Adam Suk
Oxnard,CA
Summary
Diligent Insurance Defense Attorney with 3-5 years of civil litigation experience defending insurance carriers and their insureds in automobile negligence, premises liability, and personal injury lawsuits, with substantial experience managing high-volume caseloads, from inception to resolution, with an emphasis on cost-effective and strategic outcomes. Skilled at conducting depositions, legal research, law & motion practice, directing expert witnesses, settlement negotiations, and managing all aspects of pretrial case management and discovery. Proactive in developing and implementing comprehensive and cost-effective litigation plans with rigorous case analysis and high-quality defense strategies aimed at minimizing client risk while obtaining efficient, favorable case resolution.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Associate Attorney, In-House Insurance Defense Counsel for Farmers Insurance
Law Offices of Scott C. Stratman
Los Angeles, CA
11.2024 - 08.2025
- In-house defense counsel for Farmers Insurance and their insureds re third-party bodily injury claims (e.g., motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, dog-bite cases, etc.)
- Supervised and managed a combined caseload of 65-75 third-party personal injury pre-litigation & litigation files, prioritizing tasks to meet pretrial discovery deadlines
- Managed client communications with Farmers Insurance claim representatives and their insureds, maintaining relationship and providing timely updates on case evaluation, litigation posture, discovery plan, case budget, expert witness retention, trial preparation & settlement discussions
- Extensive pre-trial defense litigation experience, from filing of responsive pleadings (e.g., Answer, Demurrer, Motion to Strike, Cross-Complaint, etc.), discovery (e.g., taking/defending fact witness and expert depositions, subpoenaing and reviewing of medical records, written discovery, plaintiff IMEs, retaining and consulting with defense expert witnesses - e.g., accident reconstruction & biomechanical experts)
- Participated in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) proceedings (e.g., mediation, arbitration, case settlement conferences, etc.)
- Appeared for and attended court hearings (e.g., case management & status conferences, law & motion hearings, ADR hearings, pretrial conferences, etc.)
- Extensive experience utilizing cloud-based legal case management software (e.g., TeamConnect, Clio, Practice Panther & MerusCase)
- Conducted legal research to support case strategies and provided thorough analysis of statutes utilizing Westlaw & LexisNexis online legal research platforms
- Collaborated with senior attorneys to develop case strategies and prepare for trial presentations
Associate Attorney, General Liability Insurance Defense
Cholakian & Associates, APC
San Francisco, CA
05.2024 - 10.2024
- Defended automobile and commercial general liability insurance carriers in third-party personal injury claims (e.g., premises liability & motor vehicle accidents)
- Extensive case handling experience from the filing of responsive pleadings, throughout discovery phase of litigation (e.g., taking and defending party and expert depositions, subpoena and review medical records, preparing and responding of written discovery, retaining expert witnesses)
- Significant pretrial law and motion practice experience (e.g., discovery motions, motions for summary judgment/adjudication, motions in limine)
- Advised general liability insurance carriers of liability and damages exposure, and case settlement recommendations
- Managed a caseload of 35-40 pre-litigation and litigation files with minimal supervision, prioritizing tasks to meet pretrial discovery deadlines
- Conducted thorough legal research to support case strategy and client representation
Associate Attorney, Government & Public Entity Tort Claims Defense
McCune & Harber, LLP
Los Angeles, CA
04.2023 - 11.2023
- Defended public entities (e.g., cities, public transportation authorities, school districts) concerning general liability claims (e.g., premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, and sexual molestation claims)
- Extensive case handling experience from the filing of responsive pleadings, throughout discovery phase of litigation (e.g., taking and defending party and expert depositions, subpoena and review medical records, preparing and responding of written discovery, retaining expert witnesses)
- Significant pretrial law and motion experience (e.g., discovery motions, motions for summary judgment/adjudication, motions in limine)
- Advised general liability insurance carriers of liability and damages exposure, and case settlement recommendations
- Supervised the handling of a caseload of 45-55 litigation files, prioritizing tasks to meet pretrial discovery deadlines
Associate Attorney, Automobile Insurance Defense
Toschi, Collins, & Doyle, A.P.C.
Pleasanton, CA
02.2022 - 03.2023
- 0303Represented and defended automobile insurance carriers and their insureds in third-party civil automobile personal injury lawsuits, developing strategic litigation plans, aligning resources with client goals to maximize efficiency
- Extensive civil pretrial case management handling experience, from case intake to trial phase of litigation (e.g., filing of responsive pleadings, written discovery, fact witness & expert depositions, expert witness retention, and subpoenaed records review, settlement negotiations / mediation, etc.)
- Drafted and reviewed legal documents, including pleadings, written discovery, motions and legal briefs, ensuring accuracy and compliance with applicable laws
- Represented clients in court proceedings, advocating for favorable outcomes in litigation matters
- Managed a caseload of 30-40 files in litigation, prioritizing tasks to meet pretrial discovery deadlines
- Assessed cases for probable outcomes via researching black letter law and other legal authority, comparing fact patterns to case precedent
Associate Attorney, General Liability Insurance Defense
Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A.
Glendale, CA
03.2021 - 02.2022
- Represented general liability insurance carriers in defense of third-party premises liability and automobile personal injury civil lawsuits
- Civil pretrial case management (e.g., filing of a responsive pleading, propounding and responding to written discovery, meeting and conferring with opposing counsel, taking and defending depositions, and drafting discovery motions (e.g., motions to compel, motions to quash, protective orders, etc.)
- Collaborated with senior partners to develop litigation strategies for diverse cases
- Developed preliminary litigations plans for carriers containing analyses of liability, evaluation of nature/extent of plaintiff’s injury(s), and development of overall litigation plan
- Managed a caseload of 20-30 files in litigation, prioritizing tasks to meet pretrial discovery deadlines
- Negotiated settlements to resolve disputes efficiently, minimizing litigation costs for carriers
Associate Attorney, Workers’ Compensation Defense
Hanna, Brophy, MacLean, McAleer & Jensen LLP
Los Angeles, CA
08.2020 - 01.2021
- Represented and defended insurance carriers and third-party administrators (TPAs) in Workers’ Compensation claims before the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board offices throughout Southern California
- Analyzed and referred Workers’ Compensation claims and drafted initial letters of advice to carriers and TPAs providing opinions with respect to potential defenses to compensability, nature and extent of the applicant’s claimed injuries, and an initial discovery and litigation plan
- Appeared for and attended Workers' Compensation court hearings (e.g., Status Conferences, Mandatory Settlement Conferences, Rating Conferences, Priority Conferences, Expedited Hearings & Lien Conferences) at WCAB Southern California offices
- Drafted persuasive PQME/AME advocacy letters highlighting favorable facts (e.g., possible areas of apportionment) and minimizing unfavorable facts to minimize potential exposure
- Drafted settlement authority request to carriers and TPAs containing detailed analyses of potential exposure and settlement valuations
- Analyzed claim files with medical and med-legal liens for potential exposure and negotiated/litigated liens with lien claim representatives to obtain an optimal resolution of lien exposure
Associate Attorney, Civil Personal Injury - Automobile Insurance Defense
Knapp, Petersen & Clarke, APC
Glendale, CA
08.2019 - 05.2020
- Represented and defended automobile insurance carriers in third-party automobile personal injury lawsuits
- Worked up third-party claims in litigation for senior attorneys from the filing of responsive pleadings and throughout the discovery phase of litigation (e.g., propounding and responding to written discovery, taking and defending depositions, retaining expert witnesses, and subpoenaing and analyzing plaintiff’s medical records)
- Developed preliminary litigation plans for carriers containing analyses of potential liability, defenses, and evaluation of nature/extent of plaintiff’s injury(s)
- Managed a caseload of 20-30 files concurrently while organizing and prioritizing tasks
- Drafted settlement authority requests to carriers incorporating optimal and cost-effective settlement valuations
Associate Attorney, Workers’ Compensation Defense
Matian Law Group
Van Nuys, CA
08.2018 - 08.2019
- Represented and defended insurance carriers and third-party administrators (TPAs) in Workers’ Compensation claims before the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board offices throughout Southern California
- Analyzed and referred Workers’ Compensation claims and drafted initial letters of advice to carriers and TPAs, providing opinions with respect to potential defenses to compensability, nature and extent of applicant industrial injuries, and developed case discovery and litigation plan
- Drafted persuasive PQME/AME advocacy letters highlighting favorable facts (e.g., possible areas of apportionment) and minimizing unfavorable facts to minimize potential exposure
- Drafted settlement authority request to carriers and TPAs containing detailed analyses of potential exposure and settlement valuations
Associate Attorney, Workers Compensation Defense
Gale, Sutow & Associates, APC
Valencia, CA
04.2018 - 07.2018
- Handled Workers Compensation claim referrals on behalf of workers’ compensation insurance carriers and third-party administrators
- Reviewed and analyzed lien claims filed by medical and medical-legal lien claimants for purposes of recommending settlement to clients, and negotiated settlement of lien claims with lien claim representatives
- Co-drafted a trial brief requesting the WCAB to deny an applicant’s request for additional Qualified Medical Expert panels for lack of good cause
- Drafted and filed various WCAB Petitions
- Reviewed and designated Applicant’s subpoenaed medical records for purposes of determining AOE/COE, identifying apportionment of applicant injury(s), determining nature and extent of Applicant’s injuries, and impeachment
- Appeared on behalf of client insurance carriers and third-party administrators at various Southern California WCAB offices located throughout Southern California
- Attended Applicant depositions with senior firm attorneys
Law Clerk, Civil Litigation
Ryu Law Firm
Los Angeles, CA
08.2017 - 02.2018
- Created and prepared legal drafts for a boutique civil litigation law firm by organizing and assembling information for legal documents and forms (e.g., pleadings, written discovery, motions, etc.)
- Supported attorneys in preparing for trials by organizing case materials, drafting legal documents and preparing trial exhibits
- Managed administrative duties such as filing documents, scheduling meetings and tracking case statuses.
Computer Lab Assistant
Southwestern Law School
Los Angeles, CA
09.2015 - 07.2017
- Provided on-campus technical support and assistance to Southwestern Law School students and faculty, e.g., classroom audio-visual technology setup, diagnosing & trouble-shooting internet connectivity and student web portal access issues
Certified Law Clerk, Civil Liability Division
Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office
Los Angeles, CA
06.2015 - 08.2015
- Performed legal research pertaining to civil liability law issues (e.g., premises liability for “slip and fall” claims)
- Reviewed, analyzed, and summarized primary and secondary legal materials
- Drafted motions
- Responded to complaints
- Indexed documents
Law Clerk
Law Offices of James R. Balesh
Los Angeles, CA
02.2015 - 05.2015
- Summarized deposition transcripts
- Drafted pleadings and civil litigation motions
Law Clerk
Kevin H. Jang, A Law Corporation
Los Angeles, CA
05.2014 - 12.2014
- Summarized deposition transcripts
- Drafted civil litigation motions
- Responded to discovery requests
Research Assistant, History Project
Southwestern Law School
Los Angeles, CA
02.2014 - 04.2014
- Worked under the supervision of Southwestern Law School’s Dean of Special Projects, Jane Powell, to convert the Southwestern periodicals (SW Reporter & SW Commentator) into digital archives
Education
Master of Science - Secondary Education
California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI)
Camarillo, CA12-2010
Social Science Teaching Credential - Secondary Education
California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI)
Camarillo, CA12-2010
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Los Angeles, CA12-2008
Skills
- Civil Litigation & Insurance Defense
- Legal research, analysis & writing
- Investigative skills
- Pretrial Discovery
- Depositions
- Case strategy development
- Liability & Damages analysis
- Settlement negotiations
- Law & Motion Practice
- Proficient in Westlaw & LexisNexis online legal research platforms
- Effective client communication and representation
- Experienced with cloud-based legal case management software (eg, TeamConnect, Clio, Practice Panther, Pulse & MerusCase)
- High-volume caseload management
Affiliations
- Korean American Bar Association (KABA) membership
- Association of Southern California Defense Counsel (ASCDC) membership
Certification
State Bar of California, admitted December 1, 2017
Interests
Korean (intermediate), Recreational road biking, Dodgers, Lakers & LAFC sports fanatic
Languages
Korean
Limited Working
Timeline
Associate Attorney, In-House Insurance Defense Counsel for Farmers Insurance
Law Offices of Scott C. Stratman
11.2024 - 08.2025
Associate Attorney, General Liability Insurance Defense
Cholakian & Associates, APC
05.2024 - 10.2024
Associate Attorney, Government & Public Entity Tort Claims Defense
McCune & Harber, LLP
04.2023 - 11.2023
Associate Attorney, Automobile Insurance Defense
Toschi, Collins, & Doyle, A.P.C.
02.2022 - 03.2023
Associate Attorney, General Liability Insurance Defense
Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A.
03.2021 - 02.2022
Associate Attorney, Workers’ Compensation Defense
Hanna, Brophy, MacLean, McAleer & Jensen LLP
08.2020 - 01.2021
Associate Attorney, Civil Personal Injury - Automobile Insurance Defense
Knapp, Petersen & Clarke, APC
08.2019 - 05.2020
Associate Attorney, Workers’ Compensation Defense
Matian Law Group
08.2018 - 08.2019
Associate Attorney, Workers Compensation Defense
Gale, Sutow & Associates, APC
04.2018 - 07.2018
Law Clerk, Civil Litigation
Ryu Law Firm
08.2017 - 02.2018
Computer Lab Assistant
Southwestern Law School
09.2015 - 07.2017
Certified Law Clerk, Civil Liability Division
Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office
06.2015 - 08.2015
Law Clerk
Law Offices of James R. Balesh
02.2015 - 05.2015
Law Clerk
Kevin H. Jang, A Law Corporation
05.2014 - 12.2014
Research Assistant, History Project
Southwestern Law School
02.2014 - 04.2014
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Master of Science - Secondary Education
California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI)
Social Science Teaching Credential - Secondary Education
California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI)