California Insurance Commissioner Announces New General Counsel

Following a nationwide search, California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner announced on Nov. 14 his choice Adam M. Cole for general counsel at the Department of Insurance.

Cole comes to the department from the San Francisco-based law firm Heller Ehrman, LLP, where he directed complex litigation matters with a focus on insurance recoveries for California policyholders. He also participated in the management of the 600-attorney law firm, which was also involved in representing a party in insurance litigation stemming from the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Previously, Cole served at the law firm of Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C., where he represented clients in litigation against insurance companies.

Cole brings to the department a blend of experience in both complex insurance issues and commercial litigation on the federal and state levels. In addition to insurance coverage matters, his areas of practice include constitutional law, professional ethics of lawyers, and legal issues related to climate change.

"I am pleased that we were able to recruit someone of Adam's caliber," Commissioner Steve Poizner said. "Adam's extensive experience as a lawyer representing insurance policyholders will be invaluable to the consumer protection activities of the Department of Insurance."

Cole has taught insurance law at the University of California-Berkeley (Boalt Hall) and the University of California Hastings College of the Law. He has also represented Legal Aid societies and serves on the board of directors for the Central Pacific Region of the Anti-Defamation League. He also served as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in Swaziland, Africa, from 1983 to 1985.

Cole is a graduate of Yale University, magna cum laude, and Harvard Law School, cum laude.

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Source: California Department of Insurance news release

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