Jay Sever

Biography

JAY RUSSELL SEVERPartner, New Orleans Office

PracticeJay Sever practices in the area of insurance and reinsurance. He counsels clients, manages disputes and tries cases involving a wide variety of insurance coverage issues, including matters arising from bad faith, first-party claims, professional liability claims, transportation claims, environmental claims, general and toxic tort claims, multiple-year trigger and allocation issues, marine liability claims, Louisiana direct action claims and numerous others. In addition to handling cases in Louisiana and California courts in which he is admitted, Mr. Sever also has acted as lead counsel in cases pending in Texas, New York, New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.

Prior to joining Phelps Dunbar, he served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable F.A. Little, Jr., Judge, U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana. He is the practice coordinator for the insurance and reinsurance group in the New Orleans office.

Representative Matters Represented insurers of treated wood company in coverage litigation involving alleged injuries caused by chromated copper arsenic (U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida). Obtained rulings from the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for insurers of metal manufacturing company relative to claims for environmental response costs. Represented insurers of chemical pesticide manufacturer relative to claims for coverage of clean-up costs at multiple sites. Defense at jury trial of insurers of major waste management company relative to coverage for clean-up and response costs at multiple sites (Texas trial court). Defense at trial of insurers of a chemical manufacturer relative to claims of coverage for bodily injury and property damage caused by alleged exposure to toxic chemical (Louisiana trial court).

Membership / Affiliations Louisiana State Bar Association State Bar of California Federal Bar Association American Bar Association

Publications/Speeches Speaker, “The Economic & Environmental Impact of the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf States,” Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Williamsburg, VA (July 21-24, 2011). Speaker, “The Ripple Effect of Catastrophic Environmental Events: Moratoriums, Regulatory Change, and Industry Reaction-Do We Learn From Our Mistakes?” Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Indian Wells, California (February 26 – March 5, 2011). Speaker, “Insurance Coverage Trends,” National Business Institute, New Orleans, Louisiana (June 2006 and June 2007). Speaker, “The Storm After the Storm: The Katrina Coverage Litigation,” New Jersey State Bar Association, Atlantic City, New Jersey (May 2006). Speaker, “Special Coverage of Hurricane-Related Issues,” University of Texas School of Law 10th Annual Insurance Law Institute, “Austin, TX (December 2005).

ContactCanal Place365 Canal Street, Suite 2000New Orleans, LA 70130Direct: (504) 584-9271Fax: (504) 568-9130jay.sever@phelps.com

Service AreasInsurance and Reinsurance

Education? Tulane University Law School, J.D., 1991; Senior Notes and Comments Editor, Tulane Law Review? University of Maryland, B.S., 1986

AdmissionsCalifornia (October, 1993)Louisiana (January, 1995)

Education

No information available.

Admissions/Licenses

• Bar Admissions: LA, CA