As one of the country’s most highly ranked and regarded Insurance lawyers by Chambers USA, Kirk represents insureds in a broad spectrum of disputes with insurers and insurance brokers, focusing on maximizing the value of clients’ insurance portfolios. Kirk has successfully obtained coverage for losses resulting from civil unrest, earthquakes, explosions, floods, hurricanes, mass shootings, natural gas leaks, pandemics, product tampering, terrorism, and wildfires. He also has secured coverage for business interruption losses, crime losses, cyber losses, event cancellations, and political risks. Furthermore, Kirk has successfully represented clients in obtaining coverage for claims involving bodily injury, directors and officers, intellectual property, product liability, and securities.
Kirk has been lead counsel in over 60 trials and arbitrations and more than 60 appellate proceedings, helping secure more than $10 billion in insurance recoveries for his clients. His articles have been widely cited and quoted by numerous courts. He has served as lead counsel in various states, including California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, and Vermont, as well as in Bermuda and England. His clients have received several jury verdicts ranked among the top ten in California. Kirk has also argued many cases before California and federal appellate courts, achieving key decisions on insurance, the attorney-client privilege, procedural issues, and other subjects.
In addition to insurance matters, Kirk has managed substantial commercial litigation cases, including breach of contract, fiduciary duty and fraud claims, construction disputes, idea submission and copyright infringement claims, professional malpractice claims, real estate disputes, and tax issues. He has also served as an arbitrator, mediator, and expert witness on insurance and ethical matters.
Kirk is a prolific author with over 600 articles and columns to his name. For more than 35 years, he has written insurance and entertainment law columns for the Daily Journal. His work has also appeared in The ABA Journal, ACC Docket, Advocate, Business Insurance, California Lawyer, The Corporate Analyst, Coverage, The Deal, Environmental Claims Journal, The Insurance Coverage Law Bulletin, The Legal Times, Los Angeles Business Journal, Los Angeles Lawyer, Mealey’s Litigation Reports, The National Law Journal, National Underwriter, The Ohio State Law Journal, Sacramento Digest, and Tort and Insurance Law Journal, among others. His articles have been cited and quoted by courts, including the California and Arizona Supreme Courts.
Updated September 2024
