Pamela A. Palmer

Pamela A. Palmer litigates complex commercial disputes with an emphasis on insurance coverage and transportation law.  With a roster of clients that includes insurance companies, vessel owners, brokers, trucking companies and logistics providers, Pam provides representation throughout the litigation life-cycle including a specific focus on appellate matters. In the scope of her practice, Pam advises and represents insurers on the full spectrum of first- and third-party claims including environmental, marine, inland marine, general liability, transportation, aviation, sex abuse as well as suspicious claims involving theft, arson, smoke losses and vessel sinkings. She has worked on coverage matters involving environmental sites around the world with billions of dollars of alleged response costs at issue and has represented insurers in coverage matters involving religious organizations, film studios, trucking industry losses and products liability.  

Pam’s appellate practice has included writs and appeals to the state appellate courts of California, New York and Washington as well as the Second, Third and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeal.  She has handled appeals involving such varied areas as insurance coverage, wrongful death, personal injury, maritime casualties, construction disputes and environmental damages.  

Recent Presentations and Publications 

• Moderator, “Great Lakes Insurance v. Raiders Realty: Did the Supreme Court Sink Wilburn Boat?”, ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, February 28, 2024
• Interview, “Supreme Court Opinion on Maritime Law Solidifies Insurer’s Choice-of-Law Clause,” Insurance Journal, March 1, 2024
• Interview, “Did the DALI Damage an Important Pipeline Under the Key Bridge? Baltimore’s Account Has Evolved,” Baltimore Sun, October 4, 2024
• Co-Author, “Maritime and Reinsurance Law and the Baltimore Bridge Collapse,” JD Supra, April 23, 2024
• Interview, “Justices Weigh Contract Certainty in Marine Insurance Dispute,” Law360, October 23, 2023
• Co-Presenter, “Impact of Social Inflation and Political Climate on Excessive Verdicts,” 2021 Housing Authority Defense Association Seminar, September 7, 2021
• Moderator, “Marine Insurance at the Tipping Point”, ABA TIPS Admiralty Disruption, March 12, 2021
• Presenter, “’You Could Almost See Other Dimensions’: A Post-Pandemic International Transportation Tell-All,” Transportation Lawyers Association 53rd Transportation Law Virtual Institute, November 12, 2020
• Co-Author, “Marine Insurance — Coverages Available for Maritime Risks,” Damages Recoverable in Maritime Matters, Second Edition, American Bar Association, March 2020
• Moderator, “Don’t Be the Devil in a White City: Transportation In-House Counsel Roundtable,” Transportation Lawyers Association Regional Seminar and Bootcamp, January 24, 2020
• Moderator, “Anatomy of an Emergency Response—By Land, Sea, and Air: In-House Counsel, Government and Insurance in the Golden Hour,” ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section 2019 Conference, May 3, 2019
• Moderator, “Broker, Insurer and Insured Relationships: Successfully Tackling a Natural Disaster Large Loss Event,” Admiralty and Maritime Conference, ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, March 22, 2019

Admissions & Associations

California, New York, Oregon, Washington

U.S. Supreme Court

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

U.S. District Courts in California, Oregon, Washington and New York

American Bar Association - Life Fellow

American Bar Association - Elected Member, American Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section Council (2022-2025); Facilitator, ABA TIPS Insurance In-House Counsel and Professionals Summit (2024-25); Co-Chair, ABA TIPS Section Conference, Hollywood, California (2024)

Maritime Law Association of the United States, Proctor in Admiralty – Chair, Marine Insurance and General Average Committee (2024-26)

Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association

Representative Matters

Lead appellate counsel in reversal of a $30 million wrongful death damages award for failure of the trial court to allow the jury to hear evidence of the comparative fault of settling defendants as well as due to the misconduct of counsel.

Successful writ on case of first impression on California statutory licensing requirements for contractors.

Prosecution of subrogation claim against seller of land for breach of contract related to failure to indemnify buyer for investigation and remediation costs for contaminated groundwater.

Representation and advice to insurance interests related to the RMS Titanic salvage.

Representation of third-party logistics provider in multi-million-dollar cargo and warehousing claim.

Prosecution of subrogation claim for casualty involving $100 million in cargo losses including trial and subsequent appeal.

Defense of insurance broker in $100 million insurance fraud claim in state and federal actions resulting in successful summary judgment motions on broker liability.