Steven R. Inouye

Steven Inouye is Senior Counsel in the Los Angeles office of GRSM. His areas of emphasis include Insurance Bad Faith Actions (first party and third-party disputes), Subrogation and Contribution. Steven also has extensive experience defending clients in Professional Liability matters, Legal Malpractice Actions, Employment Litigation (including claims of retaliation and wrongful termination) and Business Disputes. He has defended cases in all phases of litigation throughout California, including multiple trials and appellate work.

Admissions

• California
• U.S. District Court, Central District of California

Memberships

• Los Angeles County Bar Association
• Japanese American Bar Association

Examples of his experience include:

• Successfully obtained a complete defense verdict in favor of an insurance agent in a multi-million dollar professional negligence lawsuit following a five-week jury trial in Sonoma County.

• Successfully obtained defense and hung verdicts in favor of two attorneys in complex legal malpractice lawsuit involving the Americans with Disabilities Act following a four-week jury trial in Santa Clara County.

• Successfully defended an insurance company in a policy reformation lawsuit following a two-day bench trial in Sonoma County.

• Successfully obtained a defense verdict in favor of an insurance carrier in a breach of contract dispute brought by its former panel law firm based in Nevada.

• Prevailed on appeal and successfully brought an anti-SLAPP motion which dismissed a claim of attempted extortion filed against an attorney retained in connection with a homeowners association dispute.

• Prevailed on appeal in connection with a motion for summary judgment which successfully dismissed an insurance bad faith lawsuit based upon the insured’s failure to timely prosecute the action.
   

Publications

• CGL Policy’s Employment-Related Practices Exclusion Is Unambiguous and Precludes Coverage for Alleged False Imprisonment of Employees (Firm article, September 2014)
• Building Code Violations Requiring Removal Of Nonhazardous Materials Do Not Constitute “Property Damage” Under CGL Policy (Firm article, July 2014)
• Insured Not Entitled to Independent Counsel Despite Insurers’ Reservation of Rights (Firm article, March 2014)
• California Fair Plan Association Not Required to Pay Fire Losses Exceeding Policy Limits (Firm article, February 2014)
• Insurer Owed Duty to Defend When Self-Insured Retention Provision Expressly Applied Only to Indemnity Obligation (Firm article, November 2013)
  
  
  
   

Education

• J.D., Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, 2006
• B.S., Political Science, University of California, Berkeley 2001

What do you enjoy most about your practice?

Mr. Inouye enjoys being a strong advocate for his clients’ interests while providing even-handed advice on the merits of each case.  He also enjoys focusing on the details in an effort to uncover unique legal arguments.
 

What are your favorite pastimes when you are not practicing law?

When Mr. Inouye is not practicing law, he enjoys watching film, practicing archery and travelling abroad.