Kirsten Soto

Full Profile

Kirsten Soto advises and represents primary and excess insurers in complex coverage disputes across multiple jurisdictions. Her practice includes litigating coverage and bad faith suits involving commercial general liability, commercial auto, commercial property, directors’ and officers’ liability, errors and omissions, professional liability, EPL, aviation, and inland marine policies. She has litigated coverage disputes involving the commercial transportation, technology, healthcare, construction, aviation, hospitality, retail, and sports and entertainment industries.

Kirsten regularly counsels clients on litigation and claims handling issues, such as the scope of the duty to defend, policy limitations, and allocation of coverage. She has advised clients on coverage for international and cross-border disputes, including the trigger of coverage under multiple insurance policies issued in various countries.

Kirsten maintains an active pro bono practice. She also presents on emerging risks in insurance coverage and claims handling.

Admissions

• California
• District of Columbia
• New Jersey
• Texas
• Virginia
• US District Court for the Central District of California
• US District Court for the District of New Jersey
• US Districts Courts for the Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of Texas

Education

• J.D., cum laude, American University Washington College of Law, 2012. Administrative Law Review, Executive Board Member – Senior Symposia Editor.
• B.A., The College of William & Mary

Memberships

• Texas Bar Association, Insurance Law Section
• Association for Professional Insurance Women
• Former Editorial Board Member, CGL Reporter, International Risk Management Institute
• American Bar Association Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section: Automobile Litigation, Business Law, Cyber Security, and Insurance Coverage Litigation Committees

Experience

• Prevailed on summary judgment motion and appeal in an insurer versus insurer dispute regarding coverage for a putative additional insured under a blanket additional insured endorsement in a catastrophic personal injury matter.  United Specialty Ins. Co. v. Farmers Ins. Exch., No. 13-19-00127-CV, 2020 WL 6343341 (Tex. App. Oct. 29, 2020)

• Prevailed in a summary judgment motion in favor of an insurer finding that property damage resulting from an insured’s intentional acts do not constitute an “occurrence” under a CGL policy.
• Represented and obtained a favorable resolution for an insurer in a multimillion-dollar dispute involving property damage spanning multiple years and several insurance policies.
• Advised insurers on interpretation of manuscript policy language with respect to the trigger of excess coverage.
• Acted as coverage counsel and monitoring counsel on professional liability architectural design claims involving the construction of multiple buildings throughout Texas.
• Acted as coverage counsel on discrimination claims against fitness clubs.
• Acted as coverage counsel on catastrophic personal injury claims against entertainment venues.
• Acted as coverage and monitoring counsel on nationwide claims against pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.
• Acted as coverage counsel on human trafficking claims against hotel franchises and operators.

Publications

• Author, “Boxing Makes Me A Better Lawyer,” Law360 Expert Analysis – Series, July 3, 2024
• “Extrinsic Evidence and the Texas Eight-Corners Rule,” IRMI Insurance Law Essentials Deep Dives, 2020
• “Pro Bono at the Border: Lessons from a Week Volunteering with Asylum Applicants," ABA/TIPS TortSource, 2019
• Co-author, “Automobile Liability Claims,” Resolving Insurance Claims Disputes before Trial, ABA Publishing, 2018