Joan E. Cochran
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Joan E. Cochran

Founding Partner
Super Lawyers

Practice Areas

  • Professional Liability: including Insurance Brokers, Employment Practices Liability, Miscellaneous, Legal Malpractice, Architects & Engineers and Real Estate Brokers
  • Healthcare
  • Construction Defect, Property, including Warranty of Habitability ADA Defense, Casualty
  • Product Liability
  • Trucking
  • Marine and Energy, including Marine Cargo, Motor Truck Cargo
  • Entertainment and Intellectual Property
  • Insurance Coverage
  • Insurance Coverage, Insurance Regulatory & Compliance and Insurance Bad Faith.

Admitted

  • 1987, California, U.S. District Court, Southern, Northern, Eastern and Central Districts of California and U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, United States Supreme Court

Law School

  • Capital University, J.D.

Member

  • Insurance Law Global (ILG)
  • International Association of Claims Professionals (IACP)
  • Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS)
  • Women Business Council Enterprise (WBENC)
  • Women in Claims – London
  • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)
  • Los Angeles County (LACBA)
  • American Bar Association (ABA)
  • State Bar of California

Biography

Joan E. Cochran is a trial lawyer and civil litigator, practicing for more than 30 years in the Practice Areas set forth above. She started her California based law firm in 1999 and was previously a junior partner with the New York law firm of Mendes & Mount, LLP. She also conducts educational seminars for insurance clients including the California Fair Claims Practices Certification continuing education in the above-described Practice Areas and advises insurance clients as to policy wordings and regulatory compliance.

Hobbies include hiking, jogging, skiing and passionately supporting needy children and their families in emerging countries.

Representative Matters and Successes

  • Joan Cochran selected as Southern California SuperLawyers for 2026 and 2027. Joan has been selected a SuperLawyer in Professional Liability since 2019.
  • The firm presented its annual California Fair Claims Settlement Practices symposium to the London market and other insurers and claim handlers in March 2026. The firm has provided the annual presentation since 1999.
  • Obtained judgment as a matter of law in a bench trial in Los Angeles on as insurance broker liability case in which the demand was more than $1 million.
  • Obtains dismissal of defamation lawsuit on the eve of trial against the firm’s client.
  • Obtained appellate victory in the Illinois Appellate Court in favor of London market insurer in an insurer vs. insurer dispute, overturning a lower court summary judgment order of no coverage under the other insurer’s policy.
  • Obtained summary judgment in a Self-Service Storage Facilities Act case in defense of the owner of the storage facility in a California state court.
  • Obtained summary judgment in a business dispute and fraud case in a California state court.
  • Obtained summary judgment in a premises liability case in a California state court.
  • Obtained summary judgment in favor of London market insurer in insurance “bad faith” case in the Los Angeles Superior Court.
  • Extricated trucking company client from a double fatality trucking accident case with favorable settlement.
  • Successfully litigated and resolved numerous construction defect cases on behalf of developers, subcontractors and general contractors;
  • Successfully litigated, tried and/or arbitrated numerous construction defect cases on behalf of developers, subcontractors and general contractors;
  • Obtained motion for summary judgment on behalf of employer and won a jury trial on a recent employment case;
  • Obtained motion for summary adjudication of issues that led to the successful resolution of a legal malpractice case;
  • Won numerous appeals to the state, federal and Supreme Court both published and unpublished which include:
    • Sentinel Community Bank v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyds London (1999). Appellate court affirmed summary judgment motion finding no duty to defend the insured under the terms of the policy based upon the coverage grant and exclusions.
    • Gomes v. Far East and Certain Underwriters at Lloyds London (1999). Appellate Court upheld rescission based upon the failure of the insured to disclose material facts in the policy application.
    • River City Rentals v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyds London (2000). Appellate Court affirmed summary judgment motion to exclude coverage based upon the failure of the insured to disclose material facts in the policy application.
    • In re National Environmental Waste Corp., 200 F.3d 1266, (9th Cir. Jan 19, 2000). Ninth Circuit ruled that the statute of limitations was extended for a corporation in bankruptcy reorganization when recovery of the claim would substantially benefit the creditors of the estate, even though the claim was not explicitly specified in the plan of reorganization.
    • Rappleyea v. Campbell, 8 Cal.4th 975 (1994). The California Supreme Court overruled the decision of both the appellate court and the trial court and stated that under extenuating circumstances a defendant may be provided more than 6 months to set aside a default judgment.
    • Ford v. Miller Meat Co.28 Cal.App4th 1196 (1994). Product liability case found in favor of the supermarket regarding foreign object in meat.
    • Alan C. Gon vs. First State, 871 F2d 863 (1988), First California case pre-Buss to hold that the insurer has the right to apportion defense costs between covered and uncovered claims.
    • Butler v. City of Palos Verdes Estates, 135 Cal. App. 4th 174 (2005). Amicus Curiae brief on behalf of Friends of the Peacock. Appellate Court reversed trial court’s decision that interpreted deed restrictions to prevent City of Palos Verdes Estates’ ability to control feral peafowl population. Appellate Court overruled trial court’s decision, and ruled that the restrictions did permit City of Palos Verdes Estates to manage the feral peafowl.

Language

  • German

Appellate and Supreme Court Decisions

  • Sentinel Community Bank v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyds London (1999); Gomes v. Far East and Certain Underwriters at Lloyds London (1999); River City Rentals v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyds London (2000); In re National Environmental Waste Corp., 200 F.3d 1266, (9th Cir.(Cal.) Jan 19, 2000); Rappleya v. Campbell (1994); Ford v. Miller Meat Co.28 Cal.App4th 1196 (1994); Alan C. Gon vs. First State, 871 F2d 863 (1988); Butler v. City of Palos Verdes Estates, 135 Cal. App. 4th 174 (2005).