Bryan M.Weiss

Bryan Weiss is a Partner in the firm's San Francisco office. He provides coverage advice to insurers and represents insurers in declaratory relief, bad faith, and insurance-related appeals. Bryan handles claims and disputes arising out of a variety of liability policies, including CGL, homeowners, personal and commercial auto, and professional errors & omissions policies. He also specializes in coverage matters arising out of suits and claims against auto dealers under state and federal statutes.

Extensive experience in Insurance enables Bryan to manage all aspects of a third liability claim, including the ability to evaluate complex coverage issues and work with his clients to successfully resolve difficult matters. He has authored countless opinion letters and coverage position letters on behalf of his clients and has represented insurers at mediations, settlement conferences and arbitrations.  His clients appreciate Bryan’s focus on the bottom line and his cost-effective, solution-oriented approach to resolving coverage disputes.

Bryan has been included in the 2019-2022 editions of “Best Lawyers” in the area of Insurance Law. He has argued a number of cases before state and federal courts and is responsible for several published opinions, including the precedent-setting case of Mez v. Pacific National Insurance Company (1999) 76 Cal. App. 4th 856 (establishing that the “personal and advertising injury” coverage under a CGL policy does not apply to claims of inducing others to commit patent infringement). Other published decisions include Hui v. Sturbaum (2014) 222 Cal.App.4th 1109 (applying the anti-SLAPP statute to a claim against an insurance adjuster for reporting suspected insurance fraud) and Monticello Ins. Co. v. Essex Ins. Co. (2008) 162 Cal.App.4th 1376 (no duty to defend additional insured due to lack of allegations in complaint linking its liability to the work of the named insured).

Bryan has been called upon by clients and organizations to provide presentations on a wide variety of issues involving insurance law and has presented on topics such as insurance coverage for punitive damage awards, application of the “interrelated claims” provision in claims made policies and the interplay between CGL and E&O policies in claims against professionals. He has also published numerous materials relating to the insurance industry, many of which are available on Bryan's articles page.

Originally from the Washington, DC area, Bryan presently resides in Oakland, California. When not helping clients with their legal needs, he enjoys spending time with his Bernese Mountain Dog “Woof,” watching sports, and collecting vintage acoustic guitars.