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Rikke Dierssen-Morice advises and litigates nationally on insurance coverage issues for policyholders. She is also part of the captive insurance practice, providing policy formation and policy drafting services. Prior to developing her policyholder practice at Faegre & Benson, Rikke was a partner at Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly, where she primarily represented insurers nationally as coverage counsel. Rikke is also extensively involved in lawyers' professional responsibility and legal ethics, representing clients in these areas and serving as Faegre & Benson compliance/loss prevention counsel. Rikke's recent case profiles include the following:Liability (CGL, D&O, E&O, Bonds) and first-party property coverage litigation for a diverse group of businesses, including a national theme park, window manufacturer, restaurant chain, real estate broker, securities brokers, insurance brokers, general contractors, oil refinery, banks and municipalities.Lead counsel, Six Flags, Inc. v. Westchester Surplus Lines Ins. Co., et al., Case No. 06-10729 (E.D. La. 2006) (Hurricane Katrina $150 million excess property insurance dispute on destroyed Six Flags New Orleans park). Representation of refinery on $6.7 million claim against contractor through successful 2007 federal jury verdict of breach of contract and 100% negligence. See Flint Hills Resources LP v. Lovegreen Turbine Services, Inc., 2006 WL 2472819 (D. Minn. Aug. 25, 2006) (pretrial summary judgment ruling) and related insurance case, Tonicstar Ltd. v. Lovegreen Turbine Services, Inc., 2006 WL 2472826 (D. Minn. Aug. 25, 2006). Representation of viatical life policy investors regarding insurer policy rescission. See AXA v. Paulson, et al., 2007 WL 3124689 (D. Minn. Oct. 24, 2007) (successful Motion to Dismiss). Representation of amusement park against CGL insurer, which was equitably estopped from challenging over $3 million in fees of specialized counsel from Washington D.C. hired by the insured to defend high stakes class action litigation in California. Nor could the estopped insurer request an after-the-fact allocation of a $5.625 million settlement between allegedly covered and uncovered claims. Premier Parks, Inc. (n/k/a Six Flags, Inc.) v. TIG Insurance Co., 2006 WL 2709235 (Sept. 21, 2006), Defense of county through summary jury trial verdict of lawsuits filed by 48 plaintiffs alleging bodily injury and property damage from composting emissions. See also pretrial decision at Sletten v. Ramsey County, 675 N.W. 2d 291 (Minn. 2004), Representation of builders against CGL insurer for defense, indemnity and attorneys’ fees in declaratory judgment action for water intrusion/construction defect cases, Westfield Ins. Co. v. Kroiss et al., 694 N.W. 2d 102 (Minn. App. 2005), petition for review denied (June 28, 2005). Representation of real estate company against E&O insurer for defense of RESPA class action suit, Pacific Ins. Co. v. Burnet Title, Inc., 380 F.3d 1061 (8th Cir. 2004), Representation of trustee in the MJK Clearing , Inc., SIPA liquidation proceeding related to D&O and excess SIPC coverage. Representation of companies seeking D&O and E&O defense and indemnity coverage for vanishing premium/fraud and viatical settlement class actions. Representation of insurer in successfully reversing an $8 million indemnity judgment, St. Paul Mercury and Co. v. Dahlberg, Inc., 596 N.W.2d 674 (Minn. App. 1999), Representation of insurer in pre-tender defense costs appeal. Cellex Biosciences, Inc. v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 537 N.W.2d 621 (Minn. App. 1995). |
