Severson and Werson

Susan Keeney, Special Counsel with the firm’s Insurance Law group, specializes in insurance coverage and litigation, with an emphasis on appellate work. She advises insurers and insureds regarding coverage, represents insurers in declaratory relief actions, and defends insurers against bad faith claims.

Ms. Keeney was previously a member of Lynch, Gilardi & Grummer. She also practiced with Sarrail & Russell and Long & Levit in San Francisco, and began her legal career with Starkey, Bloom & Maloney (house counsel for Hartford Insurance Company) in San Leandro.

Ms. Keeney is Past President of the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada (and Past Chair of that association’s Insurance Liaison and Education Committees), and is a member of the Defense Research Institute. She is a frequent lecturer at private programs and seminars sponsored by the both organizations.

Ms. Keeney's primary area of legal practice includes all levels of litigation with a focus on insurance coverage and extra-contractual claims in state and federal courts.

Ms. Keeney's specific experience includes:

Non Insurance Litigation: Personal injury, wrongful death, legal malpractice, dental malpractice, products liability, breach of contract and fraud.

Insurance Litigation: Equitable contribution and subrogation, bad faith, rescission, and declaratory relief arising out of or involving myriad substantive legal issues including employment, environmental claims, sexual assault, competitive business torts, professional liability, personal injury and construction.

Represented insurer for architect in action by general contractor for indemnity pursuant to a vicarious liability endorsement.

Insurance Coverage: Analysis of and advice regarding coverage under variety of personal, commercial and professional insurance policies in the context of first and third party claims.

Monitoring Counsel: ADA claim against architect for hotel/convention facility; claims by WTC rescue and recovery workers against design professionals.

Biographical Information:

Employment History: Special Counsel at Severson & Werson since 2002. Ms. Keeney was previously a member of Lynch, Gilardi & Grummer. She also practiced with Sarrail & Russell and Long & Levit in San Francisco and Starkey, Bloom & Maloney in San Leandro.

Education: B.S., summa cum laude, University of California at Davis, 1971. J.D., University of San Francisco, 1974.

Admitted to Practice: California, 1974.

Professional Affiliations: Past President, Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada (past Chair Insurance Liaison and Education Committees); Member, Defense Research Institute.

Professional Activities: Lecturer at private programs and seminars sponsored by the Association of Defense Counsel and the Defense Research Institute on a variety of topics including: employment practices coverage; Cumis counsel; indemnity (with emphasis on construction-related issues); technology and ethics.

• Represented major telecommunication entities and design professionals in large, multi-party litigation involving premises liability and personal injury claims.

• Defended trailer manufacture in personal injury action arising out of a fire in a motor home caused when leaf spring from trailer punctured propane tank in motor home.

• Provided coverage advice in connection with a claim for property loss and business interruption resulting from flooding at a gold mine.

• Provided Coverage advice in connection with a claim for property loss and business interruption resulting from fire in a winery.

• Prosecuted subrogation action for losses resulting from a fire that substantially destroyed a GEMCO Department Store just prior to the store’s “grand opening”. The fire originated in a transformer.

• Environmental coverage litigation involving hundreds of sites around the country.