Paul Sugarman joined Heller Ehrman in 1976 and is the former chair of the firm's Product Liability Practice Group. He has a litigation practice with an emphasis on complex commercial litigation, in particular the representation of defendants in product liability litigation and corporate policyholders in insurance coverage disputes.

Experience

Mr. Sugarman has defended numerous manufacturers against product liability class actions in both state and federal courts across the country, often serving as National Coordinating Counsel. He has represented many Fortune 500 companies in litigation seeking coverage for large product liability, environmental, toxic tort, directors’ and officers' liability, fidelity and crime, and first party property claims as well. His practice also includes pre-litigation counseling in a wide range of product liability and insurance coverage areas.

Mr. Sugarman has lectured extensively on behalf of Executive Enterprises, Inc., the ABA Division for Professional Education, Mealey's Publications, The Institute for International Research Division of Law & Environment, Practicing Law Institute and Prentice Hall Law and Business on numerous product liability, insurance coverage and procedural issues.

Mr. Sugarman was recognized in 2005, 2006 and 2007 as a "Super Lawyer" by Law & Politics.

Representative Engagements

• Represented Behr Process Corporation (and its corporate parent, Masco Corporation) as National Coordinating Defense Counsel in multiple state and national class action lawsuits filed in Alabama, Alaska, California, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington alleging that exterior wood coatings fail to retard mildew growth and ultraviolet light degradation.
• Represented Johns Manville Corporation as Lead Defense Counsel in a national class action products liability litigation involving commercial roofing insulation, Sebago, Inc./Karam, et al. v. Beazer East, Inc., et al., Civ. No. 96-10069-MLW, U.S.D.C., D. Mass, and National Coordinating Defense Counsel in connection with numerous individual lawsuits relating to the products.
• Represented Milgard Manufacturing, Inc. in California state-wide class action product liability litigation seeking damages to single-family homes allegedly caused by aluminum windows and doors, Aikens, et al. v. Milgard Manufacturing, Inc., et al., Civ. No. FCS021177, Solana County Superior Court.
• Represented Weyerhaeuser Company Limited and its subsidiary, American Cemwood Corp., in national class action and related insurance coverage litigation arising out of cement-wood residential building materials, Richison, et al. v. American Cemwood Corp., et al., Civ. No. 005532, San Joaquin County Superior Court, and American Cemwood Corp., et al. v. American Home Assurance Co., et al., Civ. No. 305336, San Francisco Superior Court.
• Represented Johns Manville Corporation in complex business tort litigation relating to commercial roofing insulation products, Manville Corp. v. Beazer East, Inc., Civ. No. 93CV 0025, Denver District Court.
• Represented Johns Manville Corporation in complex litigation involving coverage for commercial roofing insulation materials. Manville Corp. v. National Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, PA, Civ. No. 92N 1812, U.S.D.C., D.Col.
• Represented Viad Corp in insurance coverage litigation in relation to asbestos, Viad Corp v. Insurance Co. of North America, et al., Civ. No. 973797, San Francisco Superior Court.
• Represented Johns Manville Corporation as Co-lead Counsel in the Asbestos Insurance Coverage Cases (pretrial, phase one trial, and settlement, 1980-87), California Coordination Proceeding No. 1072.

Publications

• Kemper Liquidation: Do You Know the Risks?  Policyholder Perspective  5.20.2005
• New Federal Law re Multi-State Class Actions  2.18.2005
• Policyholders Face Numerous Risks Should the Kemper Insurance Companies Be Placed into Liquidation  2.17.2005
• "Creative Settlements in Complex Claims"  The John Liner Review, Vol. 18, no. 1  5.1.2004
• "Choice-of-Law Analysis May Stem Class Actions"  The National Law Journal  9.16.2003