- June 30, 2026
Ethan H. Seibert
Partner
Biography
BIOGRAPHY
Ethan focuses his practice on insurance coverage litigation and counseling. He has significant experience with a multitude of policy types, including:
- Commercial General Liability
- Directors and Officers Liability
- Errors and Omissions
- Employment Practices Liability
- Environmentsl Liability
- Stop Loss
- Excess and Umbrella
- Captive Fronting Programs
Awards & Rankings
- Northern California Super Lawyers® (Insurance Coverage), 2023
- Rising Star (Insurance Coverage), Northern California Super Lawyers®, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017
Before Nicolaides
Ethan spent close to 10 years at a large international law firm. During law school, he won the National Championship at the Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court Competition in trademark and unfair competition law, as well as winning Best Brief and Best Oral Argument at the Saul Lefkowitz Western Regional Competition. Ethan also served as articles editor for the Hastings West-Northwest Journal of Environmental Law and Policy.
Outside Nicolaides
Ethan enjoys spending time with his wife and son, including weekend daytrips throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area, swim lessons, and soccer practice.
Ethan served as general counsel and a member of the board of directors of the Cornell Alumni Association of Northern California from 2011 to 2015, and as a member of the steering committee of the United Way of the Bay Area’s Emerging Leaders program from 2013 to 2015.
- Obtained summary judgment for insurer and its managing general agent for a putative class action against the insured employee benefit plan under errors and omissions policy.
- Obtained summary judgment for insurer by successfully arguing interpretation of asset purchase agreement that obviated coverage under a commercial general liability policy.
- Obtained summary judgment for insurer rejecting insured's argument that reservation of rights letter was a separate contract to pay defense costs despite lack of defense obligation.
- Negotiated several settlements involving primary and excess carriers in insurance coverage litigation over construction defects at a large manufacturing plant.
- Secured favorable settlement for insurer in litigation against a wholly-owned corporation of the United States of America regarding alleged coverage for environmental cleanup at the Presidio of San Francisco under remediation "stop loss" and environmental liability insurance policies.
- Successfully defeated claims for CGL coverage with respect to damages involving the failure of thousands of computer servers on grounds that there was no covered property damage.
- Provided coverage advice under Directors & Officers policies concerning underlying antitrust, qui tam, and class action actions.
- Provided counsel on personal injury/advertising injury coverage in connection with defamation and false advertising claims against insured textile manufacturer.
- Represented primary and excess insurers in litigation against the manufacturer of asbestos-containing products concerning coverage for thousands of bodily injury claims spanning three decades.
- Advised an insurer in litigation against an international manufacturing corporation arising out of property damage and bodily injury claims after discovery of extensive soil and groundwater pollution.
- Provided advice regarding coverage for employment claims under employment practices liability policies.
- Conducted insurance due diligence on large, cross-border corporate transactions.
- Assisted corporations regarding overall insurance programs, identified potential coverage gaps, and suggested means to strengthen coverage.
- June 30, 2023
- January 2, 2018
- September 1, 2017
ADDITIONAL SPEAKING & WRITING
- Co-Author, “Squire Patton Boggs Reinsurance Newsletter,” September 2014
- Co-Author, “Insurance Coverage Litigation,” Continuing Legal Education publication and seminar for the National Business Institute, July 2006
- Co-Author, “Insurance Law: Third Party Coverage in California,” Continuing Legal Education publication and seminar for the National Business Institute, July 2003