COZEN O'CONNOR | The Confidence to Proceed

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Peter J. Mintzer, Member
pmintzer@cozen.com

Office:

Seattle

Phone: (206) 373-7243

Toll Free: (800) 423-1950

Fax: (206) 621-8783

 

Mailing Address:

1201 Third Avenue
Suite 5200
Seattle, Washington 98101
United States

Peter is a Member in the Global Insurance Group, practicing in the Seattle office. He serves as the co-head of the Global Insurance Group's environmental practice area.

Peter’s practice focuses on representation of insurers in complex property and casualty insurance coverage claims, particularly environmental, construction defect and professional liability claims. He regularly provides coverage analysis and advice, and represents insurers in insurance coverage, declaratory judgment and bad faith litigation in the various Northwest states.

Peter regularly provides monitoring counsel services, assisting insurers in working with defense counsel and the insured in evaluating potential exposure and effectively handling and resolving claims for which a defense and/or coverage is being afforded. He also regularly defends insureds and self-insured entities in environmental, construction defect, products liability and professional errors and omissions claims.

Peter has represented insurers in many of the most significant complex insurance coverage litigations in the Pacific Northwest, including, for example:

  • Georgia Pacific Corp. v. Aetna, et al., (King County Super. Ct.)(counsel for a large domestic insurer involving claims under multiple primary and excess policies for environmental property damage at over forty sites around the U.S.);

  • Boise Cascade Corp. v. Aetna et al., (Ada County (Boise) ID Dist. Ct.)(counsel for a large domestic insurer involving claims under multiple excess policies for environmental property damage at over thirty sites around the U.S.);

  • Cascade Pole Co., et al. v. Reliance Insurance Co., et al. (Thurston Cty. Super. Ct.)(counsel for an excess insurer involving claims under an umbrella policy for environmental property damage resulting from wood treating operations at 5 sites in Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon);

  • Puget Sound Energy Inc. v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyds, et al., (“PSE II”) (USDC W. Dist. of Wash.)(counsel for a primary insurer involving claims for environmental property damage at 15 sites in Washington);

  • The Boeing Company v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyds, et al. (King County Super. Ct., Multnomah Cty. Circuit Court and Sedgwick Cty, Kansas Dist. Ct.) (counsel for a large domestic insurer involving claims under multiple excess policies for environmental property damage at over thirty five sites around the U.S.);

  • Philip Services Co. Georgetown Seattle Site (counsel to pollution liability insurer for complex cleanup claim resolution);

  • Hanson Associates Inc. v. American Int’l Surplus Lines Ins. Co., et al., (Anchorage, Alaska, Dist. Ct.)(counsel for a primary insurer involving claims under multiple primary policies for environmental property damage at a site in Anchorage, Alaska);

  • Port of Seattle Environmental Claims (counsel for a primary insurer involving claims under multiple primary policies for environmental property damage at five sites);

  • Port of Portland/Portland Harbor Superfund Site Claims(counsel for a large domestic insurer involving claims under multiple primary policies for environmental property damage at the Portland Harbor Superfund site);

  • City of Portland/Portland Harbor Superfund Site Environmental Claims (counsel for a large domestic insurer involving claims under multiple primary policies for environmental property damage at the Portland Harbor Superfund site);

  • Foss Maritime Co. v. Aetna, et al.(King Cty. Super. Ct.)(counsel for a primary insurer involving claims under multiple primary policies for environmental property damage at three sites, including the Middle Waterway Site within the Commencement Bay Superfund NPL Site);

  • Hawaiian Sugar Co. Maui Smoke Drift Claims (counsel for a pollution legal liability insurer involving claims under a PLL policy arising smoke drift from cane field burning operations on Maui);

  • Walnut Creek, Calif. Jet Fuel Pipe Line Explosion (counsel for a pollution legal liability insurer involving claims under a PLL policy alleging wrongful death, pollution and property damage claims resulting from a jet fuel pipe line which exploded, allegedly due to damage during construction operations by insured and others);

  • North Pacific Seafoods Inc. v. National Union Fire Ins. Co., et al., (U.S.D.C. W. Dist. of Wash. and King Cty Super. Ct.)(counsel for a large domestic insurer involving claims under multiple excess policies for environmental property damage at a seafood processing and fueling facility in remote Southwest Alaska);

  • Northwestern Pacific Indem. Co. v. Louisiana Pacific Corp., (Mult. Cty. Circuit Court, Ore.) (counsel for a large domestic insurer involving claims under multiple excess policies for damages related to allegedly defective Oriented Strand Board (“OSB”)siding);and

  • In re Cal Shake Roofing Class Action Litigation (Contra Costa County, Calif., Super. Ct.)(counsel for a large domestic insurer involving claims under multiple excess policies for damages related to allegedly defective Cal Shake roof tiles at issue in this class action litigation).

Peter also frequently serves as a mediator and arbitrator in a wide array of civil matters including tort, contract, construction defect, real estate and business litigation.

Peter is also a frequent speaker at industry seminars and continuing education programs in the areas of insurance claims and coverage matters.

Peter received his B.A. in Political Science from the College at the University of Chicago in 1985. Peter received his J.D. from the University of Oregon in 1990. During law school, Peter’s studies focused on environmental and natural resources law. In 1989-1990, he served as an Intern at the Western Natural Resources Law Clinic affiliated with the University.

Peter joined the Northwest Regional Office of Cozen O’Connor in August 1992. From 1990-1992, Peter practiced in the Seattle office of Hallmark, Keating & Abbott, where his practice emphasized insurance coverage and bad faith litigation as well as defense of professional liability claims.

Peter is admitted to practice in the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Hawaii and Alaska.