For the past 17 years, Rikke Dierssen-Morice has focused her practice primarily on the resolution of complex insurance disputes. For a number of years, Rikke also served as chief counsel to the firm on ethics, loss prevention and risk management. Rikke has won jury and bench trials in state and federal court on complex commercial and insurance coverage issues for corporate clients, and provides captive policy formation and policy drafting advice nationally and internationally.

Rikke's representative matters include:

• Representation of general contractor on finding of breach of duty to defend by subcontractor's insurer. M.A. Mortenson v. Virginia Surety Co., Inc, 2011 WL 3610435 (D. Minn.).
• Representation of broker on findings of duty to defend and breach of the duty to defend by errors and omissions insurer. Maxum Indemnity Company v. Fairmarket Life Settlements Corp. et al., Minnesota Fourth Judicial District Court, Court File No. 27-CV-09-29527  (Orders 9/14/2010; 7/14/2011; 8/16/2011).
• Representation of Six Flags on a Hurricane Katrina insurance coverage claim about flood limits and water/wind causes of loss for $129 million in total loss in the Eastern District of Louisiana involving the destroyed Six Flags New Orleans amusement park, which included a valuation appraisal proceeding concluded in 2010.  Six Flags, Inc. v. Westchester Surplus Lines Ins. Co., et al., 535 F.Supp.2d 744, affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded, 565 F.3d 948 (5th Cir. 2009).
• Representation of national energy company on coverage for ongoing putative class action and indemnity claims against former owner/operator concerning groundwater contamination emanating from petroleum refinery.  
• Representation of Wells Fargo Bank in the Northern District of California, concluded in 2010, on credit insurance policies with over $100 million in limits about whether the policies' merger clause released the insurer from all liability for thousands of claims on home equity loans that were in default on the date of the merger of Wachovia Bank into Wells Fargo Bank.  Wells Fargo Bank N.A. v. Old Republic Insurance Co., Case No. CV-09-5818 (N.D. Cal. 2009).
• Representation of investment firm on insurance and indemnity issues through an Ohio federal jury trial and an ongoing appeal of trade secret case involving multiple interested parties and insurers.
• Representation of Six Flags in a CGL coverage dispute in Delaware in which the insurer was equitably estopped from denying coverage for a $5.625 million class action settlement and from challenging more than $3 million in fees of specialized counsel from Washington D.C. hired by the insured to defend the litigation in California. Premier Parks, Inc. (n/k/a Six Flags, Inc.) v. TIG Insurance Co., 2006 WL 2709235 (Sept. 21, 2006).
• Representation of Six Flags in Los Angeles related to a multimillion dollar land improvement property loss from 2005 storms. Industrial Risk Insurers, et al. v. Six Flags, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA 2006).
• Representation of a refinery in Flint Hills Resources LP v. Lovegreen Turbine Services, Inc., 2008 WL 4527816 (D. Minn. Sept. 29, 2008), which involved a pre-litigation insurance recovery of $4.9 million of a refinery's $6.7 million claim against a contractor, followed by a full recovery of the remaining amount and attorneys' fees through a successful 2007 federal jury verdict of breach of contract and 100 percent negligence.
• Representation of Ramsey County as trial counsel in Sletten v. Ramsey County (Minn. 2007), in which plaintiffs sought $20 million in tort claims. The jury returned a complete defense verdict for Ramsey County. The case also involved a pre-trial coverage dispute with the county's CGL insurer, where the county recovered its full defense costs for the litigation based on a summary judgment ruling that the pollution exclusion did not apply.
• Full defense obtained for real estate company under E&O policy for RESPA class action suit. Pacific Ins. Co. v. Burnet Title, Inc., 380 F.3d 1061 (8th Cir. 2004).
• Representation of trustee in the MJK Clearing, Inc., SIPA liquidation proceeding related to D&O and excess SIPC coverage.
• Representation of builders against CGL insurer for defense, indemnity and attorneys' fees in declaratory judgment action for water intrusion/construction defect cases. Westfield Ins. Co. v. Kroiss et al., 694 N.W. 2d 102 (Minn. App. 2005), petition for review denied (June 28, 2005).
• Representation of insurer in reversing a $6.8 million trial court ruling of coverage for fees and two class action settlements for alleged hearing aid marketing abuses.  Insurer did not breach the duty to defend or indemnify under CGL policies.  St. Paul Mercury Ins. Co. v. Dahlberg, 596 N.W.2d 674 (Minn. App. 1999), petition for review denied (Sept. 28, 1999).
• Representation of insurer in establishing absence of coverage under CGL policy for pre-tender defense costs in Minnesota.  Cellex Biosciences, Inc. v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 537 N.W.2d 621 (Minn. App. 1995), petition for review denied (Nov. 15, 1995).

A graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School in 1993, Rikke lived in France for eight years and is fluent in French and Danish.

Professional Associations

• Danish American Center/legal counsel and 2006 Dane of the Year - Community Award for Pro Bono Service
• Founding year Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America Trial Lawyer Honorary

Presentations

• Insurance Coverage Litigation: Interpreting Coverage Under the Insurance Contract and Ethical Issues and Solutions
  NBI National Webinar (October, 2011)
• Through the Policyholders' Looking Glass: 2011 Cases, Laws and Products in Focus
  MDLA Insurance Law Committee (September, 2011)
• Risk Management/Food Safety/Insurance
  Faegre Baker Daniels Franchise Summit (August, 2011)
• New and Evolved Types of Insurance Policies
  NBI Insurance Law Seminar, Bloomington, MN (2011)
• Minnesota Case Law Updates
  Construction Law Seminar, Minneapolis (2011)
• e-Privilege Update: Understanding Ethics and Privilege Issues in the Digital Age
  Complex Litigation Seminar, Minneapolis (2010)
• Global Risk Management
  International Business Briefing, Minnesota and Colorado (May 2010)
• Exploring How the Global D&O Solution Operates Where Non-Admitted Policies are Prohibited
  18^th Forum D&O Liability Insurance 2010, C5 Business Information in a Global Context, London, Great Britain (March 16, 2010)
• Significant Cases From Year in Review
  Construction Law Seminar, Faegre & Benson (April 30, 2009)
• Coverage Litigation: Strategic Considerations
  National Business Institute (November 2008)
• International D&O: A Framework of Current Issues and Possible Solutions
  Travelers Global Accounts Advisory Council Meeting, Orlando, FL (November 5-6, 2008)
• International Insurance: Managing Risk in a Global Economy
  International Business Briefing, Minnesota and Colorado (October 2008)
• Recovery From Flood: Commercial Concerns and Insurance Coverage
  Faegre Baker Daniels Webinar (June 30, 2008)
• A Brave New World - Managing Risk Across International Boundaries
  Faegre Baker Daniels Seminar with Willis, Travelers and AIG (May 13, 2008)
• Litigating the Insurance Claim
  National Business Institute (October 2007/October 2006)
• Conceal and Carry
  Faegre Baker Daniels Seminar, Insurance Coverage Issues (May 2005)
• Moving On Up to Partner
  Minnesota Bar New Lawyers Section (December 2004)
• Mold-Construction Coverage, A Growing Concern
  Minnesota Bar Construction Law Section (November 2003)
• Marketing Your Practice
  Minnesota Womens' Lawyer Mentor Committee (October 2003)
• Insurance Primer/Construction Coverage
  Professional Society of Engineers (February 2003)
• Battle of the Forms
  Lorman/Commercial Law Seminar (August 2000)

Legal Updates

• Insurance 
  2010 Construction Review, Construction Briefings, Thomson/West (February 2011)
• Inside the Minds: Recent Developments in Insurance Coverage Litigation
  Insurance Coverage Concerns for Additional and Named Insureds on Financed Projects, Aspatore Books (2011)
• Insurance 
  2009 Construction Review, Construction Briefings, Thomson/West (February 2010)
• Insurance 
  2008 Construction Review, Construction Briefings, Thomson/West (January 2009)
• Protective Safeguards Endorsements to Property Insurance Policies May Pose Unanticipated Risks for Landlords, Tenants and Others
  Co-author with Charles D. Calvin and Charles S. Ferrell, TRENDS (Summer 2009) 
• Coverage Litigation: Strategic Considerations
  National Business Institute (November 2008)
• False Security: ABA Model Rule 5.6 and the Enforceability of Anti-Competitive Covenants Against In-House Counsel
  TRENDS (May/June 2008)
• Insurance Dispute Resolution Proceedings: Leading Lawyers on Strategies for Insurance Litigation, Settlements, and Negotiations of Coverage Disputes
  Aspatore Books (2007)
• Litigating the Insurance Claim
  National Business Institute (Oct. 2007/Oct. 2006)
• Battle of the Forms
  Lorman/Commercial Law Seminar (Aug. 2000)