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Attorney Profiles

Arnold R. Levinson 
San Francisco, California
phone 415-433-8000
888-433-8335
fax 415-433-4816
email Email Me

Arnold R. Levinson , Founding Partner

Mr. Levinson is widely regarded as one of the leading bad faith insurance attorneys in the country. Drawing on more than three decades of experience, he has obtained numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements, verdicts and awards against insurance companies.  Mr. Levinson is routinely consulted to help draft and shape state and national legislation in insurance law and to file briefs on major issues in the United States and California Supreme Courts.

Resolute to serving disabled insureds, Mr. Levinson is driven by his commitment to attain true justice for those whose rights and integrity have been trampled on by insurance companies seeking to increase their profits at the expense of the very people who they promise to protect. 

Highlights

  • Judge Pro-Tem, San Francisco Superior Court
  • Frequent guest lecturer on insurance bad faith matters throughout the country
  • Appointed Chair of Insurance Bad Faith Section by the Association of Trial Lawyers of America
  • Three time recipient of the Presidential Award of Merit from Consumer Attorneys of California
  • Recognized commentator on insurance cases for 25+ years in the Continuing Education of the Bar Civil Litigation Reporter, published by the University of California

Representative Case Examples

$32 million verdict in a disability insurance bad faith case in Marin County Superior Court. Chapman v. Unum Provident Corporation, (2003) was the largest verdict ever obtained in Marin County.

Professional Affiliations

Current President and Member of the Board of Directors, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
Member of Board of Governors, Consumer Attorneys of California
Active member and past Member At-Large, Board of Governors, Consumer Attorneys of California
Second Vice Chair, American Association for Justice, Insurance Section
Education Chair, American Association for Justice, Insurance Bad Faith Section
Member, Task Force on New Civil Jury Instructions

Speaking Engagements

"How Campbell is Being Implemented by the Lower Courts" American Conference Institute National Advanced Form on Bad Faith and Punitive Damages, Organization, April 2005
Cross-Examining the Insurance Adjuster, Winning the Bad Faith Case IV, Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, April 2004
Punitive Damages after the Supreme Court's Decision in State Farm v. Campbell, Continuing Legal Education, National Teleseminar, January 2004
How 2004 Elections Affect Supreme Court Cases Ron Owens Show 2004
The Insurance Litigation Quagmire: Are the Risks Greater Than the Rewards, RIMS Bay Area Conference, November 2003
Using Corporate Documents and Depositions to Prove Bad Faith Conduct by Insurers, American Association for Justice Annual Convention, July 2003
Bad Faith and Punitive Damages, American Conference Institute, April 2003
Anatomy of a Bad Faith Act, Lorman Education Services, December 2002
Cross Examination of a Company Witness, American Bar Association Spring Program, April 2002
Will the Supreme Court Overturn Pilot Life?, co-presenter with Terrence J. Coleman, American Association for Justice, February 2002
"Insurance Bad Faith Claims", Disability Claims, Lorman Seminar, Los Angeles, December 2001
The Art of the Closing Argument, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, December 2001
Deposing the Claims Adjuster, Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association, December 2001
"Genuine Issue", Consumer Attorneys of California, November 2001
Anatomy of a Bad Faith Action, Attorney Educational Seminar, October 25, 2001
Has the Unfair Business Practice Act Been the Weapon it was Touted to Be?, panelist, Association of Defense Counsel, August 2001
"Bad Faith and Punitive Damages: What You Need to Know to Build Your Case For and Against a Punitive Damage Award, American Conference Institute, 2001

Publications

California Liability Insurance Practice: Claims and Litigation, contributing editor for the Plaintiff's Perspective, Civil Litigation Reporter, University of California, California Continuing Education of the Bar , 1987-Present

Education

J.D., 1975, Georgetown University Law Center

B.A., cum laude, 1972, University of Washington

"When we reached the point when our health insurer would no longer be reasonable in our efforts to get contracted for life-saving medical treatment for our 4-year old child, the emotional toll was devastating. At the end of our first meeting with Arnie Levinson, we absolutely knew that we were in the best possible hands, and had given our child the best chance for success. Every interaction since that first meeting has shown that to be true. Arnie and his staff are different than any other lawyers you'll ever meet -- they truly care about our family. They work unbelievably hard, and utilize their unmatched experience and creativity in making every effort to help us remedy the harm our health insurer has caused our family."

Mark and Kim Zembsch

600 Montgomery Street - 31st Floor San Francisco, CA 94111 415.433.8000 888.433.8335