Tejas Patel

Insurance Class Action

• Represented life insurers in class action litigation relating to universal life cost-of-insurance rates:
  • Frederick D. Taylor v. Midland National Life Insurance Co., No. 4:16-cv-00140 (S.D. Iowa).
  • Brighton Trustees, LLC, et al. v. Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Co., No. 3:20-cv-00240 (E.D. Va.).
  • PHT Holding II LLC v. North American Company for Life and Health Insurance, No. 4:18-cv-00368 (S.D. Iowa).
• Advising a large insurance company, and defending the client against claims surrounding the determination of cost of insurance rates in universal life insurance policies.

Insurance Coverage

• Counseled an international insurer in various high-exposure coverage litigations arising out of PFAS-related liability.
• Litigated a coverage dispute involving trigger of sublimited coverage under an excess E&O coverage tower.
• Defended a major property and casualty insurer against claims of bad faith in a declaratory judgment action involving more than 50 defendants and implicating over a dozen insurance companies stemming from a large natural gas explosion occurring at a residence.
• Litigated a declaratory judgment action involving a coverage dispute pertaining to underlying actions alleging multiple serious injuries caused by a product sold by a leading retailer of home goods.
• Litigated a declaratory judgment action involving a dispute relating to coverage under a D&O policy for a class action alleging violations of RESPA and the Sherman Act.

Tejas Patel concentrates his practice on complex litigation matters, with a particular focus on insurance and class action litigation.  He has worked extensively with complex actuarial and economic analysis that have been at issue in these cases.  Tejas also has extensive experience litigating insurance coverage disputes involving all types of insurance policies, including commercial general liability, E&O, D&O, crime, and cybersecurity policies.

Tejas also counsels clients on various insurance regulatory matters and insurance product development issues.

Tejas is listed in The Best Lawyers in America^® for Litigation – Insurance.

Before joining Alston & Bird, Tejas received his J.D., with honors, from the University of North Carolina in 2007. While in law school, he was a member of the North Carolina Law Review. He graduated from the University of North Carolina in 2000 with a B.S., with highest distinction, in mathematical sciences.

Bar Admissions

• Georgia

Education

• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (J.D., 2007)
• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.S., 2000)