Sondra S. Sylva

Insurance Coverage

Sondra litigates personal lines and commercial insurance coverage and extracontractual claims on behalf of domestic and global insurers, captives and reinsurers. She has extensive experience helping clients navigate coverage issues and provides underwriting and claims counseling involving all types of property and casualty, cyber, pollution liability, educator’s liability, marine, aviation, active shooter and professional liability policies.

Sondra is the author of the Texas chapter of the DRI Unfair Claims Settlement Practices, a comprehensive resource for insurance carriers, claim representatives, and insurance defense and coverage counsel. DRI is the leading organization of defense attorneys and in-house counsel.

Commercial Litigation

In addition to her insurance coverage practice, Sondra defends cases involving product liability, construction defect, premises liability, oil and gas, and labor and employment issues on behalf of insured and self-insured clients. She also monitors high-profile and high-risk litigation involving catastrophic personal injuries, property damage, and mass torts on behalf of domestic and foreign insurers.

Representative Experience

• Secured arbitration award in favor of healthcare management company under Managed Care Errors and Omissions policies
• Adjudicated the dismissal of a declaratory judgment action seeking patent infringement coverage under a liability policy, bringing allegations of breach of contract, breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing
• Adjudicated the dismissal of a breach of contract, declaratory judgment and extracontractual liability claim against excess liability policies on forum non conveniens

Personal Interests

Outside of work, Sondra enjoys spending time with her family and home DIY projects.