JEFFREY LEE HOFFMAN
EMPLOYMENT
Hoffman Mediation – Houston, Texas
Solo Practitioner
Years Employed (2018 – Present)
My practice is primarily devoted to mediations and arbitrations, with an emphasis on insurance coverage issues, bad faith, and professional liability disputes.
Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker L.L.P. – Houston, Texas
Partner/Of Counsel
Years Employed (2013 – 2018)
My practice was primarily devoted to professional liability of insurance professionals, insurance defense, bad faith, and coverage analysis and litigation matters. Representative clients include Chubb; Cunningham Lindsey US Inc.; Ironshore; Markel; Certain Underwriters at Lloyds, London; Wardlaw Claims Service; Frontier Adjusters; Slavonic Mutual Insurance Company, and Zurich North America.
Henslee Schwartz L.L.P. – Houston, Texas
Partner
Years Employed (2006 – 2013)
I handled a wide range of business, professional liability, insurance defense, bad faith, and coverage litigation matters for a variety of companies including ACE; Allied World; Chartis Insurance Company; Cunningham Lindsey U.S. Inc.; Wardlaw Claims Service; Frontier Claims, Inc.; Navigators Group, Inc.; Slavonic Mutual Insurance Company, Smar International Corporation; and Zurich North America.
Jeffrey L. Hoffman & Associates, P.C. – Richmond, Texas
(Formerly known as Vacek & Hoffman, L.L.P.)
Solo Practitioner
Years Employed (2003 – 2006)
I managed my own law firm with 2 contract lawyers and 3 support staff. Major clients included Farmers Insurance Group, Slavonic Mutual Insurance Company, and Smar International Corporation. I served as an approved counsel for Farmers’ Suits Against the Exchange (SAE) group litigating mold, foundation, and other first party claims which include DTPA/Insurance Code/Bad Faith allegations. I also provided general business advice, employment advice, transactional representation and litigation representation to Smar International Corporation, a United States affiliate of a Brazilian manufacturing company, and other companies and probate matters for indviduals.
Pfeiffer, Vacek, Pfeiffer & Hoffman, L.L.P. – Houston, Texas
Partner
Years Employed (1997 – 2002)
I was a Partner in a 5 attorney firm with emphasis on fraud investigations and examinations under oath in homeowners and auto insurance claims, litigating coverage issues, providing coverage opinions, and handling auto, professional liability, bad faith, and premises liability cases. I also handled a variety of matters for individuals, including medical malpractice, probate matters and products liability claims. I was responsible for all the firm’s general civil litigation and appellate cases, either handling appeals directly or managing outside appellate firms.
Whittington, Pfeiffer & Vacek – Houston, Texas
Partner
Years Employed (1984 – 1997)
I was a Partner in a 12 attorney firm with emphasis on litigating coverage issues, providing coverage opinions on various first party coverage matters, civil appeals, and litigating personal injury, product liability, and premises liability cases for Farmers Insurance Group, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Emerson Electric Company, Hi-Ranger Corporation, and individuals.
Southeast Tennessee Legal Services – Chattanooga, Tennessee
Attorney/Managing Attorney
Years Employed(1977– 1984)
EDUCATION
J.D., cum laude, The University of Texas School of Law
B.A. in Sociology, cum laude, The University of Texas at Austin
Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution, The University of Texas School of Law
REPORTED APPELLATE CASES
In re Slavonic Mut. Ins. Co., 308 S.W. 3d 556 (Tex. App.- Houston [14th Dist.] 2010)
Fire Ins. Exchange v. Sullivan, 192 S.W.3d 99 (Tex. App.-Houston[14th Dist.], 2006)
Franco v. Slavonic Mutual, 154 S.W.3d 777 (Tex. App.-Houston [14th Dist.], 2004)
Brownsville Pediatric Ass’n. V. Reyes, 68 S.W.3d 184 (Tex. App.-Corpus Christi, 2002)
Perrotta v. Farmers Insurance Exchange, 47 S.W.3d 569 (Tex. App.-Houston[1st Dist],2001)
Mid-Century Insurance Co. Of Texas v. Childs, 15 S.W.3d 187 (Tex. App.-Texarkana, 2000)
Stokes v. Aberdeen Ins. Co., 917 S.W.2d 267 (Tex. 1996)
Lehmann v. Wieghat, 917 S.W.2d 379 (Tex. App.-Houston[14th Dist.], 1996)
Sims v. Washex Machinery, 932 S.W.2d 559 (Tex. App.-Houston [1stDist], 1995)
Reinhart v. Young, 906 S.W.2d 471 (Tex. 1995)
Vickery v. Porche, 848 S.W.2d 855 (Tex. App.-Corpus Christi, 1993)
Jackson v. Smith Security Svc, Inc., 786 S.W.2d 787 (Tex. App.-Houston [1stDist.], 1990)
Robert H. Smith v. Tenn. Tile, Inc., 719 S.W.2d 385 (Tex. App.-Houston [1stDist.], 1986)
Geisler v Mid-Century Ins. Co.,712 S.W.2d 184 (Tex. App.-Houston [14thDist],1986)
PRESENTATIONS
Appraisal In The Wake of Hurricane Ike; South Texas College of Law 14th Annual Insurance Symposium
Appraisal: Issues and Mechanics; South Texas College of Law 15th Annual Insurance Law Symposium
The Lawyer’s Role In Appraisal: The Control Conundrum; South Texas College of Law 16th Annual Insurance Law Symposium
Adjuster Liability: Sources and Mitigation of Risk In the Age of Lawsuits; South Texas College of Law 17th Annual Insurance Law Symposium