Rhonda J. Thompson

Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Board Certified in Insurance Law

Rhonda Thompson focuses on trial work on behalf of insurance carriers directly and on behalf of their policyholders.

Rhonda directly represents insurance carriers, both commercial and personal lines, in a variety of coverage-related litigation, bad faith cases, and carrier-to-carrier disputes. She regularly advises insurers on complex and unique coverage issues under commercial liability, auto, farm, and property policies as well as errors and omissions policies, directors and officers policies, and tenant and homeowners’ policies. Rhonda is sought after to advise on complex business interruption and civil authority matters along with additional insured issues, shared defense and indemnity obligations, and contractual indemnity disputes, including litigating these issues on their behalf or on behalf of their policyholders.

Throughout her career, Rhonda has devoted a significant amount of time training insurance carriers and businesses on a wide range of topics, including claim litigation management, risk management, insurance coverage topics, and general claims handling.

Representative Experience

Obtained federal court summary judgment on behalf of CGL carrier, upheld by Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, successfully arguing no duty to defend against alleged violations of federal trademark infringement and related claims as personal and advertising injury.

Obtained directed verdict in federal commercial property insurance case with eventual take nothing judgment entered in favor of the insurance carrier with an award of taxable court costs.

Lead trial counsel for commercial property hail damage case that resulted in state court jury verdict sufficiently lower than a rejected statutory offer, and allowing for offset and zeroing out the damages and fees awarded.

Obtained defense verdicts after jury trial in numerous commercial and residential lawsuits seeking damages due to breach of contract and bad faith arising out of insurance property claims for hail and other weather events.

Obtained post-appraisal federal court summary judgment on behalf of surplus lines property insurer, dismissing all contractual and extra-contractual claims after payment of the appraisal award.

Obtained federal court summary judgment on behalf of liability insurer on securities errors and omissions claim due to insured’s failure to satisfy condition precedent to coverage.

Obtained state summary judgment ruling on behalf of liability insurer due to claimant’s failure to meet requirements of the additional insured endorsement.

Obtained summary judgment in federal court on behalf of lawyers’ professional liability insurer on issues related to whether legal services and covered damages were alleged or established.

Obtained summary judgment state court in favor of personal property insurers on the grounds that the claimant lacked standing to assert insurance code violations for failing to include general contractor’s overhead and profit in replacement cost estimates.

Obtained summary judgment in federal court on behalf of personal liability insurer resulting in finding of no duty to defend or indemnify in case on basis of the absence of an occurrence.