Tad A. Devlin

Overview

Tad A. Devlin is a partner in our San Francisco office with more than 25 years of experience managing client’s complex business legal matters. Mr. Devlin defends clients in insurance coverage and litigation, labor and employment law, professional liability, cannabis, general liability, and real estate transactions. Additionally, Mr. Devlin advises clients in financial services, fiduciary liability, and gig economy law matters.

In his employment law work, Mr. Devlin litigates complex matters in arbitration and litigation, including PAGA and class action defense, and in claims of discrimination and harassment. He also 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. He represents clients in coverage disputes and provides counsel for avoidance of high-exposure claims. Across a full spectrum of insurance lines, he represents international, national, and regional insurance carriers. 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.

In his professional liability practice, he defends against disciplinary actions for lawyers, doctors, accountants, insurance agents, and insurance brokers. Additionally, Mr. Devlin is called upon to provide counsel and defense litigation in real estate transactions and disputes.

Utilizing his criminal law background as a felony prosecutor, Mr. Devlin’s financial services practice includes counsel to business, and their officers and directors, in state and federal government enforcement actions in criminal and civil matters including RICO, bribery/kickbacks, and in privacy violation allegations of illegal recordings, wiretapping, eavesdropping and hacking.

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.

Admissions

California
U.S. District Court
- Eastern District of California
- Northern District of California
- Central District of California
United States Court of Appeals
- Ninth Circuit
U.S. Bankruptcy Court
- Northern District of California

Education

Pacific McGeorge School of Law, J.D. with honors
University of California, Davis, B.A.

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

Representative Matters

Prevailed on summary judgment in Santa Clara County Superior Court for a major financial institution and its life agents in professional liability dispute concerning complex IRC 412i plan, advice and funding case concerning alleged negligence in providing tax advice, recommendations and financial planning, in which the plaintiffs claimed several millions of dollars in damages.
Accomplished favorable settlement of a business dispute concerning claims of business torts, unpaid loans and shareholder dispute as part of a complex asset purchase agreement by a successor company.