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Jordan R. Plitt - Phoenix, AZ
1850 North Central AvenueSuite 1900 Phoenix, AZ 85004
The Cavanagh Law Firm, P.A.
Phoenix Commercial Litigation Lawyer
Overview
Jordan Plitt is a Shareholder and part of the Firm’s Insurance Practice Group. He manages a large insurance coverage practice and focuses his efforts on helping commercial insurance companies navigate complex and high-value insurance coverage issues by providing pragmatic advice which upholds the insurance contract and complies with the covenant of good faith and fair dealing. He has analyzed and litigated insurance coverage issues and cases as coverage counsel for insurance companies his entire career. He has advised clients and special interest groups regarding insurance coverage issues across all 50 states. He has also represented policyholders and insureds in litigation and as coverage counsel. His litigation practice encompasses nearly every facet of insurance litigation, including representing and defending clients in matters involving declaratory judgment actions, Damron/Morris/Helme/Peaton exposures and intervention, equitable contribution and subrogation, rescission, interpleaders, and allegations of bad faith.
Jordan -- an academic at heart -- has a deep passion for educating anyone that will listen to him about how to best handle insurance claims and cases, including through both teaching and publications. To that end, he teaches insurance law to law students at the University of Arizona, with the goal of building the necessary foundation in them to excel in tackling insurance issues. He is also the current senior author and editor of the widely recognized and authoritative insurance coverage treatise series titled Couch On Insurance 3d. He is part of a team focused on rewriting and revising the treatise series. This treatise series comprises 30 volumes of substantive texts covering all aspects of insurance. He is also an author of the national treatise Practical Tools for Handling Insurance Casesand is the successor author and editor of The Claim Adjusters Automobile Liability Handbook. He is aContributing Author/Editor and Editorial Board Member of the nationally recognized Insurance Litigation Reporter.
Mr. Plitt has been continuously selected by his peers and recognized for his professional excellence – achieving recognition as a Best Lawyer in The Best Lawyers in America®, Southwest Super Lawyer® Rising Star, Best Lawyers® Ones to Watch®, and Phoenix Magazine’s Top Lawyers - in the field of Insurance Law, Coverage, and Bad Faith. In December 2022, he was selected as one of only ten nationwide inaugural “Phenoms Under 40” by Claims and Litigation Management Alliance. The Insurance Practice Group of Mr. Plitt’s law firm has achieved and maintained the highest ranking (i.e., “Band 1”) in the field of Insurance Law for firms in Arizona by Chambers and Partners USA and U.S. News and World Reports.
Jordan has worked with the product development teams of insurance companies regarding the drafting of insurance policies and endorsements. Mr. Plitt has also worked as an insurance subject matter expert and was a part of a Technical Advisory Committee assisting in the successful drafting of indemnity legislation.
Given his publications and practical experience in the industry, Jordan has worked with attorneys in many states on expert consultations. He is available to consult in cases involving insurance coverage, claims handling, underwriting, insurance company practice and procedure, and insurance company compliance with principles of good faith and fair dealing. AREAS
About Jordan R. Plitt
Current Employment Position(s)
- Senior Member
Practice Areas
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Defects
- Insurance Defense
- Litigation
- Personal Injury
- Premises Liability
- Product Liability, Pharmaceutical & Medical Device
- Professional Liability
- Special Risk Insurance Litigation
- Transportation
Representative Clients
- • Obtained dismissal with prejudice of insurance claims adjuster from lawsuit alleging bad faith claim handling by the adjuster. Reyes v. Amerisure Mutual Ins. Co., CV2023-050837
- • Obtained summary judgment for insurance carrier on coverage and bad faith claims arising out of COVID-19 business interruption claims under civil authority and business income and extra expense coverages. Whiskey Row Nashville, LLC v. Mt. Hawley Ins. Co., CV2020-013699 (Ariz. Sup. Ct. 2021)
- • Obtained dismissal with prejudice for insurance carrier arising out of a workers’ compensation bad faith claim. Duran v. National Interstate Ins. Co., 2020 WL 1285910 (D. Ariz. 2020)
- • Obtained summary judgment for insurance carrier on coverage and bad faith claims arising out of underinsured motorist claim. Mounier v. RLI Corporation, 2020 WL 263597 (D. Ariz. 2020)
- • Obtained summary judgment for insurance carrier on equitable subrogation claim against another carrier arising out of $2M commercial property loss. Amerisure Mutual Ins. Co. v. Houston Casualty Co., 2019 WL 1014843 (D. Ariz. 2019)
- • Obtained summary judgment for insurance carrier on defamation, bad faith and institutional bad faith, and punitive damages claims after insurer denied claim involving the alleged theft of a high value racing car. Straub v. Infinity Ins. Co., 2018 WL 8222123 (Ariz. Sup. Ct. 2018).
- • Obtained summary judgment, which was affirmed by the Ninth Circuit, holding that general liability insurer did not provide coverage for $4.2 million judgment on spoliation of evidence suit under CGL Policy and Excess Policy. Nelson v. Navigator Insurance Company, 624 Fed.Appx. 599 (9th Cir. 2015)
- • Obtained summary judgment for insurance carrier finding no coverage under successive commercial general liability policies for claims involving allegedly defective auxiliary power units the Insured manufactured for installation on semi-trailer trucks to operate climate control and other functions, holding that claim did not involve an “occurrence” caused by “property damage." Catlin Specialty Insurance Co. v. Parks Industries, LLC, 2015 WL 300625 (N.D. Ill. 2015)
- • Obtained summary judgment for insurance carrier finding no coverage for general contractor’s additional insured tender and subcontractor’s tender of its defense and indemnity for alleged construction defect claims under successive commercial general liability policies because there was no “property damage” caused by an “occurrence."
- • Obtained withdrawal of additional insured tender from steel erecting company prior to filing declaratory judgment action on behalf of insurance carrier under motor carrier coverage for catastrophic injuries sustained by plaintiff while unloading a trailer.
- • Obtained summary judgment for homeowners’ association finding association did not breach its contract with homeowner regarding land dispute for purported setback violations.
Representative Cases
- Obtained summary judgment for insurance carrier finding no coverage under successive commercial general liability policies for claims involving allegedly defective auxiliary power units the Insured manufactured for installation on semi-trailer trucks to operate climate control and other functions, holding that claim did not involve an “occurrence” caused by “property damage."
- Obtained summary judgment for insurance carrier finding no coverage for general contractor’s additional insured tender and subcontractor’s tender of its defense and indemnity for alleged construction defect claims under successive commercial general liability policies because there was no “property damage” caused by an “occurrence."
- Obtained withdrawal of additional insured tender from steel erecting company prior to filing declaratory judgment action on behalf of insurance carrier under motor carrier coverage for catastrophic injuries sustained by plaintiff while unloading a trailer.
- Obtained summary judgment for homeowners’ association finding association did not breach its contract with homeowner regarding land dispute for purported setback violations.
Qualifications
Bar Admissions
- Arizona, 2010
- New Mexico, 2020
- U.S. District Court District of Arizona, 2010
- U.S. District Court District of New Mexico, 2021
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 2019
Other Affiliations
- • Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)
- • Insurance Litigation Reporter, Editor and Editorial Board Member, 2016 - Present
- • Arizona Insurance Law Institute Co-Chair, 2014 - Present
Classes and Seminars
- • University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law, Professor of Practice, Insurance Law, 2022 – Present
- • Co-Chair, Arizona Insurance Law Institute (CLE Program), State Bar of Arizona, 2014 - Present
Education
- Arizona State University, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Tempe, Arizona, 2010
J.D.
Honors: cum laude - Arizona State University, W.P. Carey School of Business, 2007
B.S. Finance
Honors: summa cum laude
Fees
Accepts Credit Cards
Office Information
Address
1850 North Central AvenueSuite 1900 Phoenix, AZ 85004
Phone
Fax
- 602-322-4100
Websites
Achievements
Other Sources of Feedback About Jordan R. Plitt
Included on the 2024 Southwest Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2023 Southwest Super Lawyers list
- 2022 Southwest Super Lawyers list
- 2021 Southwest Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Southwest Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Southwest Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Southwest Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Southwest Super Lawyers list
- 2016 Southwest Super Lawyers list
- 2015 Southwest Super Lawyers list
- 2014 Southwest Super Lawyers list
- 2013 Southwest Super Lawyers list
- 2012 Southwest Rising Stars Super Lawyers list
Honors
- 1. Selected as a BEST LAWYER in THE BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA® (Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Commercial Litigation (2024-Present))
- 2. Selected as one of ten nationwide Phenoms Under 40 by CLAIMS AND LITIGATION MANAGEMENT ALLIANCE (December 2022 – inaugural year)
- 3. Selected to BEST LAWYERS® Ones to Watch® (Insurance Law and Coverage (2022 - 2023))
- 4. Selected to Top Lawyers by PHOENIX Magazine (Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Law (2022 (inaugural year)))
- 5. Selected to SOUTHWEST SUPER LAWYERS® Rising Stars® (Insurance Law and Coverage (2012 (inaugural year) - Present))
- 6. Honored by American Subcontractors Association of Arizona, Inc. for assistance as a member of the Technical Advisory Committee in drafting legislation on proportional contractual indemnity provisions as part of SB1271, which was signed into law by Gove
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