OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM

A founding partner of the firm, Andy Herold is a seasoned civil litigator whose practice focuses on complex litigation with an emphasis in insurance coverage and construction related matters. He is a member in good standing of the California, Nevada, and Arizona bars, and regularly handles matters throughout the country.

He has successfully handled high exposure claims in the areas of construction, insurance, employment, and business disputes, including through trial and appeal. His published cases include one wherein he represented a large general contractor and the target defendant in a $27M business dispute and construction defect claim, obtaining a defense verdict upheld on appeal and published at Mayer v. C.W. Driver (2002) 98 Cal.App.4th 48. He also was lead counsel and argued before the Ninth Circuit in Travelers Indem. Co. v. Insurance Co. of N. Am., 213 F.3d 643 (9th Cir. Cal. 2000) wherein his client was successful in enforcing its policy language in a dispute with a co-insurer. He is a frequent speaker on underwriting and insurance coverage matters, and regularly is retained to provide training to claims personnel on emerging issues.

Andy spends his time outside of work with his wife and two daughters, and being active in the community. He is involved with local youth sports programs and has held various leadership positions with youth programs through the local YMCA. A lifelong Southern California native, Andy is an avid surfer and enjoys all types of outdoor recreation.

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Linda Sager is a founding partner of the firm whose practice is focused on litigation and advisory representation in complex matters involving third party property and casualty insurance coverage as well as first party coverage. Her emphasis is on providing effective, practical and targeted advice in complex, high-exposure matters. Ms. Sager’s practice includes defense of bad faith claims, prosecution and defense of declaratory relief actions with insureds, and co-carrier contribution actions in matters involving construction, premises liability, bodily injury and personal and advertising injury. She also provides training and advice to claims and underwriting personnel.

Before forming Herold & Sager, Linda represented insurers and businesses of all sizes in complex business transactions and litigation. She has a wide range of experience in the management and/or litigation of matters involving insurance coverage, business, employment, personal injury, intellectual property, and construction. Her experience also includes representation of the insurer for an aerospace contractor in a multimillion dollar suit that resulted in the overturn on appeal of the then-largest jury verdict ever rendered in San Diego.

Beyond work, Ms. Sager enjoys time outdoors, photography, art, cooking and spending time with her husband and two sons.

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A formidable litigator, Joshua Zlotlow is a partner with the firm whose practice is focused on resolving insurance coverage disputes and defense of bad faith claims. In addition to litigating numerous coverage matters, including the bench trial of a bad faith case in which the insured sought coverage for a consumer fraud class action, Mr. Zlotlow’s experience also includes litigation and arbitration of a variety of matters, including cases involving allegations of wrongful termination of the chief financial officer of a publicly-traded corporation; a former chief executive officer’s assertions that stock options were improperly withheld; and delay claims by a subcontractor against a multinational corporation arising from multiple government construction projects.

Prior to joining Herold & Sager, Mr. Zlotlow gained extensive litigation experience, including acting as lead counsel in an extended jury trial and arguing multiple cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Zlotlow gained his introduction into the world of insurance coverage while serving as judicial law clerk, working on cases involving such issues as coverage for environmental remediation and aircraft products liability coverage for suits under the federal False Claims Act.

An avid cyclist for more than two decades, Mr. Zlotlow has also participated in the Race Across America and countless other criteriums, time trials and road races. In addition, Mr. Zlotlow enjoys reading about world affairs and United States History, with a particular interest in the period following World War II.

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Joe Vogel is a partner at the firm specializing in insurance coverage related matters, with an emphasis in third party comprehensive general liability claims with respect to construction defect litigation. He represents both primary and excess insurers in coverage disputes and litigation including bad faith actions throughout California. Mr. Vogel has handled numerous additional insurer recovery actions recovering millions of dollars on behalf of the firm’s clients. Mr. Vogel also provides insurers with coverage advice on a broad range of complex insurance related issues including policy interpretation, claims handling, allocation disputes, interplay between primary and excess policies, recent insurance case law and trends, OCIP/CCIP policies and extra-contractual related issues.

Before joining Herold and Sager in 2004, Mr. Vogel represented developers and subcontractors in various stages of complex civil litigation. He has also represented developers in various stages of the development process including drafting and reviewing purchase and sale agreements, assisting with local planning departments, city councils and district boards in order to obtain development approval and in litigating delay claims. His experience also includes reviewing title reports, letters of intent as well as development agreements and drafting and reviewing construction contracts for owners, general contractors and subcontractors.

When he is not practicing law, Joe enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, skiing, surfing, running and hiking.

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Brandon Howerton is a partner at the firm and his practice focuses exclusively on advising insurers regarding third party coverage in the context of complex claims, representing insurers in the resolution of coverage disputes, and representing insurers in the defense of coverage litigation involving primary, excess and OCIP policies. Mr. Howerton has extensive experience in coverage issues relating to third party property damage, products liability, personal injury, additional insured, and named insured claims in jurisdictions throughout the western United States and Canada. Mr. Howerton also represent insurers in the defense of bad faith claims.

Prior to joining Herold & Sager, Mr. Howerton represented various clients in employment, personal injury, and construction defect litigation.

In his personal time, Brandon enjoys a variety of outdoor activities, playing music, and training for a second career as a ranch hand.

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Anne Master is a partner at the firm and her legal career has focused almost exclusively on the representation of insurers in the areas of insurance coverage and bad faith litigation. Ms. Master’s experience includes evaluating multimillion dollar claims in multiple jurisdictions on first and third-party issues. She has analyzed complex claims under CGL policies, excess liability policies, OCIPs, and homeowners policies regarding such diverse topics as construction defects, wrongful death, inverse condemnation, business interruption, and employee dishonesty.

Prior to joining Herold & Sager in 2007, Ms. Master represented insurers with an emphasis on bad faith litigation involving commercial and homeowners policies. She also represented insurers in pre-litigation claim procedures such examinations under oath and interfaced with technical consultants. Ms. Master has also prepared and evaluating various types of agreements for businesses including partnership agreements, lease agreements and purchase/sale agreements.

Ms. Master is a San Diego County native and, in her spare time, enjoys traveling, hiking, cooking and reading.

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