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William M. Demlong - Phoenix, AZ
1850 North Central AvenueSuite 1900 Phoenix, AZ 85004
The Cavanagh Law Firm, P.A.
Phoenix Alternative Dispute Resolution Lawyer
Overview
William M. Demlong has been an attorney for over 30 years and serves as the firm's president and chair. In both the first-party and third-party contexts, Mr. Demlong's work entails the investigation and litigation of complicated insurance claims and coverage. In significant commercial, construction defect and personal injury cases, he has successfully argued in both federal and state courts. Mr. Demlong has fought claims in Louisiana, New Mexico, Montana, Alaska and California in addition to Arizona, Nevada and Illinois, where he has tried cases. All sorts of insurance policies were covered by his insurance litigation practice, with a focus on life, health, disability, coverage, general liability, construction faults, personal and commercial automobiles, and personal and surplus lines.
Mr. Demlong has actively participated in proceedings at the United States District Court of the District of Arizona. He served as an arbitrator for the District Court, was a part of the court's technology committee, and served as the Arizona lawyer representative for the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' former chair. Additionally, he twice in the previous year presided over the District Court's Magistrate Selection Committee.
Mr. Demlong has lectured on issues such as insurance bad faith, coverage and related ones throughout his career to lawyers, claims specialists and other audiences.
Over the years, Mr. Demlong has participated actively in volunteer work and invested a significant amount of time in a number of boards and community organizations. The most unique volunteer work that Mr. Demlong had done was as a reserve police officer for the City of Tempe, where he spent hundreds of hours a year working as a patrol officer. In an effort to combat childhood obesity, he has also been active with Chances for Children Arizona, a group that offers fitness and nutrition programs in Arizona schools.
About William M. Demlong
Current Employment Position(s)
- Chair of the Board
Practice Areas
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction
- Corporate
- Insurance Coverage
- Insurance Defense
- Litigation
- Long-Term Care
- Personal Injury
- Premises Liability
- Product Liability, Pharmaceutical & Medical Device
- Professional Liability
- Special Risk Insurance Litigation
- Subrogation
Qualifications
Bar Admissions
- Arizona, 1989
- Nevada, 2011
- U.S. District Court District of Arizona, 1989
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 2003
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1989
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2000
- New Mexico, 2017
- U.S. District Court District of New Mexico, 2019
Specialties and Certifications
- Certified Public Accountant, Texas, 1985 - present
- Certified Law Enforcement Officer, Arizona, 1994 - 2001
Other Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- Arizona Bar Association
- Nevada Bar Association
- New Mexico Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- Defense Research Institute
- International Claims Association
- Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
- Arizona Association of Defense Counsel
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Lawyer Representative, 2003 – 2007
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Chair, Lawyer Representative, 2006 - 2007
- U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, Chair, Magistrate Selection Committee, 2007, 2009
Classes and Seminars
- "A Practical Guide To ERISA For Claims Examiners and Investigators,", Western Claims Conference, - 1997
- "What You Need to Know About Presenting and Defending ERISA Claims for Benefits,", Maricopa County Bar Association, - 1998
- "Analyzing and Handling of Insurance Claims Subject to Interpleader Actions,", Eastern Claims Conference, - 2001
- "Insurance Bad Faith Claims in Arizona,", Lorman Education Services, 2001, 2002
- "Disability Insurance Claims in Arizona,", Lorman Education Services, - 2003
- "Insurance Bad Faith Claims in Arizona,", Lorman Education Services, 2003 - 2006
- "Attorney Professionalism,", State Bar of Arizona and a Mandatory Course for Newly - Admitted Arizona Attorneys, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011
- Panelist, CLE by the Sea, regarding the difference between State and District Court Litigation, Arizona State Bar, - 2007
- "Bad Faith 101,", National Business Institute, - 2012
- "Accidental Death Claims,", International Claims Association, - 2012
- "Current Development in Disability Claims,", National Business Institute, - 2012
- "Disability Claim Hot Topics,", International Claims Association, - 2012
Pro Bono Activities
- Member of Class IX, Tempe Leadership, Tempe, Arizona, 1993 - 1994
- Board of Directors, Tempe Leadership, Tempe, Arizona, 1994 - 1999
- President, Tempe Leadership, Tempe, Arizona, 1997 - 1998
- Reserve Police Officer , City of Tempe Police Department, 1994 - 2001
- Board Member, Tempe Communities in Schools, Tempe, Arizona, 1999 - 2001
- Board Member, The Centers for Habilitation, Tempe, Arizona, 1999
- Vice-Chairman, The Centers for Habilitation, Tempe, Arizona, 2003
- Chances for Children, 2005 – 2011
- The Centers for Habitation, Board Member, 1999 – 2005
- The Centers for Habitation, Vice-Chairman, 2003
Past Positions
- Arizona, Certified Law Enforcement Officer, 1994 - 2001
Education
- The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas, 1988
J.D.
Honors: with Honors - Arizona State University , 1982
B.S.
Major: Accounting
Fees
Accepts Credit Cards
Articles
Published Works
- Co-Authored chapters on Insurance Bad Faith, Punitive Damages, and Construction Defect, Arizona Tort Law Handbook
- Co-Edited revisions to Couch on Insurance 3d (ch. 7 "Introduction to Group Health Insurance and Government Regulations," ERISA, and ch. 8 "Group Health Insurance: Rights and Obligations")
Office Information
Address
1850 North Central AvenueSuite 1900 Phoenix, AZ 85004
Phone
Fax
- 602-322-4100
Websites
Achievements
Other Sources of Feedback About William M. Demlong
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 Super Lawyers Super Lawyers list
- 2011 Southwest Super Lawyers list
- 2010 Southwest Super Lawyers list
- 2009 Southwest Super Lawyers list
Honors
- Southwest Super Lawyers, 2009 – 2022, 2009 - 2012
- Southwest Super Lawyers, Arizona’s Top 50 Lawyers list, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2010 - 2012
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating 2022 Lawyer
- AZ Business Magazine, Top 100 Lawyers in Arizona, 2015 – 2019
- The Best Lawyers in America, 2017 – present, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, and Construction Law
- PHOENIX Magazine Top Lawyers in Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith (2022)
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