William Brophy
Senior Associate
Overview
William Brophy represents sophisticated clients in complex civil disputes at the trial and appellate levels, achieving successful outcomes that limit financial exposure in high-stakes situations. He has significant experience representing clients in insurance coverage and extra-contractual litigation, as well as toxic tort, construction defect, and other commercial matters.
In addition to conducting strategic motions practice and taking key depositions, William has drafted appellate briefs and delivered winning oral arguments.
Credentials
Education
- Fordham University School of Law, 2016 (J.D.)
- Florida State University, 2013 (B.S.), cum laude
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- Won a unanimous and nationally significant ruling of first impression from the Colorado Supreme Court on behalf of an insurance adjuster who had been sued personally for statutory double damages. The court put a stop to such abusive lawsuits, ruling that employees of insurance companies cannot be liable personally under Colorado’s double-damages statutes. Skillett v. Allstate and Draine.
- Won a summary judgment for large national insurance company in Colorado. The court ruled that the client owed no duty to defend or indemnify a homeowners association seeking coverage for an underlying property damage dispute.
- Won a complete summary judgment for insurer in Colorado federal court by successfully challenging the enforceability of an assignment of insurance benefits, resulting in dismissal of all bad faith claims.
- Defended a national insurance company against allegations of bad faith during its handling of a large commercial property damage claim. Obtained a favorable settlement after successfully precluding plaintiff’s key expert witnesses from testifying at trial.
- Won a complete summary judgment in a residential property bad faith case for a large national insurer in New Mexico state court based on novel arguments related to the application of policy conditions and exclusions, supported by favorable admissions obtained from plaintiffs’ depositions.
- Obtained a complete dismissal on behalf of insurer and two individually named adjusters in a lawsuit asserting claims based on fraud and violation of a Colorado penalty statute.
- Won unanimous affirmance in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, First Department on summary judgment in favor of his clients facing significant individual liability, resulting in dismissal of breach of fiduciary duty and fraud claims.
- Won a significant victory before the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation for an insurance company facing an attempt to centralize all federal COVID-19 business-interruption insurance cases.
- Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, 2024-2026
- “Are We Covered? A Primer on Commercial Insurance for Corporate Counsel and Risk Managers,” ACC Colorado CLE, January 18, 2024