Clients count on me to distill complex problems, deliver practical advice, position them optimally, and achieve outstanding results. My ability to identify pressure points and negotiate advantageous resolutions has enabled me to skillfully advocate for those I represent over the course of my career.
Providing pragmatic, business-focused counsel in her national practice, Marisa O’Sullivan focuses on insurance recovery for commercial policyholders. She draws on her experience and excellent strategic thinking skills to guide clients through large-scale litigation and arbitrations that maximize recoveries. In addition, Marisa assists in the preparation and presentation of complex claims and proofs of loss. She also facilitates claim dispute resolutions with insurers prior to litigation when that’s the best path forward.
On the advising side, Marisa analyzes insurance programs and individual policies to identify holes or overlaps in coverage, make sensible policy recommendations, and accomplish risk transfer objectives. She also scrutinizes the interplay between the client’s insurance policies, the policies maintained by vendors and contractors, and the insurance and indemnity provisions in contracts.
In particular, Marisa has a wealth of experience with cyber insurance and related cyber risks. She adroitly provides cutting-edge counsel on coverage for security breaches, system failures, privacy events, and reputational damage. As cyber concerns recur in the nightmares of corporate leadership everywhere, Marisa offers steady guidance on risk management and claim response to help them weather the storms.
From the outset of any project, Marisa evaluates her client’s ultimate objectives and works diligently to achieve them, whether through favorable contractual terms, preferable resolution of a claims-track dispute, or settlement of coverage litigation. She enjoys the intellectual challenge of devising creative strategies in insurance coverage disputes, which she compares to chess matches.
With a career spent entirely immersed in the insurance coverage arena, Marisa is frequently asked to write and speak on insurance topics. She has garnered several peer-nominated awards for her professional achievements. Marisa’s depth of experience in insurance recovery and long-standing reputation within the specialty produce the credibility that insurers respect and the type of outcomes clients want.
Outside of her work for clients, Marisa consistently receives recognition from her colleagues and peers for her leadership in the Dallas legal community. She currently serves as the Dallas Women Lawyers Association (DWLA) President. Named by the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers (DAYL) Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year in 2019, Marisa is a DAYL Foundation and Dallas Bar Association (DBA) Foundation Fellow, and currently serves on the boards of the DBA and DWLA Foundation.
