Biography
Rhonda Tobin has represented insurance companies for almost 30 years in litigation of disputes involving insurance and reinsurance coverage, insurance bad faith and extracontractual liability, and professional liability. She is co-chair of the firm’s Litigation Section and a member of the firm's Managing Committee.
Insurance Coverage Litigation
Rhonda's insurance coverage practice includes the arbitration and litigation of a broad range of coverage issues under commercial general liability, property and professional liability policies, including claims for insurance bad faith or extracontractual liability. She has significant trial experience, both to juries and to the bench, in state and federal courts.
Her insurance coverage practice includes substantial experience in property claims-related litigation, including high-profile insurance coverage litigation arising out of the September 11 catastrophe. Rhonda represented a commercial property insurer in several multi-million dollar cases involving business interruption and property damage losses in the wake of the terrorist attack. In a homeowners’ fire case, she obtained a significant jury verdict for an insurance company client, including a finding of fraud on the part of the policyholder and a $330,000 damages award for her client, a verdict which was affirmed by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Her insurance coverage practice includes significant experience with directors’ and officers’ liability coverage and other professional liability coverage matters.
Rhonda's reinsurance experience includes the arbitration and litigation of reinsurance disputes related to property and casualty and workers' compensation reinsurance.
Bad Faith Litigation
Rhonda has significant experience advising clients about potential extracontractual exposure and litigating bad faith cases through trial. She has been retained on the eve of trial to take over the defense of a bad faith case. She regularly trains and counsels her clients on good faith claim investigation and claim settlement practices.
Professional Liability Insurance
Rhonda’s professional liability defense work includes defending claims against lawyers, accountants, insurance agents and brokers, financial planners, and other professionals. She has a record of successful outcomes on behalf of professionals who have been the target of claims. She successfully defended a Connecticut state marshal in a case involving the legality of entering a home, and obtained summary judgment on the basis of the qualified immunity doctrine.
Rhonda has been listed as one of the Top 250 Women Litigators in the United States and a Local Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation. She has been included in the Connecticut Super Lawyers® list for 2007 and from 2017 to 2019. Rhonda is a Fellow in the highly selective American College of Coverage and Extracontractual Counsel.