Cynthia L. Mellema's practice area is insurance coverage and litigation. Her practice includes the evaluation and litigation of first and third party coverage issues. Ms. Mellema also defends insurers and agents in lawsuits filed in state and federal court. Recent litigation includes lawsuits asserting claims for "bad faith", spoliation of evidence, agent negligence and misrepresentation.
Ms. Mellema has authored or co-authored three articles: Glad & Mellema, "Homeowner's Insurance: No Coverage For Misrepresentations," 12 Insurance Litigation Reporter 431 (November 1990); Glad & Mellema, "Coverage For Misrepresentation: A Review And Focus," 13 Insurance Litigation Reporter 333 (August 1991); Note, "Copyright Protection For Computer Software: An International View," 11 Syr. J. Int'l L. 87 (1984).
Ms. Mellema previously practiced antitrust law with the law firm of Furth, Fahrner & Mason in
San Francisco, California.
Ms. Mellema earned an M.A. in International Relations from
Syracuse
University in 1985 and a J.D., magna cum laude in 1985, and was appointed to Order of the Coif; she earned a B.A. from
Calvin
College in 1980.
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, LLP, regularly handles high-risk and complex matters for financial and insurance industry clients. Staffed with seasoned litigators and former insurance regulators, Sonnenschein lawyers are relentless advocates for its clients’ interests.
For more than 70 years, Sonnenschein has partnered with insurance companies to understand their business and legal needs. Recent confirmation of Sonnenschein's outstanding insurance industry qualifications came in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. The 2008 edition identifies Sonnenschein as one of the top firms in the country representing insurers on their most complex matters. The Chambers description speaks for itself:
Considered “a go-to resource,” Sonnenschein has a major practice in this field. Insurance has been a priority of the firm for many years, and its competitors accept that it has fashioned itself into “a major competitor and a worthy opponent for anyone.” Commentators declare that “there is no insurance issue that it doesn’t have a wealth of experience in,” and praise it for its depth and reach. Its experts are to be found in California, Illinois and New York, but the firm offers a nationally integrated service, drawing upon specialized expertise and knowledge in its various offices as and when required. The lawyers themselves are “passionate, enthusiastic and edgy, constantly sparking ideas off each other.” According to clients, “the group has enough talented and experienced lawyers to handle numerous complex and large matters at any one time.”
When products are attacked, when lawsuits go national, when regulators join the fray, when reputations are on the line, leading businesses turn to Sonnenschein.