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Les Brown has extensive experience in complex commercial litigation in federal and state courts throughout the country. He is a partner in Perkins Coie's Insurance Coverage Litigation and Environment, Energy & Resources practice groups, and his practice focuses on representing policyholders in high-stakes insurance coverage disputes and environmental litigation. Les is also a panel mediator for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and a fellow of the American Academy of Coverage Attorneys.
Insurance Coverage
Les has assisted clients throughout the world for more than 35 years and has recovered well over a billion dollars from their insurance companies. He has represented clients in more than 18 jurisdictions and assisted in the prosecution of claims in courts in the Caribbean and England. Les has pursued coverage for policyholders including comprehensive liability, builder’s risk, first-party property, cyber, and directors and officers liability, as well as errors and omissions and other specialty coverages. He regularly represents electric and gas utilities, property owners, manufacturers, chemical companies, oil and gas companies, technology companies, and municipalities. His accomplishments include:
- Obtained nearly half a billion dollars for a technology company in a complex international insurance claims dispute.
- Obtained more than $20 million for a major equipment manufacturer to fund the defense and settle the underlying claim in dispute.
- Obtained one of the largest awards ever secured against London Insurers in a “Baseball” arbitration for a public electric and gas utility.
- Moved a first-party coverage matter brought by Lloyd's of London from the High Court in London to the client's home country and settling the matter for the full amount of the loss.
- Assisted an energy company client in obtaining a nine-figure settlement of a terrorism loss claim after a successful trial.
- Helped clients facing a major securities class actions settle with tens of millions of dollars provided by their insurance companies.
Environmental Litigation
Les has worked on federal and state hazardous waste matters since before the enactment of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) in 1980. He is a coauthor of one of the earliest texts on the subject: Hazardous Waste in America. He has represented clients before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state agencies, and in court in complex potentially responsible party (PRP) cases, both in an effort to limit liability as well as to obtain insurance to cover the costs of investigations and cleanups. In total, Les has worked on more than 400 hazardous waste sites, involving some of the earliest Superfund cost recovery sites—Henderson Road, Picillo Farm, and CSX Staten Island. He represented Maryland Sand and Gravel in actions involving the Elkton, Maryland, site and worked with Allied Signal (now Honeywell) in its efforts to minimize exposure and obtain insurance proceeds to clean up more than 100 sites around the nation. In recent years, Les has recovered over half a billion dollars in insurance proceeds for environmental liabilities alone. His success in this area has earned him the designation as the only “Environmental Litigation esp. Insurance” rated lawyer on the “LawDragon Green 500 Leaders in Environmental Law” 2023 listing. He works closely with numerous environmental experts, including toxicologists, hydrogeologists, industry standard and practice experts, and remediation and investigation consultants. His work includes the use of complex groundwater and subsurface fate and transport models, as well as contaminant plume timing models.
Les has been honored by being selected as a fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel as well as by The Daily Journal's California Law Business list of rainmakers for over seven years and by Los Angeles magazine as one of Southern California's top "Super Lawyers" and LawDragon Green 500.
Professional Recognition
- The American College of Coverage Counsel, Fellow
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America: Insurance Law, 2018 – 2024
- Listed in Los Angeles, "Super Lawyers" for over ten years
- Listed in The Daily Journal's California Law Business List of Rainmakers for more than seven years
- Listed in LawDragon “The Green 500 Leaders In Environmental Law 2023”
Professional Leadership
- The American College of Coverage Counsel, Fellow
- American Bar Association, Member
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Appointed Panel Mediator
Related Employment
- Howrey LLP, Los Angeles, CA, Partner
- Jones Day LLP, Los Angeles, CA, Partner
- Anderson Kill and Olick LLP, New York, NY and Palo Alto, CA, Partner
