Elizabeth B. Vanalek

Associate

  • Office Contact Info
  • Biography

    Elizabeth B. Vanalek is an Associate at GRSM and has experience covering a wide range of insurance and business-related matters. She also has experience in certain employment matters. She is a member of the firm's Insurance practice group.

    The focus of her insurance practice is on the legal and procedural issues facing insurance companies in the areas of liability, property, and “bad faith” claims with regard to both first- and third-party claims. She also has extensive experience defending insurance companies and disability plans with regard to ERISA disability matters. Substantive areas of her practice include environmental, professional liability (insurance agents), directors and officers, mold, ERISA disability, insurance liquidation, workers compensation, and a wide range of commercial disputes.

    Her business-related experience includes contract and shareholder disputes, unfair competition and related claims under California Business and Professions Code sections 17200 and 17500, litigation under the Federal Debt Collection Practices Act and the California Rosenthal Debt Collection Practices Act, and product liability matters.

    Admissions

    • California
    • U.S. District Courts, California

    Memberships

    • California State Bar
  • Practice Areas
  • Representative Experience

    Representative Experience

    Examples of Ms. Vanalek’s experience include the following:

    • Obtained multiple summary judgments on behalf of insurance carriers in coverage and "bad faith" lawsuits regarding first party property mold claims.

    • Successfully moved to dismiss individual ERISA restituionary claims against a large employer.

    • Addressed issues presented by insurer liquidations, including providing technical advice to liquidated insurers as well as addressed state guarantee associations issues.

    • Represented and successfully moved to dismiss insurance agents from bad faith insurance related actions.

    • Assisted in obtaining summary judgment in favor of large insurer on multi-million dollar claim involving environmental liability and stigma related damages.

    • Providing technical advice to clients on environmental, professional liability, and directors and officers liability, homeowners, and commercial liability policies.

  • Education

    Education

    J.D., Golden Gate University School of Law, 1999

    • American Jurisprudence Award for Corporate Law
    • Moot Court Team

    M.B.A., Golden Gate University School of Business, 1999

    B.A., Political Science, University of California at Los Angeles, 1995

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