Tad A. Devlin

Overview

Tad A. Devlin serves as the managing partner of our Northern California offices. With more than 25 years of experience, Mr. Devlin manages clients’ complex business legal matters in insurance coverage and litigation, employment law, professional liability, directors and officers, cannabis, general liability, commercial and property litigation, financial services, fiduciary liability, and gig economy cases.

In his employment law work, Mr. Devlin litigates complex matters in arbitration and litigation, including Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) and class action defense, and in claims of discrimination and harassment. He advises employers in several employment practice matters, and conducts workplace investigations. Mr. Devlin defends insurance carriers in allegations of bad faith, breached duties and fair dealings, as well as coverage disputes, avoidance of high-exposure claims, and a full spectrum of insurance lines, both domestically and overseas. This includes underwriting assistance, subrogation, and litigating fraud claims against underwriters. Mr. Devlin works with special investigation units and the California Department of Insurance in defending clients, and has represented high exposure nursing home matters, product liability asbestos litigation, consumer products, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals.

In his professional liability practice, Mr. Devlin defends lawyers, doctors, accountants, insurance agents, and brokers against disciplinary actions, and provides counsel and defense litigation in real estate transactions and disputes. He is also experienced in defending clients in homeowners association (HOA) disputes including multi-unit, common interest, and condominium matters. In his general liability defense work, he handles construction defect litigation. This includes defect claims for design, structural build, and workmanship, in his representation of property owners, developers, general contractors, construction managers, trade/subcontractors, architects, engineers, material suppliers and surety companies. 

Mr. Devlin has extensive experience defending directors and officers (public companies and private) in cases alleging breach of fiduciary duty, breach of loyalty, and fraud claims, among others, in a variety of settings in litigation, arbitration and pre litigation disputes.

In utilizing his criminal law background as a felony prosecutor, Mr. Devlin’s financial services work includes counsel to business and their officers and directors in state and federal government enforcement actions of criminal and civil matters including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO), and in privacy violation allegations of illegal recordings, wiretapping, eavesdropping and hacking. Mr. Devlin has extensive experience representing individuals and businesses in white collar investigations and has defended a variety of claims relating to allegations involving bribery, kickbacks, pay-to-play schemes, and parallel criminal and civil matters concerning alleged fraud, embezzlement and mislabeling. In this capacity, Mr. Devlin has defended clients in a range of industries including automotive, professional services, big food and manufacturing in state and federal courts in enforcement actions involving a wide range of agencies such as the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), Department of Justice (DOJ), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), State Bar of California and others.

He also advises clients regarding privacy, data breach, monitoring and surveillance, virtual meetings and related media securitization, risk management and best practices related to HIPAA, financial data privacy, insurance privacy, electronic fraud, cyber identity theft, and hacking.

Mr. Devlin has assisted clients in litigation related to California’s Proposition 65, including advice, counsel and defense of manufacturers, suppliers and distributors, and large utility vendors in the electricity sector, as well as false advertising and labeling claims, and those arising under the Unfair Business Practices Act. Mr. Devlin has extensive business law experience including acting in the role of outside general counsel for large and small companies. He has handled all aspects of contract law, corporate legal work, and transactions in various established and emerging industries.

Professional Memberships

• The Bar Association of San Francisco, Justice and Diversity Center
• PLUS Journal Editorial Board
• Insurance Law360 – 2010 Editorial Advisory Board
• Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)
• Peers – Legal Counsel for the Sharing Economy
• Property Claims Association of the Pacific