Attorney Bios
SCOTT D. SCHWARTZ
Click here to email ScottUniversity of California at Santa Barbara (B.A. 1977); McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific (J.D. 1981), Contributing Author, Insurance Law and Practice, Matthew Bender. Member: American Bar Association Advisory Panel, American Bar Association Tort and Insurance Practice Section, State Bar of California, Bar Association of San Francisco, Federal District Court, Northern and Eastern Districts of California, Property Loss Research Bureau, California Association of Defense Counsel, Defense Research Institute, International Association of Special Investigation Units, Property Claims Association of the Pacific (Board Member), San Francisco Insurance Claims Forum, Northern California Fraud Investigators Association, International Association of Arson Investigators, California Conference of Arson Investigators (Board Member of Bay Area Roundtable), California Arson Prevention Committee, Western States Auto Theft Investigators, Central Coast Claims Association, East Bay Claims Association, Diablo Valley Industrial Claims Association and the Honorable Order of the Blue Goose International.
Mr. Schwartz has extensive experience handling cases involving first and third party insurance coverage and related issues, including fraud and the defense of insurers against claims of "bad faith." Mr. Schwartz' first party experience includes rendering legal advice in fire losses, arson and fraud, earth subsidence, toxic and hazardous waste, commercial losses, homeowners policies, course of construction and builder's risk policies, inland marine policies, transport policies, ranch and agricultural policies, and jewelers block policies. His fraud experience includes extensive work with arson, theft, and business interruption claims and suspicious third party claims. In a number of fraud cases he has obtained orders of restitution or judgments, including restitution against insureds following arson fires. In addition to providing coverage advice, Mr. Schwartz has substantial litigation experience including the prosecution and defense of actions for declaratory relief and interpleader, defense of carriers against claims for contractual and extra-contractual relief and defense of insureds.
FRED A. SCHWARTZ
Click here to email FredUniversity of Utah (B.A. Engineering), University of Utah Law School (L.L.B. 1951). Member: California State Bar and Idaho State Bar Associations, California Defense Lawyers Association, Sacramento County Bar Association, Federal District Court, Eastern District of California, Federal District Court of Idaho, United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Mr. Schwartz began his practice in Idaho where he was general counsel for Sierra Life Insurance Company and handled insurance defense matters. He moved to California where he became assistant general counsel and assistant vice-president of California-Western States Life Insurance Company, handling matters relating to securities, pension plans, policy coverage, contract interpretation, and general corporate matters, including personnel and agent disputes. Mr. Schwartz then joined the Rust firm and has handled major defense litigation in the fields of medical malpractice, products liability, contract disputes and insurance bad faith. He was the defense trial lawyer in the landmark case decided by the Supreme Court of California upholding the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act of 1975. He was the lead defense counsel in one of the first cases in California on the tort of wrongful birth. He has extensive experience defending and supervising the defense of legal malpractice cases. He has successfully defended major health care providers in arbitrations and trials involving allegations of bad faith and wrongful termination. He also serves as a pro tem settlement judge and arbitrator in Sacramento County.
OF COUNSEL
CHAD A. SCHWARTZ
Click here to email ChadUniversity of California, Davis (B.A. 1975 Chemistry); McGeorge School of Law, University of Pacific, (J.D. 1981), member of the Pacific Law Review. Member: Northern California Defense Counsel, State Bar of California, Business Law, Environmental Law, Labor & Employment, Law Practice Management, Litigation, Real Property Law, Sacramento County Bar Association, Federal District Court for the Northern and Eastern Districts of California.
Mr. Schwartz has experience with numerous contract, tort, construction, environmental, insurance, labor & employment, and real estate cases. Mr. Schwartz has also litigated several complex class-action cases as well as cases involving breach of business contracts, construction defects, environmental regulation violations, insurance bad faith, products liability, premises liability, personal injury, and real estate dispute cases. He has handled trials in both federal and state courts. Mr. Schwartz is corporate counsel for several corporations and is experienced in representing corporate clients in wrongful termination, discrimination, contract negotiations, real estate matters, and regulatory agency matters. Mr. Schwartz has also represented clients involved with real estate development and management of developed property, real estate purchases and real estate financing. He has represented homeowners associations in litigation and business matters, including contract preparation, regulatory compliance and CC&R drafting and interpretation.