MICHAEL P. DENVER

EXPERIENCE SUMMARY

Michael Denver has been an attorney since 1998, with over 7 years of experience in complex business, insurance and consumer litigation.  Since 2003, Michael Denver has successfully concentrated his practice in the areas of insurer insolvency, insurance coverage, ERISA employee welfare benefit plans and class actions on behalf of victims of white collar crime.  Michael Denver has served as class counsel representing policyholders and victims of white collar crime and as counsel to Independent Fiduciaries appointed by the U.S. Department of Labor.  Among other engagements, Michael Denver presently represents the Independent Fiduciary selected by the U.S. Department of Labor to deal with one of the largest health insurance frauds in this country’s history.  In that ongoing case Michael Denver and Hollister & Brace have, to date, collected more than $16 Million to pay the $25 Million in unpaid medical bills which resulted from the nationwide fraud.  Michael Denver is also presently representing the class of victims who deposited $97 Million in 1031 exchange funds with certain exchange accommodators which were looted by white collar criminals.  In recognition of his significant accomplishments, Michael Denver has been awarded the highest possible Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory peer review rating which a lawyer can obtain in the first ten years of practice.

RECENT CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Obtained $5,570,748 judgment against four insurance producers who promoted fraudulent health insurance coverage in Florida.

Recovered over $15 Million from various E&O insurance carriers which had refused to cover claims of professional liability brought against their respective insureds.

Won summary judgment against an insurer which had refused to cover $9 Million in claims against its insureds.

Obtained a $6 Million judgment against the trustees of a mismanaged health care fund.

Obtained a declaratory judgment in Federal Court that a national insurer had owed and breached coverage obligations respecting its insured resulting in a monetary judgment which was later settled by Hollister & Brace.

EDUCATION

University of San Diego (J.D.1998)
Boston University (M.A. 1995)
University of California at Los Angeles (B.A. 1993)

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Santa Barbara County Bar Association
The State Bar of California – (Bar No. 199279)

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE IN THE FOLLOWING COURTS

All State Courts of California
U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
9th Circuit Court of Appeals
11th Circuit Court of Appeals

ADMITTED PRO HAC VICE

U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court, Southern & Northern Districts of Nevada
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Court, District of Columbia

INSOLVENCY ENGAGEMENTS

Thomas A. Dillon v. James Graf, et al., United States District Court, For the District of Nevada, Case No. CV-N-03-0119-HDM-VPC

In Dillon v. Graf, Hollister & Brace was retained to represent Thomas A. Dillon, the court appointed Independent Fiduciary of thousands of small employer created Employee Welfare Benefit Plans (EWBPs).  The EWBPs purchased health insurance for their employees which turned out to be fraudulent.  On behalf of Dillon, Hollister & Brace sued over 400 insurance producers across the country for malpractice and for breach of the contract to procure insurance.  The case is still pending.  There are $25,000,000 in unpaid health claims.  To date, Michael Denver and Hollister & Brace have negotiated partial settlements totaling over $16,000,000. 

Caroline Houck, et al. v. Board of Trustees of the International Union for Natural Health, Complementary & Alternative Medicine Professions Health and Welfare Fund, United States District Court, Central District of California, Case No. 03-2494 R (CWx)

In Houck v. Trustees, Hollister & Brace was retained to represent the Participants of a failed health plan which left over $4,000,000 in unpaid claims.  A Judgment for $6,000,000 was entered against the fiduciaries and litigation was prosecuted against ULICO, the insurer that issued a Fiduciary Liability policy to the Trustees and denied cover.  The coverage litigation was entitled Ulico v. IUNHCAMP Fund, and filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.  Michael Denver and Hollister & Brace successfully mediated and settled that coverage dispute.

REFERENCES

The following references may be contacted regarding Mr. Denver’s work on ERISA, insurer fraud, insurer insolvency, liquidations, insurance coverage and victims of white collar crime.

E-mail: MPDenver@hbsb.com