Selvin Wraith LLP - Oakland, CA
Selvin Wraith LLP is an Oakland, California boutique litigation law firm founded in 2002, specializing in complex insurance coverage counseling, bad faith litigation defense, commercial property loss analysis, catastrophic casualty disputes, and appellate advocacy across the Western United States.
Elite Insurance Coverage Counseling and High-Stakes Litigation
Resolving multi-layered insurance controversies and high-exposure liability claims requires trial lawyers who possess deep technical comprehension of policy language and decades of courtroom experience. Headquartered in downtown Oakland at 505 14th Street, Selvin Wraith LLP provides authoritative legal representation and strategic counseling to national and international insurers, corporate policyholders, and businesses across California and the western states. Founded in 2002 by veteran partners Gary R. Selvin and James L. Wraith, both AV-rated practitioners with more than four decades of legal experience, the firm delivers boutique focus backed by national trial sophistication.
Whether a corporate client needs to find a lawyer to analyze a manuscript property policy or an insurer seeks to hire an attorney to defend against a complex bad faith lawsuit, Selvin Wraith LLP provides decisive advocacy. The firm is widely recognized for handling disputes involving tens of millions of dollars in potential exposure, offering direct partner-level involvement that larger multidisciplinary law firms rarely provide.
Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Litigation Defense
When policy interpretations collide or allegations of bad faith breach arise, carriers and commercial entities face severe tort exposure. Selvin Wraith LLP handles complex coverage litigation before California state courts and federal district courts. The firm specializes in:
- Defending against first-party and third-party claims alleging breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing
- Filing proactive declaratory relief actions, contract rescission, and policy reformation proceedings
- Pursuing equitable contribution and indemnity claims between overlapping primary, excess, and umbrella insurers
- Analyzing multi-layer insurance programs involving domestic, United Kingdom, and Bermuda market carriers
- Defending brokers, claims adjusters, and third-party administrators against professional liability claims
Commercial Property Losses and Construction Defect Disputes
Catastrophic property losses present intricate questions of causation, concurrent perils, and business interruption valuation. As knowledgeable commercial real estate lawyers and contract lawyers, the attorneys at Selvin Wraith investigate and litigate claims under standard ISO and manuscript policies. Practice capabilities cover builder's risk, difference-in-condition (DIC), boiler and machinery, earthquake, firestorm, and contamination losses. Furthermore, the firm routinely manages complex multi-party construction defect litigation on behalf of general contractors, developers, and insurers throughout California.
Catastrophic Injury Defense, Inland Marine, and Cargo Claims
Beyond traditional property and liability coverage, Selvin Wraith maintains deep expertise in high-severity civil litigation. Partner Gary Selvin has tried to verdict lawsuits involving severe orthopedic injuries, quadriplegia, traumatic brain injuries, and wrongful death claims. Concurrently, partner James Wraith has developed extensive experience handling inland marine coverage, defending motor truck carriers, air freight companies, and warehouses against multi-million-dollar cargo liability claims and pursuing cargo subrogation.
Proven Appellate Advocacy, Expert Testimony, and Mediation
Selvin Wraith attorneys have briefed and argued more than 50 matters before state and federal appellate courts, establishing critical precedents in California insurance law. Due to their deep industry standing, the firm partners are routinely engaged as expert witnesses to evaluate claims-handling reasonableness and attorney fee disputes, and as neutral mediators resolving complex civil claims. When you require an urgent attorney to protect commercial assets or resolve a high-exposure coverage dispute, Selvin Wraith LLP delivers reliable, seasoned legal counsel.
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Location & Access
Primary Address
Located in the heart of the Oakland City Center, a bustling commercial and business district in Downtown Oakland.
Building Location
The office is housed in the LEED Gold-certified, 12-story commercial office building at 505 14th Street. The building boasts a newly renovated wood-and-granite lobby and sits steps away from local landmarks like the Byron Rumford US Post Office and dining favorites like Ladle and Leaf.
Parking Details
Convenient underground parking is available directly beneath the building at the City Center Parking Garage, which is accessible via 14th Street or 11th Street. Nearby multi-storey parking is also available at the Oakland Convention Center.
Public Transit
Served by Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District Route 6 (Downtown Oakland); nearest stop is at 11th Street & Clay Street.
Accessibility / Suite Access
Enter the building's newly renovated lobby at 505 14th Street, proceed past the security desk, and take the passenger elevators up to the 12th floor to find Suite 1200.