Marissa Sinha’s practice focuses on construction, real estate, commercial and bad faith litigation. Marissa represents property owners, general contractors and subcontractors in construction-related disputes, including defect, contract and mechanics’ lien claims. She also represents policyholders, both individuals and corporate entities, in insurance coverage and bad faith disputes, including conflicts that arise in the context of ongoing construction and commercial litigation.

Marissa has been a litigation and trial attorney for most of her career, including more than 10 years focusing on both first- and third-party personal injury and property loss claims involving suspected insurance fraud. She has served as insurance defense counsel in hundreds of cases involving multi-million dollar claims, and being defended under commercial general liability policies.

Marissa now focuses her coverage practice on representing policyholders. She has the unique ability to represent her clients in coverage disputes as well as any underlying litigation to which they relate. Marissa has also served as an Adjunct Professor and Director of Employer Relations at Santa Clara University School of Law.

Marissa has given numerous seminars on behalf of various local bar associations and organizations dedicated to combatting fraudulent claims and litigation. Her seminars focus on educating attorneys and policyholders on relevant coverage issues that arise in the context of construction, real estate, professional liability and employment litigation.

I love what I do, and prepare every case as if it will go to trial. Fear of trying a case never factors into my resolution strategy.

Areas of Focus

Services

Sectors

Experience

  • Obtained a defense verdict for a software developer client against allegations of fraud and breach of contract, and reached a post-verdict settlement for less than a fifth of the verdict on behalf of co-defendant clients, following a four-week jury trial.
  • Obtained a defense verdict for insurance company client against allegations of bad faith, following a small claims appeal court trial.
  • Successfully defended a client against multi-million dollar personal injury allegations following a week-long jury trial. Client was awarded most of their costs and expert fees to defend the action.
  • Won multiple summary judgments finding no liability of rental car companies for personal injury claims brought against the renters.
  • Obtained summary adjudication of federal discrimination claims on behalf of peace officer client, resulting in removal to state court and subsequent dismissal by plaintiff. Client obtained a significant award of attorneys’ fees and costs to defend the action.

Credentials

Education

  • University of San Diego School of Law (J.D.)
  • University of California - San Diego (B.S., Economics; Management Science, magna cum laude)

Admissions

Bar Admissions

  • California, 2007

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Presentations

  • Ms. Sinha has given numerous educational seminars on behalf of various local bar associations and organizations dedicated to combatting fraudulent claims and litigation.
  • Ms. Sinha’s educational seminars are focused on educating attorneys and policyholders on relevant coverage issues that arise in the context of construction, real estate, professional liability, and employment litigation.

Professional Activities

  • American Association for Justice (AAJ), Member
  • Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), Member
  • Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California, Past Member
  • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM Alliance), Past Member
  • Northern California Fraud Investigators Association/Anti-Fraud Alliance (NCFIA/AFA), Past Member