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Laura J. Coe focuses her practice on commercial and complex litigation.  She has successfully tried cases to jury verdict and prosecuted appeals before federal and state courts in Texas.  Ms. Coe's practice encompasses a wide variety of commercial and civil matters ranging from contract to fraud disputes.  These representations include:

• Serving as regional counsel for a publicly-held real estate investment trust in connection with contract, construction, and injury to real property disputes;
• Evaluating the existence of insurance coverage under CGL, property, and professional liability policies and litigating declaratory judgment and bad faith actions;
• Advising clients on risk management matters, including review and counseling regarding adequacy of insurance coverage and enforceability of indemnity clauses,
• Handling bankruptcy litigation, including adversary proceedings involving the dischargeability of debts, the extent and validity of liens, and preferences, on behalf of secured and unsecured creditors;
• Prosecuting contested estate matters on behalf of executors, trustees, and beneficiaries; and
• Coordinating statewide defense efforts for a manufacturer against product liability claims.

Ms. Coe is a Certified Mediator and has mediated attorney's fees, construction, contract, fiduciary duty, fraud, homeowners/condominium association, landlord-tenant, real estate, and tort disputes.

Ms. Coe is Co-Chair of the firm's Diversity and Attorney Development Committee.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Coe was associated with two large national law firms in the Houston area.

Significant Transactions 

• Travelers Indem. Co. v. Texas Mun. League Joint Self-Insurance Fund, No. 01-08-00062-CV, 2008 WL 2756874 (Tex. App.— Houston [1^st Dist.] July 17, 2008, no pet.) (affirming denial of Travelers' motion to compel arbitration under reinsurance policy containing permissive arbitration clause).   
• Lazo v. RSI Intern, Inc., No. 14-06-00432-CV, 2007 WL 2447299 (Tex. App.— Houston [14^th Dist.] August 30, 2007, no pet.) (affirming summary judgment in favor of managing general agent on claims of bad faith wrongful policy cancellation). 
• EmCode Reimbursement Solutions, Inc. v. Nutmeg Ins. Co., 512 F.Supp.2d. 603 (N.D. Tex. 2007) (granting summary judgment based on failure to comply with policy conditions in bad faith action arising out of time-pressue demand).
• Negotiated settlement of an insurance coverage allocation dispute involving over $25 million.
• Resolved hundreds of commercial and derivative claims in national mass tort bankruptcy.
• Managed briefing team defending state-wide products liability docket; litigation disposed of on summary judgment in favor of defense.

News

Laura Coe represents Weingarten Realty in "scrimmage" against Tennessee Titan, Vince Young.  For more on the story, click here.

Seminars & Presentations 

• "Law School and Legal Career Exploration," National Black Pre-Law Admissions & Preparation Conference on Law Fair (October 2008).
• "Firm Life," Rocky Mountain Black Law Students Association (February 2008)
• "The Evolving Zones of Privacy:  Safeguarding Third Party Information and Minimizing Privacy Claim Exposure," Tax and Business Planning Seminar (November 2007).
• "Reservation of Rights and Denial of Coverage," University of Houston, Continuing Legal Education, Insurance Law (December 1999).
• "Reservation of Rights: the Insurance Company's Perspective," University of Houston, Continuing Legal Education, Insurance Law (June 1999) .
• "Defense Counsel-Who is the Client and What Does Tripartite Mean?," Law Update Seminar (May 1999).
• "Insurance Fraud Update: New Cases, New Schemes," Law Update Seminar (April 1998).
• "Insurance Fraud Update: Prosecutions and Trends," Law Update Seminar (May 1997). 

Articles & Publications

• "Coping with Market Risk and Regulatory Upheaval in the Energy Business: Representing Clients in Enforcement Actions," Energy Bar Association (November 2002).
• "Handling Director/Officer Civil Liability Issues During a Criminal Investigation: Defense Perspective," Texas State Bar, Continuing Legal Education (November 2002).
• "Texas Law on Coverage Issues Under CGL Policies Involving Environmental Claims," Journal of Texas Insurance (Spring 1999).
• "Coverage Issues Under CGL Policies for Environmental Claims Under Texas Law," 9 Environmental Claims Journal 99 (Summer 1997).

Professional Affiliations

• American Bar Association (Litigation Section; Tort and Insurance Practice Section)
• Association of Attorney - Mediators
• State Bar of Texas (College; Insurance Section)
• Dispute Resolution Center (Board Member)
• Houston Bar Association
• Houston Lawyers Association
• Houston Young Lawyers Association
• Interprofessional Drug Education Alliance (IDEA)
• Texas Young Lawyers Association
• Tomorrow's Attorneys Pipeline Project (Co-Chair)
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
• Texas Women Lawyers