LANCE D. ORLOFF, PARTNER
Lance D. Orloff joined Daniels, Baratta & Fine in 1984 as an associate trial attorney. Lance became a partner in 1992. In 1999, Jim Baratta asked him to join him in the newly created firm of Grant, Genovese & Baratta. Since 1999, Lance continues to litigate defense and bad-faith cases through trial and as the firm’s appellate specialist.
While Lance was in law school, he was a paid assistant to Professor Frederick J. Lower during his writing of a treatise on California Insurance Law. He also served as an extern for Judge Robert S.W. Lew for the California Court of Appeals. Lance authored Judge Lew’s published opinion in People v. Parsons. He was honored to be among a few selected law students to try misdemeanor cases for the Los Angeles County District Attorney.
From these experiences, Lance developed his desire to specialize in litigating insurance-related disputes at trial and continuing to litigate insurance law in the appellate courts. He developed his trial-preparation skills as a law clerk preparing high-exposure medical-malpractice, construction-defect, and products-liability cases for trial. Upon passing the bar exam on his first attempt, legendary trial-attorney Jack Daniels hired Lance as a trial associate at Daniels, Baratta & Fine. Soon after, Lance obtained his first defense verdict for L.A. County in a personal-injury case arising out of a bus accident.
During his career, Lance has represented insurance-industry clients in disputes involving insurance issues on the cutting edge of California Law. He tried cases involving cutting-edge issues like third-party bad faith, Cumis counsel, concurrent causes of loss, and multi-party pollution claims. Lance also recovered successful results at trial of large-exposure vehicle accidents, construction-defect, large-scale pollution, and wrongful-death cases in state and federal trial and appellate courts. He is one of the most experienced insurance lawyers in California in representing insurance-industry clients in Cumis-fee arbitrations and Buss/Blue Ridge reimbursement trials.
Lance has also briefed and argued appeals resulting in published opinions establishing and interpreting some of the most hotly-litigated issues in California insurance law. Lance’s appellate victories in Furlough v. Transamerica, Collin v. American Empire, and Dalrymple v. USAA are routinely relied upon by the California Supreme Court and appellate courts in the areas of arbitration, property-damage, and bad-faith law. In 2009, the California Supreme Court in Ramirez v. Nelson, which Lance briefed and argued, reversed an appellate-court decision exposing California homeowners and their insurers to limitless damages for injuries sustained by independent contractors hired by homeowners to maintain their homes. His experience includes 16 published appellate opinions in appeals he has briefed and argued in the California Supreme and appellate courts, and the Federal District courts and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
PRACTICE AREAS
EDUCATION
Lance graduated from the University of California at Davis with honors in 1981 as a political-science major. In 1984, Lance received his J.D. from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles.
Furlough v. Transamerica Ins. Co., 203 Cal.App.3d 40 (1988)Murat v. Centennial Ins. Co., 253 Cal.Rptr. 914 (1988)
Koenig v. Foote, 21 Cal.Rptr.2d 820 (1993)
Collin v. American Empire Ins. Co., 21 Cal.App.4th 787 (1994)
Dalrymple v. United Services Auto. Assn., 40 Cal.App.4th 497 (1995)
Singer v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Assn., 116 F.3d 373 (9th Cir. 1997)
Maryland Cas. Co. v. Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 81 Cal.App.4th 1082 (2000)
Coufal Abogados v. AT&T, Inc., 223 F.3d 932 (9th Cir. 2000)
D.W. Mercer, Inc. v. Valley Fresh Produce, Inc., 146 F.Supp.2d 1274 (M.D.Fla. 2001)
Haynes v. Farmers Ins. Exchange, 32 Cal.4th 1198 (2004)
Butler-Rupp v. Lourdeaux, 134 Cal.App.4th 1220 (2005)
Butler-Rupp v. Lourdeaux, 154 Cal.App.4th 918 (2007)
Edmonson Property Management v. Kwock, 156 Cal.App.4th 197 (2007)
Ramirez v. Nelson, 44 Cal.4th 908 (2008)
DeWitt v. Monterey Ins. Co., 204 Cal.App.4th 233 (2012)
Chakalis v. Elevator Solutions, Inc., 205 Cal.App.4th 1557 (2012)
Kallis v. Sones, 208 Cal.App.4th 1274 (2012)
Schaefer v. Elder, 157 Cal.Rptr.3d 654 (2013)
Zhang v. Superior Court, 57 Cal.4th 364 (2013)
Moore v. Mercer, 4 Cal.App.5th 424 (2016)
Gonzalez v. Lew, 20 Cal.App.5th 155 (2018)
Atain Specialty Ins. Co. v. Sierra Pacific Management Co., 725 Fed.Appx. 557 (9th Cir. 2018)
Shuler v. Capital Agricultural Property Services, Inc., 49 Cal.App.5th 62 (2020)
Truck Ins. Exchange v. AMCO Ins. Co., 56 Cal.App.5th 619 (2020)
California Capital Ins. Co. v. Employers Comp. Ins. Co., 89 Cal.App.5th 638 (2023)
Lance has been a long-time member of the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel and the American Board of Trial Advocates Inns of Court.
After being vetted by the various committees, he was the next intended appointee of Governor Pete Wilson to the L.A. County Superior Court when Governor Wilson’s term ended in 1997.
In 2002, President Bush’s staff submitted Lance’s application to a committee headed by California Senators Feinstein and Boxer for approval as an appointee to the United States District Court. The committee did not act on his application when President Bush’s term ended in 2009. Lance has served the L.A. County Superior Court as a Judge Pro Tem and Mediator.
Admitted to the California State Bar on December 3, 1984. Lance is admitted in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and all U.S. District Courts in California.
Appellate Law Certified Specialist, The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
During his spare time, Lance furthers his avocation officiating high-school and college football and baseball games. He is also a frequent spectator at basketball games played by the Dana Hills High School Varsity Girls Basketball team.
Furlough v. Transamerica Ins. Co., 203 Cal.App.3d 40 (1988)Murat v. Centennial Ins. Co., 253 Cal.Rptr. 914 (1988)
Koenig v. Foote, 21 Cal.Rptr.2d 820 (1993)
Collin v. American Empire Ins. Co., 21 Cal.App.4th 787 (1994)
Dalrymple v. United Services Auto. Assn., 40 Cal.App.4th 497 (1995)
Singer v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Assn., 116 F.3d 373 (9th Cir. 1997)
Maryland Cas. Co. v. Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 81 Cal.App.4th 1082 (2000)
Coufal Abogados v. AT&T, Inc., 223 F.3d 932 (9th Cir. 2000)
D.W. Mercer, Inc. v. Valley Fresh Produce, Inc., 146 F.Supp.2d 1274 (M.D.Fla. 2001)
Haynes v. Farmers Ins. Exchange, 32 Cal.4th 1198 (2004)
Butler-Rupp v. Lourdeaux, 134 Cal.App.4th 1220 (2005)
Butler-Rupp v. Lourdeaux, 154 Cal.App.4th 918 (2007)
Edmonson Property Management v. Kwock, 156 Cal.App.4th 197 (2007)
Ramirez v. Nelson, 44 Cal.4th 908 (2008)
DeWitt v. Monterey Ins. Co., 204 Cal.App.4th 233 (2012)
Chakalis v. Elevator Solutions, Inc., 205 Cal.App.4th 1557 (2012)
Kallis v. Sones, 208 Cal.App.4th 1274 (2012)
Schaefer v. Elder, 157 Cal.Rptr.3d 654 (2013)
Zhang v. Superior Court, 57 Cal.4th 364 (2013)
Moore v. Mercer, 4 Cal.App.5th 424 (2016)
Gonzalez v. Lew, 20 Cal.App.5th 155 (2018)
Atain Specialty Ins. Co. v. Sierra Pacific Management Co., 725 Fed.Appx. 557 (9th Cir. 2018)
California Capital Ins. Co. v. Employers Comp. Ins. Co., 89 Cal.App.5th 638 (2023)
Lance has been a long-time member of the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel and the American Board of Trial Advocates Inns of Court.
After being vetted by the various committees, he was the next intended appointee of Governor Pete Wilson to the L.A. County Superior Court when Governor Wilson’s term ended in 1997.
In 2002, President Bush’s staff submitted Lance’s application to a committee headed by California Senators Feinstein and Boxer for approval as an appointee to the United States District Court. The committee did not act on his application when President Bush’s term ended in 2009. Lance has served the L.A. County Superior Court as a Judge Pro Tem and Mediator.
Admitted to the California State Bar on December 3, 1984. Lance is admitted in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and all U.S. District Courts in California.
Appellate Law Certified Specialist, The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
During his spare time, Lance furthers his avocation officiating high-school and college football and baseball games. He is also a frequent spectator at basketball games played by the Dana Hills High School Varsity Girls Basketball team, on which his daughter Reagan has started since her freshman year.
Furlough v. Transamerica Ins. Co., 203 Cal.App.3d 40 (1988)Murat v. Centennial Ins. Co., 253 Cal.Rptr. 914 (1988)
Koenig v. Foote, 21 Cal.Rptr.2d 820 (1993)
Collin v. American Empire Ins. Co., 21 Cal.App.4th 787 (1994)
Dalrymple v. United Services Auto. Assn., 40 Cal.App.4th 497 (1995)
Singer v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Assn., 116 F.3d 373 (9th Cir. 1997)
Maryland Cas. Co. v. Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 81 Cal.App.4th 1082 (2000)
Coufal Abogados v. AT&T, Inc., 223 F.3d 932 (9th Cir. 2000)
D.W. Mercer, Inc. v. Valley Fresh Produce, Inc., 146 F.Supp.2d 1274 (M.D.Fla. 2001)
Haynes v. Farmers Ins. Exchange, 32 Cal.4th 1198 (2004)
Butler-Rupp v. Lourdeaux, 134 Cal.App.4th 1220 (2005)
Butler-Rupp v. Lourdeaux, 154 Cal.App.4th 918 (2007)
Edmonson Property Management v. Kwock, 156 Cal.App.4th 197 (2007)
Ramirez v. Nelson, 44 Cal.4th 908 (2008)
DeWitt v. Monterey Ins. Co., 204 Cal.App.4th 233 (2012)
Chakalis v. Elevator Solutions, Inc., 205 Cal.App.4th 1557 (2012)
Kallis v. Sones, 208 Cal.App.4th 1274 (2012)
Schaefer v. Elder, 157 Cal.Rptr.3d 654 (2013)
Zhang v. Superior Court, 57 Cal.4th 364 (2013)
Moore v. Mercer, 4 Cal.App.5th 424 (2016)
Gonzalez v. Lew, 20 Cal.App.5th 155 (2018)
Atain Specialty Ins. Co. v. Sierra Pacific Management Co., 725 Fed.Appx. 557 (9th Cir. 2018)
California Capital Ins. Co. v. Employers Comp. Ins. Co., 89 Cal.App.5th 638 (2023)
Lance has been a long-time member of the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel and the American Board of Trial Advocates Inns of Court.
After being vetted by the various committees, he was the next intended appointee of Governor Pete Wilson to the L.A. County Superior Court when Governor Wilson’s term ended in 1997.
In 2002, President Bush’s staff submitted Lance’s application to a committee headed by California Senators Feinstein and Boxer for approval as an appointee to the United States District Court. The committee did not act on his application when President Bush’s term ended in 2009. Lance has served the L.A. County Superior Court as a Judge Pro Tem and Mediator.
Admitted to the California State Bar on December 3, 1984. Lance is admitted in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and all U.S. District Courts in California.
Appellate Law Certified Specialist, The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
During his spare time, Lance furthers his avocation officiating high-school and college football and baseball games. He is also a frequent spectator at basketball games played by the Dana Hills High School Varsity Girls Basketball team.