Tara C.Kowalski

Partner

Los Angeles + 1.213.243.2405

With nearly 20 years of experience representing policyholders in pursuing insurance claims and litigation, Tara Kowalski has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for policyholder clients. She has extensive experience with various types of insurance coverage and claims, including commercial general liability (CGL), professional liability, employment practices liability (EPLI), errors and omissions (E&O), product liability, intellectual property, builders risk, property, business interruption, extra expense, and bad faith. She has represented policyholders in a broad array of industries, including consumer products, technology, real estate, fashion/apparel, hospitality, manufacturing, education, financial services, telecommunications, railroad, and medical.

Tara also maintains an active commercial litigation practice in other areas, including contract and indemnity, and has represented clients in all stages of litigation in state and federal courts throughout the United States.

Tara frequently writes and speaks on insurance coverage issues. She served as co-chair of the Business Interruption Subcommittee of the American Bar Association's Insurance Litigation Committee. She has been recognized repeatedly as a "Super Lawyer," "Top LA Women Lawyer," and "Rising Star" by the publishers of Los Angeles. In 2013, she was named a "Rising Star Under 40" by Law360, one of only two policyholder lawyers named in the United States.

Experience

  • LAUSD secures trial victory in Los Angeles Superior Court against its insurersJones Day represents Los Angeles Unified School District ("LAUSD") in seeking insurance coverage from multiple insurers in connection with highly-publicized claims against LAUSD that it negligently hired, retained, and supervised a former teacher at Miramonte Elementary School, who allegedly abused students, and for which the School District paid more than $180 million to settle claims.
  • Sammons settles bad faith claims against Federal Insurance CompanyJones Day represented Sammons Financial Group as lead counsel in a Iowa federal bad faith coverage action seeking coverage for defense costs incurred in defending underlying annuity sales practice class actions.
  • Union Pacific Railroad successfully defeats toxic tort claims after derailment in CaliforniaJones Day successfully defended Union Pacific Railroad Company against toxic tort claims involving over 180 plaintiffs relating to a derailment in Southern California.
  • Additional Speaking Engagements

    • March 11, 2020
      Coronavirus Response: What In-House Counsel Need to Know
    • January 31, 2019
      Avoiding Insurance Traps: A Top Ten Guide For In-House Counsel, Jones Day University
    • January 26, 2017
      Beating Bias, Moderator, Los Angeles County Bar Association and Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Joint Task Force
    • January 25, 2017
      Maximizing Directors' and Officers' Insurance Coverage: The Evolving Needs From Start-Up to Publicly Traded Company, Jones Day University
    • September 27, 2016
      Cybersecurity Insurance, FFIEC Cybersecuirty Assessment Tool Deep Dive Workshop
    • January 2009
      Insurance Coverage 101: Fundamentals of Insurance Coverage, Howrey LLP