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Broad Duty to Defend in IL
A recent ruling from an Illinois intermediate appellate court confirms that an insurer's duty to defend under Illinois law is broad, extending even to cases where it is clear from the record that a policyholder is unlikely to be found liable in the underlying lawsuit. Illinois Tool Works Inc. v. Travelers Cas. & Sur. Co., 26 N.E.3d 421 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). In a unanimous panel decision, the Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, affirmed a trial court's ruling that insurers had a duty to defend a policyholder against thousands of lawsuits alleging injury from welding products that contained asbestos, benzene, and other chemicals. The appeals court held that the duty to defend attached even though there were no specific allegations in the underlying complaint that the policyholder caused injuries to underlying plaintiffs during any period covered by the policies at issue.
Background
Policyholder Illinois Tool Works (“Illinois Tool”) is an equipment manufacturer that was sued along with dozens of other companies for bodily injuries allegedly caused by toxic substances used in welding products. Illinois Tool was named in three ways in the underlying lawsuits: individually, as a successor in interest to companies it later acquired, and both individually and as a successor. Illinois Tool sought coverage under CGL policies issued between 1971 and 1987 by three of its insurers, Travelers Casualty & Surety Company, Travelers Indemnity Company, and Century Indemnity Company (the “insurers”). All of the welding lawsuits alleged exposure during and/or before the insurers' policy periods or alleged no exposure dates at all.
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws
This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.
Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin
With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.
The Article 8 Opt In
The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.
Removing Restrictive Covenants In New York
In Rockwell v. Despart, the New York Supreme Court, Third Department, recently revisited a recurring question: When may a landowner seek judicial removal of a covenant restricting use of her land?