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Lawyer Profile

Image of Neil S. Lerner

Neil S. Lerner

Cox Wootton Lerner Griffin & Hansen LLP
  • Recognized Since:
    2021
  • Recognized in:
    Admiralty and Maritime Law
  • Law School:
    George Washington University Law School
  • Lawyer Page:
    https://www.transportationlaw....
  • Website:
    https://www.cwlfirm.com
  • Firm's Phone Number:
    310-440-0040
  • Phone Number:
    310-440-0040
  • E-mail:
    nsl@cwlfirm.com
  • Languages:
  • Locations:
    12011 San Vicente Boulevard, Suite 600
    Los Angeles, CA 90049
  • 900 Front Street, Suite 350
    San Francisco, CA 94111
  • 841 Bishop Street, Suite 1099
    Honolulu, HI 96813
  • LinkedIn

   Neil practices maritime & transportation law.  He’s a Partner in Cox Wootton Lerner Griffin & Hansen, LLP.  His core practice is representing insurers in first & third party cases & advising maritime & transportation companies in business litigation, constitutional law cases (preemption, public trust & navigation) & in unfair competition & misclassification cases.

   An emerging practice is advising private equity.  He's recently provided transportation legal advice to Och-Ziff re Uber’s Series E Financing, ABRY Partners re SambaSafety, The Carlyle Group re CB URS Holdings Corporation, Gamut Capital Management re PS Logistics, and York Capital Management re Mode Transportation LLC.

   In 2021, he's advising transportation clients on compliance with new California laws on independent contractors (Dynamex case, AB-5) and on shifting to employee based or brokerage based business models.  He's also advising clients on methods for transferring their risks to third parties.

   He's been featured in the LA Times, the LA Daily Journal, Forbes & LA Magazine. He's been a Certified Admiralty Specialist & Admiralty Commissioner.  He's been a Speaker on Insurance Policy Rescission for TKG, Marine Claims/Barratry for IAMI, Insurance Bad Faith for TKG and was featured in Lawyer Monthly Magazine.  His reported cases, and major successes, are listed at www.transportationlaw.com. Recently, the perpetrator of a suspicious insurance claim in Hawaii, which Neil investigated, pled no contest, was found guilty, and was sentenced to prison and ordered to make full restitution.  For this, Neil, and the investigative team, was nominated for IAMI investigator of the year.

   He is best known, however, for his win against Rex DeGeorge, the “King of Insurance Fraud,” in a case that started in Naples, Italy & ended in LA with DeGeorge in prison for scuttling his over-insured yacht, on its maiden voyage, in the Med.  His book about it, which involved “credible” death threats, Hollywood studios & ancient maritime doctrines, and a story that Federal Judge Letts called "the single most incredible story I’ve ever heard from the stand," is named "An Act of Piracy," & is contracted with a NY publisher.

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  • Lawyer Bio
  • Q&A
  • Client Comments
  • Lawyer Practice Areas
  • Firm Details
  • News & Media

Lawyer Bio

   Neil practices maritime & transportation law.  He’s a Partner in Cox Wootton Lerner Griffin & Hansen, LLP.  His core practice is representing insurers in first & third party cases & advising maritime & transportation companies in business litigation, constitutional law cases (preemption, public trust & navigation) & in unfair competition & misclassification cases.

   An emerging practice is advising private equity.  He's recently provided transportation legal advice to Och-Ziff re Uber’s Series E Financing, ABRY Partners re SambaSafety, The Carlyle Group re CB URS Holdings Corporation, Gamut Capital Management re PS Logistics, and York Capital Management re Mode Transportation LLC.

   In 2021, he's advising transportation clients on compliance with new California laws on independent contractors (Dynamex case, AB-5) and on shifting to employee based or brokerage based business models.  He's also advising clients on methods for transferring their risks to third parties.

   He's been featured in the LA Times, the LA Daily Journal, Forbes & LA Magazine. He's been a Certified Admiralty Specialist & Admiralty Commissioner.  He's been a Speaker on Insurance Policy Rescission for TKG, Marine Claims/Barratry for IAMI, Insurance Bad Faith for TKG and was featured in Lawyer Monthly Magazine.  His reported cases, and major successes, are listed at www.transportationlaw.com. Recently, the perpetrator of a suspicious insurance claim in Hawaii, which Neil investigated, pled no contest, was found guilty, and was sentenced to prison and ordered to make full restitution.  For this, Neil, and the investigative team, was nominated for IAMI investigator of the year.

   He is best known, however, for his win against Rex DeGeorge, the “King of Insurance Fraud,” in a case that started in Naples, Italy & ended in LA with DeGeorge in prison for scuttling his over-insured yacht, on its maiden voyage, in the Med.  His book about it, which involved “credible” death threats, Hollywood studios & ancient maritime doctrines, and a story that Federal Judge Letts called "the single most incredible story I’ve ever heard from the stand," is named "An Act of Piracy," & is contracted with a NY publisher.

Read more on firm website
  • Education
  • Bar & Court Admissions
  • Award List

Education:

  • George Washington University Law School , JD, graduated 1985
  • Tulane University, BS, graduated 1982

Bar Admissions:

 

Court Admissions:

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Admiralty and Maritime Law
 

Awards:

 

Q&A

 

Lawyer Client Comments

-

Lawyer Practice Areas

Key: Awarded in Best Lawyers Not Currently Awarded for this Area in Best Lawyers

Firm Details

Image for Cox Wootton Lerner Griffin & Hansen LLP View Firm Profile
Cox Wootton Lerner Griffin & Hansen LLP
https://www.cwlfirm.com
 
Headquarters
900 Front Street, Suite 350
San Francisco, CA 94111
415-438-4600
3 Office Locations
in 1 Country

United States

United States

California

California

Los Angeles, CA

12011 San Vicente Boulevard, Suite 600

Los Angeles, CA 90049

United States

310-440-0020

Get Directions

Hawaii

Hawaii

Honolulu, HI

841 Bishop Street, Suite 1099

Honolulu, HI 96813

United States

808-744-7020

Get Directions

News & Media

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