Terri A. Sutton, CPCU, AU

Member

Terri Sutton has a wide range of experience advising insurers and litigating complex coverage issues under medical malpractice, general, professional, pollution, and excess/umbrella policies, treaty and facultative reinsurance, and directors and officers and employment practices liability coverages, and bad faith. Terri routinely drafts policy forms for insurers, risk retention groups, and risk pools.

Prior to joining the firm, Terri worked for Chubb Group of Insurance Companies as a commercial lines underwriter. As a result of this experience, she brings a unique knowledge of the insurance business to her legal practice.

Terri has experience in all phases of litigation, from mediation to trial and appellate work.

Terri earned her Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation in 2005 and was awarded the Loman Education Foundation Academic Excellence Award as a top scoring designee. She also served on the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) casualty curriculum advisory committee for the National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research.

Terri is a past president of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the CPCU Society, Interest Group Governor for the CPCU Society's Legal, Coverage, Regulatory, Education & Witnesses (L'CREW) and Agents and Brokers (ABIG) interest groups, and a member of WDTL (Washington Defense Trial Lawyers).

Terri earned her law degree, summa cum laude from Seattle University School of Law, where she was an associate editor of the law review. Terri received her Bachelor of Arts in economics and management from Beloit College, in Beloit, Wis.

Terri is also the board chair of Provail, an organization empowering children and adults with disabilities to engage in life according to their own choices.

Experience

News

Terri Sutton Selected as President of the Pacific Northwest Chapter CPCU Society

October 29, 2019

Terri Sutton, of Cozen O’Connor’s Global Insurance Department, has been promoted from president-elect to chapter president of the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Chapter Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) Society.

Cozen O'Connor Promotes 27 to Membership

May 01, 2019

Cozen O'Connor is pleased to recognize 27 attorneys with the promotion to member: Dylan Alper, Philip J. Berens, Alison Weintraub Berson, Evan Berquist, Alexandra Campau, Alissa K. Christopher, Matthew D. Clyde, Rachel Collins Clarke, Michael A. Corgan, Matthew L. Elkin, Nicole M. Ellis, Alex H. Hayden, David S. Huard, Haryle Kaldis, David Kirchblum, Matthew Evan Lewitz, Jesse Ryan Loffler, Samantha L. Mazo, Lindsey A. Miller, Jeffrey M. Monhait, Jonathan Nase, Jacqueline Promislo, Shelby K. Riney, Kelly Shinn, Terri A. Sutton, Daniel P. Thiel, and Laura Zulick.

Publications

Insurers Must Inform Washington Insureds of the Availability of Insurance Commissioner Assistance [Alert]

March 03, 2020

Terry A. Sutton and Jordan A. Hess discuss what insurers doing business in Washington need to know prior to August 1, 2020, implementation of WAC 284-30-770.

General Liability Insurance and the Opioid Epidemic - Another Look [Insights]

October 31, 2019

In response to rising costs stemming from the opioid epidemic, cities, counties, and states have filed lawsuits against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retailers in an effort to recoup those costs. Terri Sutton discusses this epidemic as a follow up to her winter 2018 Insights article "General Liability Insurance and the Opioid Epidemic," as she examines the additional coverage issues related to these lawsuits.

Washington Supreme Court Holds Claims Adjusters Cannot Be Personally Liable for Bad Faith [Alert]

October 08, 2019

Terri Sutton and Jordan Hess discuss the state Supreme Court decision in Keodalah v. Allstate Insurance Company, et al.

General Liability Insurance and the Opioid Epidemic [Insights]

February 14, 2019

In response to the rising costs associated with the opioid epidemic, Terri Sutton discusses the varied success of coverage defenses that have been litigated as well as what we can expect to see in the months and years to come.

Washington: Product Manufacturers Must Warn Hospitals; May Be Strictly Liable for Failure to Warn [Global Insurance Alert]

March 08, 2017

Terri Sutton discusses manufacturers of medical devices in Washington's new duty to warn hospitals that purchase their devices, and that product manufacturers of “unavoidably unsafe products” may face strict liability for failure to warn claims.

Events & Seminars

Past Events

In2Risk 2021

September 24, 2021 - Lake Buena Vista, FL

Coronavirus: Insurance Implications

March 25, 2020 - Webinar

2019 NRRA National Conference

October 02, 2019 - Chicago, IL

2019 Seattle Insurance Litigation Seminar

September 19, 2019 - Seattle, WA

A Grand Insurance Adventure

June 05, 2019 - Spokane, WA

CGL Insurance and the Opioid Epidemic

May 15, 2019 - Columbus, Ohio

The Opioid Epidemic and Casualty Insurance

May 14, 2019 - Columbus, OH

Policy Drafting Issues

May 05, 2019 - Tacoma, WA

Avoiding Bad Faith on the Pacific Northwest

April 24, 2019 - Seattle,WA

2018 CPCU Society Annual Meeting

October 15, 2018 - San Diego, CA

Industry Sectors

Education

  • Seattle University School of Law, J.D., summa cum laude, 2011
  • Beloit College, B.A., 1999

Awards & Honors

2018 Outstanding Litigation Associate Award by the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers Association

2005 Loman Education Foundation Academic Excellence Award for top-scoring CPCU designee

Best Lawyers in America "Ones to Watch" 2021-2022

Rising Star, Washington Super Lawyers, 2022

Top 50 Women in Washington- Washington Super Lawyers, 2022

  • Washington
  • Oregon
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of Washington
  • U.S. District Court -- Western District of Washington
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court -- Oregon