Steptoe & Johnson PLLC

Laurie C. Barbe

Member
Laurie C. Barbe

Biography

Laurie Barbe represents insurance companies in response to first and third-party insurance claims and defends individuals and businesses in claims involving personal injury, wrongful death, products liability, and property damage. She has also been involved in appellate proceedings before the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She is the co-leader of the firm’s Insurance Company Team.

Representative Experience

  • Has issued coverage opinions and litigated coverage issues on a variety of commercial property and liability claims, including claims for business interruption coverage
  • Provided assistance to insurance companies writing new business in West Virginia to assure their policies are in compliance with applicable laws and regulations
  • Prepared coverage opinions and defended insurers in West Virginia state and federal declaratory judgment actions involving claims arising under personal, commercial, excess, and surplus lines policies
  • Handled investigations and defense of insurers in suspected arson and fraud claims
  • Provided general insurance counseling and training to insurance companies about claim handling and avoiding claims of “bad faith”
  • Defended and mediated claims alleging statutory “bad faith” and breach of contract
  • Represented insurers in arbitration proceedings involving claims for surplus lines coverage arising from mining accidents
  • Defended insurer in a first-party bad faith trial arising from the processing of credit disability claim
  • Represented insurers in defense of uninsured and underinsured motorist claims
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Licensed In

  • West Virginia

Education

  • J.D. West Virginia University College of Law
  • B.A. West Virginia University

Memberships

  • Member: St. John Parish Pastoral Council
  • Past Member: Greater Morgantown Heart Walk Executive Leadership Team
  • Past Board Member: River Valley Chapter, American Red Cross
  • Defense Research Institute
    • Membership Committee
    • Program Vice-Chair – Bad Faith Seminar
    • Insurance Law Committee
    • Co-Chair Personal Lines Committee
    • SIU/Fraud Committee
    • Steering Committee for 2016 ICCI Seminar
    • Marketing Committee for 2014 ICP Seminar
    • West Virginia State Representative (2014-2017)
  • Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia
    • Past President (2013-2014)
    • Board Member (2002-2017)
    • Insurance Law Committee
  • Property & Liability Resource Bureau
  • West Virginia Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators

Achievements

  • Best Lawyers® 2021 Morgantown, WV Litigation – Insurance, Lawyer of the Year
  • Best Lawyers® 2020 Morgantown, WV Insurance Law, Lawyer of the Year
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Insurance Law (2007-Present), Litigation – Insurance (2019-Present)
  • Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia – 2016 President’s Award

Speaking Engagements

  • Speaker, Presentation to Young Lawyers on Motion Practice (Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia Annual Meeting 2016)
  • Speaker, “Preparing Your Client for a Deposition” (Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia Deposition Boot Camp 2015)
  • Speaker, “Medicare and Medicaid Changes” (Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia Paralegal Seminar 2013)
  • Speaker, “Fraud Awareness and Investigations” (PLRB Central Regional Adjusters Conference 2011)
  • Speaker, “Automobile Insurance Fraud” (Erie 2010)
  • Speaker, “Fire Investigations and Fire Analysis” (State Farm 2008)
  • Speaker, “Unravel the Insurance Coverage Implications of Mold Claims” (NBI 2005)
  • Article, “Fraud, Concealment, and Misrepresentation: What Legal Tools and Defenses are Available to Insurers?” DRI In-House Defense Quarterly (Fall 2015)
  • Article, “Burning Down the House,” Steptoe & Johnson Insurance Law Update (Summer 2012)
  • Article, “Additional Items of Interest” Steptoe & Johnson Insurance Law Update (Winter, 2010)
  • Article, “Additional Items of Interest” Steptoe & Johnson Insurance Law Update (Summer, 2009)
  • Article, “Additional Items of Interest” Steptoe & Johnson Insurance Law Update (Spring, 2009)
  • Article, “Additional Items of Interest” Steptoe & Johnson Insurance Law Update (Summer, 2008)
  • Article, “Rumor Has It” Steptoe & Johnson Insurance Law Update (Winter, 2007)
  • Article, “Additional Items of Interest” Steptoe & Johnson Insurance Law Update (Summer, 2007)
  • Article, “Insurance Adjuster Licensing in West Virginia” Steptoe & Johnson Insurance Law Update (Winter, 2006)
  • Article, “Protecting Proprietary Business Documents During Discovery” Steptoe & Johnson Insurance Law Update (Summer, 2006)
  • Article, “Insurance Cases of Interest” Steptoe & Johnson Insurance Law Update (Summer, 2004)
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