Michael Melendez

Experience

1. Partner

   Kennedys

   Jun 2023 — Present · San Francisco, CA, US

   Mike is a partner with Kennedys. Mike is an insurance coverage attorney focusing on all types of complex insurance coverage issues, including construction defect, advertising injury, personal injury, directors and officers, and general liability. He provides claims handling and coverage advice to insurers, defends bad faith suits, and litigates declaratory relief and contribution actions.Mike has designed and given several presentations to claims professionals and attorneys on insurance coverage and general legal issues including claims practices, constructions defect, additional insurance, independent counsel, ethics, and bad faith.Mike has represented clients in numerous jurisdictions throughout the United States, and has tried cases and argued appeals in both state and federal courts. Mike is licensed to practice before all the state and federal courts in California and Nevada, and has been admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit and the U.S. Court of Claims.In addition to insurance coverage, Mike has handled a variety of general commercial disputes. Mike has served pro bono as a special deputy public defender in Marin County and as an arbitrator for the Bar Association of San Francisco\'s Committee on Fee Disputes. Mike also served on the California State Bar\'s Executive Committee for the Law Practice Management and Technology Section.Mike has earned Martindale-Hubbell\'s \"A-V Preeminent\" Peer Review Rating. He has also been selected as a Northern California Super Lawyer, a designation reserved for the top five percent of the bar.

Skills

• Arbitration
• Legal Writing
• Litigation
• Litigation Management
• Legal Research
• Commercial Litigation
• Class Actions
• Mediation
• Product Liability
• Trial Practice
• Insurance Law
• Entrepreneurship
• Civil Litigation
• Appeals