Karin Scherner Aldama
Karin helps clients find insurance programs that meet their needs and assists them in obtaining the coverage to which their policies entitle them.
Karin Scherner Aldama counsels government entities and Fortune 500, large, and midsize companies regarding their insurance needs. Her clients operate in a range of industries, including hospitality, finance, utilities, aerospace, and semiconductors. She conducts policy audits and assists in the policy-renewal process by conducting detailed reviews of proposed policies. In cases of loss, Karin reviews policies for potential coverage, assists clients in navigating the claim process, and, if necessary, serves as counsel in coverage litigation.
Karin has represented policyholders in complex insurance coverage matters involving environmental, director and officer, professional and general liability, cyber, property, and business interruption policies, among others. She has prevailed in successful London arbitrations under the Bermuda Form.
In addition, Karin has significant experience with complex commercial and appellate litigation. She manages privilege law issues, including in the international context and for cross-border disputes. Karin also represents clients in alternative dispute resolution, with an emphasis on international and domestic arbitration.
Karin frequently takes on pro bono immigration cases and represents indigenous detainees in immigration court, as well as before the Board of Immigration Appeal and appellate courts.
Areas of focus
Education & Credentials
Education
- Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., summa cum laude, Order of the Coif, 2000
- National Louis University, B.A., Business Administration and Management, with honors, 1992
Bar and Court Admissions
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Arizona
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Related Employment
- Covington & Burling, Washington, D.C., Associate, 2001-2004
- Georgetown University Law Center, Adjunct Professor, U.S. Legal Discourse, 2000-2001
Clerkships
- Hon. Frank Schwelb, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Additional Languages
- German
- French
- Italian
Professional Recognition
Listed in Chambers USA as "America's Leading Lawyer" for Insurance, 2021-2023
American Arbitration Association, Higginbotham Diversity Fellow, 2013, Participated in program for “up and coming, diverse alternative dispute resolution professionals”
Foundation of the American Bar Association, Fellow
Foundation of the Federal Bar Association, Fellow
Impact
Professional Leadership
- Arizona Women Lawyers Association, State Board of Directors, 2016-present; Gender Equity Committee, 2022, 2015-2016
- Maricopa Chapter of the Arizona Women Lawyers Association, Steering Committee, 2011-present; Co-Chair of Mothers’ Forum, 2020-present; President, 2019-2020; Treasurer and Member of Executive Committee, 2016-2019; Leadership Appointments Committee, 2013-2014; Professional Development Committee, 2010-2011
- ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, Co-Managing Editor, Coverage Journal, 2019-present; Energy & Environment Subcommittee, Policyholder Co-Chair, 2019, 2022-2023; International/London Subcommittee, Policyholder Co-Chair, 2016-2019; Women in Insurance Subcommittee, Member, 2014-present; Co-Chair, 2015-2016
- Perkins Coie Strategic Diversity Committee, Member, 2011-2019
- Phoenix Diversity Committee, Perkins Coie, Chair, 2008-2011; Co-Chair, 2012
- Phoenix Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, President, 2009-2010; Officer, 2005-2009; Board Member, 2005-2012
Community Involvement
- Act One, Member of the Board of Directors, 2017-2019; Treasurer, 2019
- Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, Public Affairs Committee, Member, 2016-2019; Insurance and Health Care Issue Committee, Member, 2016-2019
- Arizona Technology Council, Cyber Security Committee, Member, 2017-2019
- Herberger Theater Center, Board of Directors, Vice Chair, 2015-2016; Member, 2011-2017; Executive Committee, Member, 2013-2017; Secretary, 2016-2017, 2013-2014
Insights
News
Professional Experience
Insurance Coverage
Insurance Coverage
- Represents a successor trust in complex coverage litigation relating to claims under liability policies that survived a financial institution’s bankruptcy.
- Advises a township with respect to construction-related insurance issues.
- Advises a hospitality company with respect to property, business interruption, and environmental insurance issues relating to hurricane damage.
- Advised a clinic with respect to complex coverage issues arising out of an accident at the facility.
- Represented the nation’s largest public utility in securing insurance coverage for cleanup costs associated with the largest coal ash spill in U.S. history; recovered over $300 million from liability insurers through settlements and complete victories in two multiweek arbitrations in London against Bermuda-based excess liability insurers.
- Advised a multinational media and entertainment group with respect to coverage-related issues arising out of a production accident.
Alternative Dispute Resolution and International Arbitration
Alternative Dispute Resolution and International Arbitration
- Represented the nation’s largest public utility in two month-long London arbitrations against Bermuda-based excess liability insurers. Both hearings resulted in complete insured’s victories.
- Prevailed on behalf of a retailer in the international arbitration of a contract dispute against a German product supplier.
- Represented a software company in arbitration of a contract dispute that resulted in an award in favor of the software company. The case settled on terms favorable to the client during pendency of award-confirmation proceedings.
- Successfully represents clients from multiple industries in mediations to resolve contract and coverage disputes.
Complex Commercial Litigation
- Represented a semiconductor manufacturer in a contract dispute.
- Represented a leading online real estate portal in complex trade secrets litigation. The case settled successfully on the eve of trial, after issuance of rulings in the client’s favor on numerous pretrial and summary judgment motions. Obtained a temporary restraining order (TRO) for the same client in a related matter that subsequently also settled in the client’s favor.
- Represented a nutraceutical company in a complex dispute involving trademark infringement and breach of contract issues, which successfully settled during pendency of summary judgment motions.
- Achieved a favorable settlement for a semiconductor company facing a complex dispute involving claims of patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, and antitrust violations.
- Assisted in the defense of a multinational microprocessor manufacturer in multidistrict litigation involving antitrust claims brought by a competitor and multiple putative class plaintiffs, which settled.
- Defended a semiconductor company in a dispute involving a contract for the joint development of components for an optical switch product. The case settled on favorable terms shortly after the depositions of key witnesses for plaintiffs.
- Represented an international mining company in a dispute alleging violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and related breach of contract and tort claims. Prevailed on a motion to dismiss on extraterritoriality and forum non conveniens grounds. The case successfully settled while on appeal from that dismissal.*
*Prior Experience
Pro Bono
- Assists Holocaust survivors in obtaining pension and reparation payments from German government.
- Obtained relief from removal for a former Guatemalan child soldier who had acted as informant against drug cartels in the United States.
- Obtained asylum for a Guatemalan victim of domestic violence and for a Sudanese “Lost Boy.”
- Successfully represented an inmate in a federal court appeal of his conviction on grounds of ineffective assistance of counsel.*
- Served as lead attorney in a federal court jury trial for a pro bono client asserting civil rights claims against prison officials.
*Prior Experience
Appellate
- Obtained the vacation of recall and restitution provisions of a preliminary injunction issued in a trademark infringement case. In vacating the injunction, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that district courts must consider the burden of a recall and whether the public faces substantial danger as a result of the alleged infringement.
- Represents clients in appeals before the Ninth Circuit and the BIA.