- September 15, 2021
September 15, 2021
Leena Soni
Partner
Biography
BIOGRAPHY
For over 20 years, Leena has counseled national and international insurers and corporations on novel and complex coverage issues under numerous types of policies and coverages, including:
- General Liability
- Commercial Auto
- Advertising Injury Liability
- Professional Liability
- Directors and Officers Liability
- First Party Property
- Life and Disability
Leena has extensive litigation experience representing insurers in high-exposure coverage and bad faith matters, at the primary and excess levels. As a seasoned appellate practitioner, she handles both state and federal appeals, and has collaborated with trial counsel in catastrophic injury cases to analyze issues from liability, coverage, and appellate perspectives.
Memberships
- University of Iowa Law School Foundation, Board of Directors, 2017-present
- Association of Professional Insurance Women
Awards & Rankings
- Named a Super Lawyer in insurance coverage and general litigation
Before Nicolaides
Prior to joining Nicolaides, Leena was a partner in the insurance coverage practice of a national law firm.
Outside Nicolaides
Leena is active in mentorship and recruiting activities for The University of Iowa College of Law. She enjoys traveling, tending to her garden and spending time with family and friends.
EXPERIENCE
- Following discovery, obtained summary judgment against insured for failure to substantiate “direct physical loss of or damage to” under first-party business interruption policy coverage.
- Resolved claim alleging insurer's failure to settle and raising priority-of-coverage and allocation issues following multimillion-dollar "run-away" verdict.
- Obtained summary judgment on commission felony exclusion, eliminating client's obligation to pay accidental death benefits.
- Represented excess insurer in appeal regarding insurer's right to limit who is an insured for purposes of UM/UIM coverage to permissive users.
- Handled appeal seeking ruling of no coverage under UM policy's hit-and-run provision.
- Secured affirmance on appeal regarding validity of beneficiary change.
- Obtained judgment permitting denial of first-party property claim upon establishing that insured engaged in a scheme to submit a fraudulent claim.
- Obtained affirmation of judgment regarding scope of excess insurer's liability under theories of equitable contribution and equitable subrogation.
- Obtained dismissal of wife's claim against drug rehabilitation facility for sending her correspondence from her husband, during his in-patient treatment, which he intended to send to his mistress.
- Secured affirmance on summary judgment that business income loss to the insured's telecommunications company following a flood was limited to the period of restoration instead of the 12-month period the insured allegedly sustained due to suspension of its operations.
- Appeal regarding dismissal of consumer fraud in connection with stay at hotel.
- Obtained judgment in favor of insurer's denial of benefits under mortgage life policy due to insured's willful and fraudulent medical history answers on application.
- Won appeal regarding proprietary and scope of 2-622 reports and expert testimony in physician's negligence claim.
- Appeal regarding college's obligation to make filmstrips available to public under state freedom of information act.
- Served as monitoring and appellate counsel for bilateral amputee crane injury trial.
- Monitored and served as appellate counsel for motorcycle injury trial involving quadriplegic plaintiff.
- Monitored and served as appellate counsel for crane injury trial involving bilateral amputee plaintiff.
- Monitored and served as appellate counsel for crane-related wrongful death trial.
NEWS
- July 16, 2019
July 16, 2019