Scott M. Koppel

    Partner
    Irvine
    Direct: 949.769.6901
    Main: 949.769.6900

    Practice Focus:

    Scott Koppel, former Practice Group Leader for Morris Polich & Purdy’s Civil Litigation Practice Group, is now the administrative partner at the Irvine office of Morris Polich & Purdy LLP, which serves Orange County, Riverside County and San Bernardino County. His practice focuses on loss mitigation and prevention, having spent more than 15 years specializing in the investigation and defense of suspected fraudulent claims. Scott continued to aggressively litigate state and federal court cases in the areas of personal injury liability, premises liability, uninsured motorist claims and first party insurance claims. In addition, Scott is a trained Mediator and utilizes his mediation skills in the cases he litigates and as a Mediator for others.

    Scott has also served as a consultant to, and has provided seminars for, numerous corporations and governmental entities on loss/fraud prevention. He has also been retained as a consultant to various newspapers and television stations with respect to news articles concerning claims fraud and associated criminal prosecutions. He is admitted to practice law in both California and New York.

    Scott has an extensive background in insurance coverage, having litigated several significant rescission and declaratory relief actions, and having defended numerous "bad faith" lawsuits. As counsel for the appellant, Scott argued the case of Oliver Machinery v. United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company before the California Court of Appeals, resulting in a published opinion on exclusionary clauses in insurance contracts.

    A former pugilist and Quarterfinalist in the New York State Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament, Scott still enjoys the "thrill of competition." His hobbies include running (at a "snail’s pace"), politics and spending time with his wife of 21 years and his two daughters.

    Education

    • J.D., University of San Diego School of Law, 1983
    • B.A., Hofstra University/Clark University, 1979

    Court Admissions

    • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
    • United States District Court for the Central and Southern Districts of California
    • New York State Courts

    Bar Admissions

    • California, 1983
    • New York, 1984

    Professional Memberships and Activities

    • National Football League Players Association, Certified Agent
    • President, Long Beach Barristers
    • Jewish Family and Children’s Services, Former Member of Board of Directors
    • Legal Aide Foundation of Long Beach, Former Member of Board of Directors
    • Long Beach Bar Association, Former Member of Board of Directors

    Distinctions

    • University of San Diego School of Law, Appellate Moot Court Board 1983, Member
    • University of San Diego School of Law, Order of Barristers

    Speeches and Publications

    • Co-author, California Property Insurance: Law and Litigation, California Continuing Education of the Bar, 2011
    • Speaker, Mealey’s Retail Liability Conference, December 2004
    • Speaker, Special Investigations Unit Training for Various Insurance Companies
    • Speaker, Council of Self-Insured Public Agencies