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Paul Sullivan
Partner
Boston
161 Worcester Road
Suite 502
Framingham MA 01701
TEL: (781) 466-0734
FAX: (781) 466-0701
{ mail } psullivan@zellelaw.com
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Practice Areas
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Past Professional Experience

Paul Sullivan

Paul is the managing partner of Zelle’s Boston office where he represents clients in courts around the United States in high stakes commercial litigation. He is an experienced litigator with expertise in the complex valuation issues presented by business interruption and construction delay claims associated with losses at power generation, manufacturing, and other commercial facilities. 

Paul’s experience includes the multi-billion-dollar property damage and time element insurance coverage litigation related to the destruction of the World Trade Center on 9/11. He was involved from start to finish in the World Trade Center appraisal, including more than 100 formal hearing days over three years.  

In addition to his first-party coverage litigation experience, Paul represents major global insurers in third-party coverage litigation and extra-contractual claims, including defense of allegations of bad faith.

Paul also has significant experience representing clients in a variety of commercial disputes outside the insurance context, including antitrust recovery and class action cases.   

Prior to entering private practice, Paul served for five years as an assistant prosecuting attorney. In that position, he was responsible for the prosecution of serious felonies, including homicides, and tried over 20 cases to juries.

Representative Matters

PF Sunset View, LLC v. Atlantic Specialty Insurance Company (Obtained summary judgment in class action against property insurer arising from COVID- 19 business interruption claims)

150 Seaport, LLC et. al. v. Lexington Insurance Company (Representation of insurer in litigation of multi- million-dollar builder’s risk claim related to the failure of the support of excavation)

Nordstrom, Inc. v XL Insurance America, Inc. et. al. (Representation of property insurer in litigation of multi- million-dollar claims related to civil unrest in cities across the country)

Turner Construction et. al. v. Lexington Insurance Company (Representation of insurer in litigation of multi- million-dollar builder’s risk claim)

Seattle Tunnel Partners et. al. v. Great Lakes et al. (Representation of insurers in litigation related to $700 million in claims associated with the breakdown of tunnel boring machine under Seattle during SR99 project)

Thurston Foods v. Wausau Business Insurance Company (Obtained partial summary judgment on behalf of property insurer on multi-million-dollar claims related to damage caused by ice lensing under a refrigerated warehouse)

Diamond Ironworks, Inc. v. American Express Company (representation of credit card company in action alleging damages related to Breach of Duty of Good Faith and Fair Dealing, UCC, and Unjust Enrichment) 

Laureate Education, Inc. v. Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania (Obtained partial summary judgment in insurance coverage litigation of complex valuation issues related to $10.6 million Chilean earthquake claim) 

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company v. Lang Management, Inc. (Obtained summary judgment on behalf of insurer in environmental coverage litigation related to contamination of golf course with herbicide) 

Allianz Insurance Company v. World Trade Center Properties LLC (insurance coverage action and related appraisal involving destruction of World Trade Center complex on 9/11 and claims in excess of $7 billion for property damage and time element losses) 

 Port Authority 9/11 Litigation (insurance coverage action and appraisal relating to multi-billion-dollar insurance claims made by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for property damage and business interruption caused by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack) 

 In re September 11 Property Damage and Business Loss Litigation, United States District Court, Southern District of New York ($2 billion subrogation action from 9/11 terrorist attack) 

Articles & Presentations

“Risk Analysis for Contested Claims:  The Importance of How and Where”, Loss Executives Association (LEA) 2023 Spring Meeting & Educational Conference, June 15, 2023, panelist

"Civil Authority Coverage for Coronavirus Claims," Zelle Webinar, April 21, 2020, co-presenter

"Contra Proferentem Doesn’t Always Mean ‘Against the Insurer’," Insurance Law360, June 21, 2016, co-author

"Applying Ensuing Loss Policy Language to Property Claims," Zelle Insurance Education Webinar Series, March 1, 2016, presenter

"A Review of Ensuing Loss Case Law: 2010 to Present," ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section's The Brief, Spring 2014, co-author

Professional Affiliations

Noteworthy

Named a Rising Star by Massachusetts Super Lawyers in 2007.

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