Business Interruption Litigation Taskforce (BILT)
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced many non-essential businesses to close their doors and suffer significant economic losses. Businesses nationwide expected their insurance policies to cover their losses. To assist AAJ members and their clients, the Insurance Law Section and Bad Faith Insurance Litigation Group formed a new COVID-19 Business Interruption Litigation Taskforce (BILT).
The BILT will focus on five fundamental areas:
- Litigation/MDL: examining national aspects of the litigation, including two pending requests for MDL consolidation.
- State Affairs: collaborating on state-level facets of the litigation, including state cases, Department of Insurance/Attorney General guidance and positions, state and local closure orders, and more.
- Legislative Assistance: exploring emergency relief and bailout bills, as needed.
- Communications: unifying the messaging to the public and media coverage of the issues.
- General Membership/Education: consolidating and organizing information for members and collaborating with the Insurance Law Section and Bad Faith Insurance Litigation Group leadership on education programs and meetings.
Cochairs
- Roy T. Willey IV, Charleston, SC
- Alexander Cohen, Encino, CA
- Leah Snyder, Seattle, WA
- Troy Rafferty, Pensacola, FL
- Michael L. Cohen, Los Angeles, CA
- Allan Kanner, New Orleans, LA
- Edward Eshoo Jr., Chicago, IL
Benefits
The group will serve as an organizational body to address the business interruption litigation arising out of COVID-19. BILT will provide resources, information, and educational programs to assist Insurance Law Section members handling these cases. BILT members will have access to the Insurance Law Section Document Library and a new list server specifically devoted to business interruption. The taskforce will also work with the Insurance Law Section and Bad Faith Litigation Group on future meetings and AAJ Education programs.
How to Join
Membership is limited to Regular, Sustaining, Life, or President’s Club members, as well as sponsored Paralegals. To join the Business Interruption Litigation Taskforce, members must join the Insurance Law Section. There is no additional charge for joining BILT after joining the Section. For more information, or to join, please contact sections@justice.org.
If you are a current Insurance Law Section or Bad Faith Insurance Litigation Group member, please contact sections@justice.org to be opted into the list server and group.
