SUMMARY
Jason Y. Chao is a trial attorney in the firm’s Orange County office. Mr. Chao’s practice primarily involves general business litigation, insurance coverage litigation, public entity liability, professional liability, civil rights, and employment law. Mr. Chao is actively involved in all phases of litigation, from pre-litigation counseling up to and through trial and appeal, at both the state and federal court level. His practice and experience also enable him to assist both his public entity and private clients with risk management, creative problem solving, and the development and implementation of strategies geared toward avoiding future litigation.
Before joining the firm, Mr. Chao managed a litigation group representing a Fortune 100 insurance client in a wide variety of complex insurance coverage matters against several of the largest homebuilders in California. Mr. Chao’s practice involved representing his clients’ interests in dispute resolution efforts dealing with complex insurance coverage issues as well as trial and appellate work, participating in his client’s Settlement Review Panel, and conducting client staff training sessions and annual assessments of in-house procedures.
Mr. Chao completed his undergraduate studies at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Urban Regional Planning in the College of Architecture, Art and Planning. He received his Juris Doctor from the Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa, California.
EXPERIENCE
Published Appellate Victory: Mr. Chao successfully represented a Fortune 100 insurance client in a complex multi-party bad faith litigation arising from an additional insured’s breach of contract and refusal to accept appointed defense counsel. The years-long litigation resulted in published appellate decisions regarding the right to Cumis counsel under California Civil Code Section 2860.
Summary Judgment Victory: As defense counsel for an industry-leading insurance client, Mr. Chao drafted a prevailing summary judgment motion reducing client’s litigated exposure from $22 million to less than $1 million in potential compensatory damages in a Federal Court action.
Summary Judgment and Fees, Costs Awarded in Public Entity Litigation: Mr. Chao represented a public entity client in a dangerous condition case wherein Plaintiff suffered significant long-term injuries. Through a motion for summary judgment, Mr. Chao prevailed – defending his client against all claims and obtained the client’s “first ever” award of attorney’s fees and costs.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- State Bar of California
- State Bar of Washington
- American Institute of Architects Orange County (AIAOC)
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
- Asian American Architect/Engineers Association (AAa/e)
PUBLICATIONS/SEMINARS
- Insurance Coverage During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Considerations for Re-Opening Business as Stay at Home Orders are Lifted