PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Margaret Levy, Esq. has more than 40 years of civil trial and appellate litigation experience handling complex business and contract disputes, with an emphasis on life, health, disability, and long term care insurance, bad faith cases, and ERISA litigation. Ms. Levy has extensive mediation experience, having served as a mediator and settlement officer for the United States District Court for the Central District of California and for the Los Angeles Superior Court.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Insurance (First Party and Third Party Bad Faith)
- Insurance (Life, Health, Disability, Long Term Care)
- ERISA
- Healthcare
- Business/Contracts
- Class Actions
LEGAL EXPERIENCE
- Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP (1996-2018)
Partner and Co-Chair of the Insurance Industry Practice Group: litigated insurance bad faith and ERISA cases, focusing on life, health, disability, accidental death and long-term care insurance lawsuits; lead trial counsel in more than 25 jury trials and court trials; participated in hundreds of mediations and settlement conferences. - United States District Court, Central District of California, Mediator (2011-Present)
- Los Angeles Superior Court, Settlement Officer (1988-2009)
- Adams, Duque & Hazeltine (1975-1996)
EDUCATION
- University of California at Los Angeles, J.D., 1975
UCLA Law Review; UCLA Moot Court Honors Program - Michigan State University, B.A., with highest honors, 1972
Honors College; National Merit Scholar
HONORS AND AWARDS
- Top Rated Lawyer in Insurance Law, 2019
- The Best Lawyers in America (Insurance), 2008-2018
- Southern California Super Lawyer, 2003-2016
- Southern California Super Lawyers, Top Women, 2016
- Inner City Law Center Humanitarian Award, 2013
- Top 100 Women Litigators in California, 2009
DISPUTE RESOLUTION TRAINING
- Master Dealmakers: Taking Your Negotiation Skills to the Win-Win Level; March 1, 2019
- Bi-Monthly U.S. District Court Mediation Practice Group: 2017 – 2018
- Advanced Mediation Training – May 15, 2014; April 30, 2015 (“Why Are We Doing This?”); May 2, 2016 (“Making Money Talk: Mediating the Settlement of Monetary Disputes); July 31,2017; September 26, 2018
- Cross-Cultural Issues in Mediation: What Is Culture, Does It Affect Negotiation in Mediation, and How Can Mediators Use It to Improve the Process and the Outcome? – November 28, 2017
- Locating the Trust Zone in Multicultural Conflicts – A Mediator’s Guide – November 14, 2016
- Mediation Confidentiality: An Inappropriate Shield Against Legal Malpractice Claims or An Essential Element of Effective Dispute Resolution? – September 15, 2016
- Counterintuitive Mediation – June 29, 2016
- Mediation: Getting the Job Done – November 18, 2015
- Multi-Cultural & Communication Issue Affecting Mediation – March 28, 2014
- Advanced Mediation Training – April 28, 2014
- Mediation Ethics and Confidentiality – October 16, 2014
- The Psychology of Litigation – December 7, 2012
- Cross-Cultural Challenges in Mediation – November 9, 2012
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California: Advanced Mediation Training – July 25 & 26, 2012
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California: Basic Mediation Training – December 5, 2011
- Various MCLE courses in Mediation & Negotiation Skills
- Los Angeles Superior Court Mediation Training
MEMBERSHIPS AND ACTIVITIES
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California: Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel (2018-2020);
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California: Attorney Settlement Officer Panel (2011-Present)
- Board of Governors, Museum of Natural History of Los Angeles County (2018-2022)
- Los Angeles County Beach Commission: Chair (2017); Member (2015-Present)
- UCLA Law Women LEAD: Founding Board Member (2015-Present); Summit Co-Chair (2019)
- Lawyer Representative from the Central District of California to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference (2014-2017)
- Association of Business Trial Lawyers: Member (1976-Present); Board of Governors (1996-2001)
- UCLA Women and Philanthropy: Board of Directors (1995-2000), (2014-Present)
- Uncommon Good: Board of Directors (2014-Present)
- Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles: Member (1976-2000), (2014-2017)
- Heal the Bay’s Santa Monica Pier Aquarium: Advisory Board (2004-2017)
- Inner City Law Center: Board of Advisors (2014-Present); Board of Directors (1994-2013)
- Association of Life Insurance Counsel: Board of Governors (2009-2013); Member (2002-2017)
- UCLA School of Law Alumni Association: Board of Directors (2000-2003)
- American Bar Association: Tort and Insurance Practice Section (1980-2014), Long Range Planning Committee (1995-1998), Task Force on the Involvement of Women (1991-1993); Life Insurance Law Committee Vice-Chair (1997-2003); Committee on Health Insurance Law Chair (1994-1995)
- Defense Research Institute’s Life, Health and Disability Law Committee: Member (1989-2017); Vice-Chair (2001-2004)
- Association of California Life and Health Insurance Companies Roundtable: Attendee (2008-2016)
- Los Angeles County Bar Association: Litigation Section (1976-2017); Access to Justice Committee (1989-2014); Judiciary Committee (1989-2003)
- Los Angeles Superior Court Voluntary Settlement Conference Program: Participant (2009)
- California Supreme Court: Multijurisdictional Task Force Implementation Committee (2002-2004)
- California Supreme Court Historical Society: Board of Directors (1998-2004)
- Los Angeles Superior Court Joint Association Settlement Officer Program: Participant (1988-2000)
- Public Counsel: President, Board of Directors (1993-1994); William O. Douglas Award Dinner Co-Chair (1993)
- Board of Police Commissioners for the City of Los Angeles: Counsel to Office of the Special Advisor (1992)
Resume
Tel: (310) 201-0010