Benjamin J. Roesch

Shareholder | Seattle | 206.223.7383 | roeschb@lanepowell.com

Areas of Practice

Ben Roesch joined Lane Powell after serving as a law clerk for the Alaska Supreme Court, Justice Robert Eastaugh. He worked in Lane Powell’s Alaska office for two years before transferring to the Seattle office in the Spring of 2007. He concentrates his practice in insurance coverage disputes for the London Market and complex commercial litigation.

Professional Experience

• Legal Secondee, Markel International Insurance Company, London, England (October 2007 – February 2008)
• Law Clerk, Justice Robert L. Eastaugh, Alaska Supreme Court (2004 – 2005)
• Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Summer Associate (2003)

Admitted to Practice

• Alaska
• Washington
• Minnesota (inactive)
• Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
• U.S. District Court, District of Alaska
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington

Academics

• University of Michigan Law School (J.D., magna cum laude, 2004)
  • Order of the Coif
  • Contributing Editor, Michigan Law Review
  • Book Award, Property
  • Tutor, Contracts
  • Member, Employment and Labor Law Association
• University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire (B.A., magna cum laude, History, 2001)
  • Wisconsin Education Association Council Scholar
  • University Honors Program, History Honor Society

Practice Group and Specialty Team Memberships

• Litigation
• London

Representative Matters and Clients

• Sulzer Pumps (US), Inc. v. Superior Court, No. B222280 (Cal. App. 2010).  Assisted in briefing successful defense of trial court’s decision on forum non conveniens issues.
• Allstate Ins. Co. v. Liberty Surplus Ins. Corp., 2010 WL 598766 (Wn.App. 2010).  Assisted in briefing successful appeal of product liability insurance matter.
• Taylor v. Sentry Group of Companies, No. 08-35116 (9th Cir. 2009).  Assisted in briefing successful defense of bad faith insurance claim.
• Kazan v. Dough Boys, Inc., 201 P.3d 508 (Alaska 2009).  Briefed successful appeal upholding validity of settlement agreement.
• Whittier Properties, Inc. v. Alaska National Insurance Company, 185 P.3d 84 (Alaska 2008). Assisted in briefing successful summary judgment motion finding no coverage for multi-policy pollution claim.
• Raad v. Fairbanks Northstar Borough School District, 201 Fed.Appx. 396 (9th Cir. 2006).  Assisted with successful briefing defending discrimination and retaliation claims and award of attorney’s fees.

Publications

• “Alaska,” a chapter in Misrepresentation in the Life, Health, and Disability Insurance Application Process: A National Survey, American Bar Association, J. Hamilton, 2009 (Co-author)
• “Money For Nothing? Unconditional Payments and Unjust Enrichment in Jackman v. Jewel Lake Villa One,” 25 ALASKA L. REV. 157, 2008
• “Crowd Control: The Majoritarian Court and the Reflection of Public Opinion in Doctrine,” 39 SUFF. L. REV. 379, 2006
• “Erie Similarities: Alaska Civil Rule 68, “Direct Collisions,” and the Problem of Non-Aligning Background Assumptions,” 23 ALASKA L. REV. 81, 2006