Overview
Bob Hermes, partner-in-charge of Porter Wright’s Chicago office, has more than 30 years of experience as a trial lawyer in all aspects of reinsurance arbitration/litigation, commercial litigation and appeals in both state and federal courts. His experience includes jury and bench trials in breach of contract and fraud actions, business torts, defense of officers and directors, shareholder derivative suits, real estate transactions, trade secret and restrictive covenants, insurance coverage disputes, antitrust and class actions.
Bob’s reinsurance experience includes disputes involving the scope and applicability of arbitration clauses, placement disclosures, claim handling, adherence to underwriting guidelines, retrospectively rated business, obligations to follow settlements, allocation of settlements, obligations under surplus share reinsurance contracts, excess of loss contracts, application of ultimate net loss and net retained line clauses, clash covers, and accounting for premiums and losses. Bob has also provided reinsurance advice to insurance company clients who are involved in the large asbestos bankruptcies.
Education
- DePaul University College of Law (J.D., 1979)
- Indiana University (B.A., 1976)
Bar Admissions
Professional Associations
- Chicago Bar Association
- ARIAS-U.S., Forms and Procedures Committee
- Association of Insurance & Reinsurance Run-Off Companies (AIRROC)
Honors & Awards
- Chambers USA, Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance, Illinois
- The Legal 500 United States, Insurance (Recommended Attorney)
- Illinois Super Lawyers®
- Best Lawyers®, Insurance Law
- Leading Lawyers, Civil Appellate Law, Commercial Litigation and Insurance, Insurance Coverage & Reinsurance Law
Community
- Western Golf Association (Evans Scholars Foundation), Director
- DePaul University Law Review, Editor-in-Chief