services in insurance law, coverage, bad faith, legal operations, and legal spend management.
Expert is qualified as an expert in the following areas:
• Insurance Bad Faith
• Claims & Litigation Management
• Insurance Coverage
• Insurance Defense Litigation
• Insurance Law
• UM/UIM matters
• Legal Operations Best Practices/Efficiency
• Legal Spend Management
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 2021 | Degree: Executive MBA | Subject: Business Administration | Institution: Quantic School of Business & Technology |
| Year: 1995 | Degree: Juris Doctor | Subject: Law | Institution: Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University |
| Year: 1990 | Degree: Bachelor of Arts | Subject: Psychology | Institution: University of California, Santa Barbara |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2023 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Owner | Department: |
Responsibilities:Founder of company that provides independent adjusting services (catastrophe, field, and desk), consulting, and expert services in Insurance Law, Insurance Coverage, Bad Faith, Claim/Litigation Management & Best Practices, Legal Operations, and Legal Spend Management. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2022 to 2023 | Employer: Wolters Kluwer Enterprise Legal Management (ELM) | Title: Associate Director of Program Success | Department: |
Responsibilities:Wolters Kluwer is a global provider of professional information, software solutions, and services for clinicians, nurses, accountants, lawyers, and tax, finance, audit, risk, compliance, and regulatory sectors. ELM Solutions is the market-leading provider of enterprise legal spend and matter management, contract lifecycle management, and legal analytics solutions.Accountable for ensuring the success of LegalVIEW BillAnalyzer customer programs and services. LegalVIEW BillAnalyzer leverages Artificial Intelligence with advanced data analytics and expert legal bill review. • Developed initial framework and establish processes for Program Success initiative for LegalVIEW BillAnalyzer customers. • Consulted with customers and internal stakeholders to provide innovative ways to enhance customer legal billing process, employ legal spend management best practices, and maximize cost savings. • Collaborated with multiple internal functional areas to deliver value to enterprise customers through LegalVIEW BillAnalyzer service while meeting revenue, margin, and other financial targets. • Assist customers in problem solving and designing solutions to enhance their legal operations and business goals through LegalVIEW BillAnalyzer and other ELM products and services. • Counseled customers regarding strategies, initiatives, and solutions that can be employed to resolve issues and achieve financial and operational goals and objectives. • Designed suite of financial data and key performance indicators for use in evaluating results of customer LegalVIEW BillAnalyzer services. • Evaluated and optimized internal procedures and processes associated with solution design, implementation, on-boarding, and ongoing service delivery. • Acted as resource for internal teams and customers in areas of legal operations and legal spend management. • Proactively identified customer issues and develops remediation plans as necessary. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2012 to 2020 | Employer: Wolters Kluwer Enterprise Legal Management (ELM) | Title: Senior Account and Relationship Executive | Department: Sales |
Responsibilities:A global provider of professional information, software solutions, and services for clinicians, nurses, accountants, lawyers, and tax, finance, audit, risk, compliance, and regulatory sectors. The market-leading provider of enterprise legal spend and matter management, contract lifecycle management, and legal analytics solutions.Legal Operations and Spend Management Subject Matter Expert for Business Development and Operations Teams. Leverages Artificial Intelligence with advanced data analytics and expert legal bill review. • Developed and implemented initial framework, process, and procedure for Program Management Success program for customers. • Consults and advises customers regarding innovative ways to enhance their legal invoice review process and maximize their cost savings. • Works with customers and internal teams to improve efficiency and quality of services. • Participates in negotiation with customers for services. • Worked with Business Development Team to drive $2.3M in new business in four months. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2014 to 2020 | Employer: Elevate Services, Inc. | Title: Director of Legal Operations and Business Solutions | Department: Legal Business Solutions |
Responsibilities:Elevate is a law company with approximately $100m in annual revenue, providing consulting, technology, and services to law departments and law firms. The company’s multi-disciplinary team of legal professionals, business professionals, and technology professionals extend and enable customers’ resources and capabilities worldwide.Founded, developed, and grew business line. • Drove business growth from one customer to 10+ customers in technology, pharmaceutical, insurance, and financial industries, resulting in revenue of $1.5M/year. • Oversaw an extended global team of 30+, including focusing on staff development and goal setting to motivate the team, resulting in multiple team members being promoted into leadership positions. • Achieved a 65% margin through consistently increasing efficiency, process improvement, and innovation using automation and technology. • Created 30+ performance metrics to measure and analyze and provide robust reporting on account and bill reviewer performance, and identify and mitigate account risks, and provide additional training. • Developed all processes, procedures, standards, and training for the business line. • Utilized performance metrics, data analytics, and gap analysis to provide customer insight into spend management, legal operations, and account trends. • Supported ad hoc projects within Legal Operations and Elevate as a whole. • Worked closely with cross-functional areas, including Finance, Marketing, Sales, Human Resources, Legal, and Company Operations. • Ensured customer satisfaction with the completeness, quality, and timeliness of activities. • Identified and executed critical initiatives to improve margin and increase growth of Elevate Legal Bill Review business. • Utilized performance metrics and data analytics to provide customer insight into cost-savings and account trends. • Maintained knowledge of the legal profession, legal operations, and legal spend management competitive landscape to assist Sales with developing new business. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2013 to 2016 | Employer: Self Employed | Title: CEO | Department: |
Responsibilities:Founder and CEO of company that provided legal services, consulting, and expert services in Insurance Coverage & Bad Faith, Claim & Litigation Management, and Legal Spend Management.• Improved Claim & Litigation Management & Outside Counsel Billing Guidelines, claim and litigation process and procedure for multiple clients. • Contractor for InvoicePrep, providing legal bill preparation, appeals of bill reductions, and relationship management for multiple law firms nationwide. • Delivered insurance coverage, bad faith analyses, and opinions for property & casualty, general liability, health, and life insurance matters. • Testified as an expert at trial and deposition in various insurance coverage and bad faith matters. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2011 to 2013 | Employer: Main Street America Group | Title: Corporate Counsel | Department: Administration |
Responsibilities:The Main Street America Group (“Main Street America”) provides insurance to individuals, families, and small businesses in 37 states and fidelity and surety bonds in 47 states and the District of Columbia. Main Street America writes business through eight individual carriers.Advised Main Street General Counsel and senior executives on legal, insurance, and contractual issues, including underwriting, claims, state insurance laws, and regulations. • Reduced timing for completing the annual Conflict of Interest process by 50% by developing templates, forms, and complex mail merges for written communication with all employees. • Designed and oversaw contract management system for all current contracts. • Renegotiated and drafted critical complex IT contracts between Main Street America and global technology companies. • Singularly prepared all closing documents and oversaw closing acquisitions of two companies. • Chosen to participate in the Executive Mentor Professional Development Program within the first six months of employment with CFO acting as a mentor. • Managed all corporate litigation, including outside counsel and vendor management, appearing as a company representative in legal matters, and reviewing/approving legal bills. • Prepared corporate governance documents for quarterly Board of Directors and Board Committee meetings. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2011 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Insurance Consultant and Testifying Expert | Department: |
Responsibilities:Consults with and testifies on behalf of litigants nationally regarding insurance coverage, insurance law, insurance bad faith, claim management, and litigation management. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2008 to 2010 | Employer: Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation | Title: Director of Litigation | Department: |
Responsibilities:The Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is a statutorily created nonprofit organization that provides insurance products for residential and commercial property owners who are entitled but unable to procure insurance through the voluntary insurance marketplace.Served as company's initial corporate Director of Litigation and Legal Operations. Oversaw, directed, and managed all corporate and claim litigation to which the company was a party, including 7,000 individual lawsuits arising out of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and four class actions with exposure greater than $1B. • Reduced 93% of corporate & claim litigation against the company through strategic planning and collaboration with outside counsel. • Drastically reduced legal spend and achieved a 9X return on investment by implementing E-Billing, Legal Bill Review, and Alternative Fee Arrangements with outside counsel. • Designed and successfully executed an objective process for reviewing and improving outside counsel performance. • Managed outside counsel law firms and other legal vendors. • Created process and standards for hiring outside counsel and auditing outside counsel performance. • Led personally chosen, five-person Legal Operations Department team. • Communicated with Chief Operating Officer and Board of Directors regarding litigation strategy, resolution opportunities, legal costs, and budget compliance, outside counsel efficiency & effectiveness, business continuity, and long-term strategic planning for claim and litigation management. • Handled communications with media regarding significant litigation and class actions. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2006 to 2008 | Employer: CNA | Title: Staff Counsel | Department: |
Responsibilities:CNA is the 7th largest commercial insurer in the United States as of 2018. CNA provides a broad range of standard and specialized property & casualty insurance products for businesses and professionals in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia.• Responsible for litigating complex, high dollar matters throughout Arizona, including products liability, dram shop matters, insurance coverage, and construction liability. Managed claims and litigation in conjunction with CNA claim professionals. • Reduced the length of litigated matters by 30% against the company through strategic planning and litigation process improvement. • Implemented new office procedures to increase the efficiency of requesting records, responding to discovery requests, and meeting disclosure requirements. • Employed negotiation skills to successfully mediate and resolve 60% of cases, resulting in reduced litigation costs. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2005 to 2006 | Employer: Renaud Cook Drury & Mesaros | Title: Senior Associate | Department: |
Responsibilities:Renaud, Cook, Drury & Mesaros is a litigation firm with more than 30 trial attorneys.Responsible for handling matters in Phoenix, including common carrier (trucking), medical malpractice, insurance coverage, products liability, construction defect, and commercial litigation. • Successfully drafted and argued multiple summary judgment motions that resulted in the client being dismissed from several high-dollar matters. • Successfully studied for and passed Arizona Bar Exam while working full time. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2003 to 2005 | Employer: Progressive | Title: Illinois House Counsel | Department: |
Responsibilities:Progressive is an American insurance company that is one of the largest car insurance providers in America. Progressive also writes coverage for motorcycles, boats, RVs, commercial vehicles, and home insurance.Managed Progressive’s in-house counsel office for Illinois, which handled all litigated matters within the state. Managed a team of four, including a second attorney, two paralegals, and one law clerk. Worked with Claims Department to manage and determine strategy for claims and litigation. • Drove office efficiency to ensure budget compliance throughout tenure. • Reduced length of litigated matters by 25% through implementation of templates and standard office litigated procedures. • Design and implement office procedures to standardize and increase operational efficiency for all office tasks. |
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Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| Claims and Litigation Management Alliance Illinois State Bar Association, State Bar Association of Arizona |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| Illinois Law License (Inactive) - Admitted 1996 Arizona Law License (Inactive) - Admitted 2005 Florida Law License (Inactive) - Admitted 2011 Louisiana Law License (Inactive) - Admitted 2014 |
| Professional Appointments |
|---|
| Adjuster Licenses: - Florida- All-Lines (Resident) - Alabama – Property & Casualty excluding Workers Compensation & Crop - Arizona – All-Lines - Georgia – Property & Casualty - Indiana – Property & Casualty - Louisiana - Property & Casualty - Michigan – Fire & Other Hazards - Minnesota – Property & Casualty - Mississippi – Property & Casualty with Workers Compensation - Nevada – Property & Casualty - New Mexico – All-Lines - North Carolina – All-Lines - Oklahoma – Property - South Carolina – Property & Casualty - Texas – All-Lines - Utah – Property & Casualty |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| Publications: 5 Blog Posts; Providing regular commentary on various issues related to bad faith, insurance law, and claim and litigation management issues. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| 19 cases to date. |
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| Expert as offered training courses for the Claim and Litigation Management Alliance as well as spoken at seminars in the area of insurance law, insurance coverage, bad faith, and claim and litigation management put on by the Claim and Litigation Management Alliance, the National Business Institute, ACI, Worley Claims, and the Louisiana Claims Association. Paralegal Adjunct Instructor Northwestern Business Institute Naperville, Illinois Taught the following classes to aspiring paralegals: • Introduction to Civil Procedure • Torts • Contracts • Business Law Instructor Claims and Litigation Management Alliance New York, New York Aided in the drafting of training and lecture materials to be presented to claim professionals. Classes included: • Litigation 101 – Introduction to Litigation • Litigation 102 – Pleading and Motion Practice • Litigation 103 – Discovery Practice Instructor – Negotiation 2.0 Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois Professional Speaking: • – Louisiana Claims Organization Luncheon Series – Metairie, Louisiana – "Taking Over the Management of Litigation at Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation" • – Worley Claims Conference, Baton Rouge, Louisiana – "Panel discussion regarding handling bad faith claims and litigation after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike." • – Claims and Litigation Management Alliance Annual Conference, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida – "Mediation Roundtable" and "Catastrophe Claim Handling Roundtable." • – National Business Institute, Telephone Seminar – "Bad Faith Litigation in Disaster-Related Property Insurance Claims." • – Claims and Litigation Management Alliance Annual Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana – "Changing Your Litigation Culture – Lessons from the New Orleans Saints." • – Claims and Litigation Management Alliance Annual Bad Faith Conference, Orlando, Florida – "Appraisal: Should I Stay or Should I Go? New Considerations in the Era of Bad Faith" • - American Conference Institute Bad Faith Litigation Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – "Insurers In-House Roundtable." Other Media: • – Quoted in Insurance Journal Article – "Researchers Question Privacy of Usage-Based Auto Insurance" • – Quoted in Nerdwallet.com Finance Article – "Will Usage-Based Insurance Invade Users' Privacy?" |
| Marketing Experience |
|---|
| Expert has written articles regarding creative claim and litigation management and the evaluation of panel counsel. |
| Other Relevant Experience |
|---|
| Mediator, Arbitrator |
Fields of Expertise
legal spend management, litigation management, auto insurance, bad faith insurance, casualty insurance, commercial insurance, general liability insurance, insurance, bad faith claim, claim analysis, Claim development, claim preparation, insurance claim handling, insurance claim, insurance claims adjusting, insurance litigation, legal operations, legal billing