Louis
H.
Castoria
Partner
415.625.9370
San Francisco
Louis H. Castoria is the Assistant Managing Partner of the San Francisco office. With over 25 years experience, Louis is one of the firm's team leaders in the securities and financial institutions arena. In addition, he is experienced in reinsurance and other business litigation and dispute resolution, including cases involving mortgage-backed securities, regulatory and compliance matters in court and in governmental and self-regulatory organizations. Louis has defended municipalities in Civil Rights, zoning/permit, and tort matters and has also helped clients protect consumers' privacy rights as well as their own confidential data. He also has experience authoring insurance policies.
Louis has lectured throughout the U.S. on financial regulatory issues. He serves on the events committee of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS), and on the Board of Directors of the Insurance Educational Association.
Admissions
California
U.S. District Court, Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of California
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Education
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, J.D., 1980
University of San Francisco, B.A.
Professional Memberships
American Bar Association, Tort and Insurance Practice Section
Board Memberships
Insurance Educational Association, vice-chair, board of directors
Publications
“E&O Avoidance,” American Agent & Broker quarterly column.
Business Insurance and Insurance Journal, regular contributor.
“Is Health Care Reform Bad for Brokers’ Health?,” Defense Research Institute, 2011.
“Depleting Limits and the Decision to Settle,” Defense Research Institute, 2011.
“The NRRA: Change You’d Better Believe In,” Insurance Agent & Broker magazine, 2011.
“Loss Control Services – Don’t Overcompromise,” Insurance Agent & Broker magazine, 2011.
“Miscellaneous Doesn’t Mean Unimportant,” Insurance Agent & Broker magazine, 2010.
“You Are Cordially Invited to a Lawsuit,” Insurance Agent & Broker magazine, 2010.
“Alice in Blunderland,” Insurance Agent & Broker magazine, 2010.
“Makin’ a List and Checkin’ It Twice,” Insurance Agent & Broker magazine, 2010.
“Fire the Client? Sometimes It’s Necessary,” Insurance Agent & Broker magazine, 2010.
“Red Flags Mean Danger – A Look at the FTC’s New Privacy Regulations,” Insurance Agent & Broker magazine, 2009.
“Stay within Your Strengths,” Insurance Agent & Broker magazine, 2009.
“Securities Arbitrations in FINRA: What Every Securities Broker Needs to Know,” Wilson Elser white paper, 2009.
“Credit Crisis Risks for Agents and Brokers,” Insurance Agent & Broker magazine, 2008.
“Managing Credit Crisis Exposures: How to Be Ready as the Subprime Meltdown Impacts Professional Liability Claims,” Wilson Elser white paper, 2008.
“A $500 Billion Loss in Corporate Equity with the Stroke of a Pen?,” Insurance Journal, 2006.
“Today’s Strategies for Defending Financial Institutions in the Golden State,” Lancer Claims Services, 2003.
“Reimbursement of Defense Costs? California Supreme Court Says ‘Sometimes,’” International Insurance Law Journal, 1997.
“Errors and Omissions Prevention for Insurance Brokers,” Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, 1994.
“Best Defense: Hold-Harmless Agreements, Broad Form Coverage, and Additional Insured Endorsements,” State Bar of California, 1994.
“Training Seminar for Insurance Agents and Brokers,” various events.
Presentations
“NRRA: The Quiet Revolution,” multiple venues, 2011.
Mock Trial of Privacy Breach Case, Surplus Line Association of California, 2011.
Mock Trial of an EPL and Insurance Broker E&O Case, Surplus Line Association of California, 2010, 2008.
“Introduction to the Credit Crisis,” Professional Liability Underwriting Society, April 2008.
“Top Ten Ways for Surplus Line Brokers to Avoid E&O Risks,” Surplus Line Association of California, 2007.
“The EPL Coverage Trap for Corporations and Their Brokers,” Professional Liability Underwriting Society, 2006.
“Online Underwriting of Professional Liability Insurance: Are We There Yet?,” Professional Liability Underwriting Society, 2005.
“E&O Case Law and Insurance Update,” Professional Liability Underwriting Society, 2005.
“Litigation Cost Control: Early Evaluation through the Trial Process,” Wilson Elser, 2004.
“Managing Risks and Costs in NASD Arbitrations,” Securities Industry Association, 2004.
“Do Disasters Breed Disaster? The Impact of Disasters on Professional Liability Claims,” Professional Liability Underwriting Society, 2004.
“Depression Disability Insurance Claims,” American Conference Institute, 2003.
“Today’s Strategies for Defending Financial Institutions in the Golden State, Lancer Claims Services, 2003.
“Top 10 Ways for Brokers to Avoid E&O Claims,” Association Casualty Insurance Company, 2002.
“Risk Management in the Small Broker-Dealer Firm,” Securities Industry Association, 2002.
“Professionals on the Fiduciary Firing Line,” Professional Liability Underwriting Society, 2002.
“Online Insurance Transactions,” American Conference Institute, 2000-2001.
“Bad Faith in the 21st Century,” General Reinsurance, 2000.
“Online Liability,” American Conference Institute, 2000.
“Y2K: A Real Threat or a False Alarm?,” Pacific Claims Executive Association, 1999.
“California’s Proposition 103: Will It Stand Up in Court?,” Insurance Federation of New York, 1998.
“California Bad Faith Law, a Survey of Recent Trends, Appellate Decisions, and Jury Trials,” General Reinsurance, 1997.
“Trigger of Coverage: Montrose and Beyond,” Insurance Brokers and Agents of the West, 1995.
“Errors and Omissions Prevention for Insurance Brokers,” Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, 1994.
“Best Defense: Hold-Harmless Agreements, Broad Form Coverage and Additional Insured Endorsements,” State Bar of California, 1994.
“Training Seminar for Insurance Agents and Brokers,” various events.
“The Insurance Industry on Trial (Mock Trial),” several years.
“Training Program: California’s Unfair Insurance Practices Regulations,” several years.