Overview

A shareholder in the firm, Michael Foran concentrates his practice in first-party property insurance disputes. His experience includes the full array of first-party property insurance matters, including bad faith claims, environmental damage, builder’s risk claims, construction and design defect claims, arson and fraud issues and cargo losses. His experience also extends to reinsurance disputes, particularly those dealing with first-party property claims, as well as subrogation and casualty defense.

Michael’s practice encompasses all phases of the claims and litigation process: consultation during the claims handling and investigation phase; mediation, arbitration and other forms of alternative dispute resolution; litigation and trial. He has also helped insurers develop benchmark policy forms for oil, gas, and petrochemical industry exposures; policy coverages for mortgage-backed securities and specialized endorsements for commercial and personal lines policy forms.

Professional Leadership

Michael is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Honors & Recognition

Michael has a Martindale-Hubbell AV® peer rating, indicating the highest ranking in legal ability and ethical standards as determined by his peers in the legal community.

He has been regularly listed on the Illinois Super Lawyer list since 2005, based on nomination, evaluation of professional achievements, and selection by a panel of attorneys in the applicable practice area. Only 5% of the total attorneys in each state receive the Super Lawyers designation.

Since 2004, Michael has been named to Law Bulletin Media’s Leading Lawyers list, a peer-recommended distinction awarded to less than 5% of attorneys in Illinois.

Michael has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America list in Insurance Law since 2022.

More information on awards and rankings can be found here.

Education

Michael earned his B.A. degree, cum laude, from Colgate University in 1982 and his J.D. degree from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law in 1985.

Admissions

Michael is authorized to practice law in Illinois, New York and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of Illinois; Eastern District of Michigan; Eastern District of Wisconsin; Middle District of Tennessee and the District of Nebraska. He has also represented clients in matters pending in state and federal courts in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. 

Publications & Presentations

• “Requirements for Suit,” Chapter of the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education’s Property Insurance Handbook
• “Do War-Risk Exclusions Really Exclude Coverage,” Andrews Insurance Coverage Litigation Report

Cited Cases

• Thirteen Inv. Co., Inc. v. Foremost Ins. Co. Grand Rapids Michigan, 67 F.4th 389 (7th Cir. 2023)
• Keshav, LLC v. Arch Specialty Ins. Co., 627 F. Supp. 3d 1261 (W.D. Okla. 2022)
• Sioux City Foundry Co. v. Affiliated FM Ins. Co., No. C20-4030-LTS, 2022 WL 45065 (N.D. Iowa Jan. 5, 2022)
• Green Plains Otter Tail, LLC v. Pro-Environmental, Inc., 953 F.3d 541(8th Cir. Mar. 20, 2020)
• Ingenco Holdings, LLC v. Ace Am. Ins. Co., 921 F.3d 803 (9th Cir. 2019)
• Huntington Chase Condo. Ass’n v. Mid-Century Ins. Co., 379 F. Supp. 3d 687 (N.D. Ill. 2019)
• AMI Stamping, LLC v. ACE American Insurance Company, 709 Fed.Appx. 354 (6th Cir. Oct. 5, 2017)
• Dean Snyder Constr. Co. v. Travelers Prop. Cas. Co. of Am., 173 F. Supp. 3d 837 (S.D. Iowa 2016)
• Winbco Tank Co. v. Palmer & Cay of Minnesota, LLC, 435 F. Supp. 2d 945 (S.D. Iowa 2006)
• Travelers Indemnity Co. of Illinois v. CDL Hotels USA, Inc., 322 F. Supp. 2d 482 (S.D.N.Y. 2004)
• National Sur. Corp. v. Ranger Ins. Co., 260 F.3d 881 (8th Cir. 2001)
• The Limited, Inc. v. PDQ Transit, Inc., 160 F. Supp. 2d 842 (S.D. Ohio 2001)
• Fonda v. General Cas. Co. of Illinois, 665 N.E.2d 439 (Ill. App. Ct. 1996)
• Evergreen Pk. Sch. Dist. v. Federal Ins. Co., 276 Ill. App. 3d 766 (Ill. App. Ct. 1995)
• Pikeland Com. Sch. Dist. v. Indiana Ins. Co., 269 Ill. App. 3d 976 (Ill. App. Ct. 1995)
• Bond Co. Sch. Dist. v. Indiana Ins. Co., 269 Ill. App. 3d 488, 647 N.E.2d 293 (Ill. App. Ct. 1995)
• Cunningham v. Millers General Insurance Co., 227 Ill. App. 3d 201, 591 N.E.2d 80 (Ill. App. Ct. 1992)
• Marketos v. American Employers Ins. Co. 460 N.W.2d 272 (Mich. Ct. App. 1990)