Practice areas: Business Litigation, Insurance Coverage; view more
Licensed in California since: 1998
Education: University of California College of the Law, San Francisco
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2020 - 2026 Peter Meringolo is an attorney concentrating his practice on business litigation and insurance coverage matters. He is the co-founder of the law firm PMRK Law in San Francisco, California with an office in San Diego, California. He represents clients in matters including denial of insurance coverage, fraudulent transfer, attorney malpractice, breach of contract, misuse of trade secrets, corporate mismanagement, and trademark and copyright infringement.
With 24 years of experience in the legal field, Mr. Meringolo has advocated for a wide variety of clientele, including large businesses, investment banks, small startups and entrepreneurs. He has represented both defendants and plaintiffs. Furthermore, he has led several cases as a lead counsel and successfully secured justice for his clients.
An alumnus of the University of Notre Dame, Mr. Meringolo obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal studies in 1991. Later in 1995, he enrolled in the UC Hastings College of the Law and received his Juris Doctor in 1998. He was the executive senior editor of the Hastings Law Journal and was an active member of the Hastings Moot Court Board during his final year at the university. He also worked as a judicial extern under the Honorable D. Lowell Jensen for four months.
Soon after getting admitted to practice in San Francisco, Mr. Meringolo joined as an attorney at a leading law firm in the San Francisco Bay Area and worked there for four years gaining substantial experience and knowledge. He is a dedicated and diligent attorney who makes it his priority to understand his clients’ needs. He upholds their best interests and fights aggressively for their rights.
A firm believer in giving back to the community, Mr. Meringolo is involved in various community services and pro bono representation. Mr. Meringolo presently serves on the boards of Catholic Charities of San Diego and the Yale Center for Faith & Culture.
Practice areas
Business Litigation, Insurance CoverageFocus areas
Insurance
- 50% Business Litigation
- 50% Insurance Coverage
First Admitted: 1998, California
Professional Webpage: https://pmrklaw.com/meet-our-team/peter-meringolo/
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Lead trial counsel in Federal Court case against AIG for breach of contract and bad faith, among other claims, for failing to pay “extended replacement cost” coverage to insured to rebuild home destroyed by the Partrick fire; obtained settlement through mediation. Walker v. AIG, Case No. 19-cv-07411-JSC (N.D. Cal.), 2021
- Counsel for plaintiff in recently filed insurance coverage actions pending in Alameda County Superior Court (Snyder v. CIGA, RG17873523) and San Mateo County Superior Court (Standard Fiber v. Federal Insurance Company, 17CIV04075). Reached favorable settlements for clients., 2017
- Lead trial counsel in lawsuit against PG&E by property owner of Napa Valley estate destroyed in October 2017 fires. Walker, et al. v. Pacific Gas & Electric Company and PG&E Corporation, No. CGC-18-564732 (Cal. Super Ct., San Francisco Cnty.) coordinated with California North Bay Fire Cases, No. JCCP 4955 (Cal. Super Ct., San Francisco Cnty)., 2018
- Lead counsel for Argent Settlement Analytics in the pursuing the payment claims made in the class action settlement in the In Re Cipro I & II cases pending in San Diego County Superior Court, JCCP Nos. 4154 and 4220., 2018
- Lead counsel in lawsuit against National General Insurance and Integon Insurance regarding the deceptive and fraudulent marketing of Guaranteed Replacement Cost coverage in California. Doyle v. National General Insurance Co, Case. No. CIV 1901919 (Cal. Super Ct., Marin Cty)., 2019
- Lead counsel representing a small disadvantaged minority-owned business in lawsuit arising out of a joint venture formed to perform government contracts. CE2 v. Kleinfelder, Inc., Case. No. CIV RG190332213 (Cal. Super Ct., Alameda Cty)., 2019
- Co-Lead counsel in two cases in Sonoma County representing homeowners against insurance brokers for negligently and fraudulently procuring insurance for their homes destroyed by the California wildfires; obtained highly favorable settlement through mediation. Upton v. Napa Valley Insurance Services, LLC, Case. No. SCV-265309; Gillaspy v. George Petersen Insurance Agency, Inc., Case No. SCV-265344., 2021
- Lead trial counsel in Federal Court case against Allstate for negligence and fraud, among other claims, for failing to provide enough insurance to insured to rebuild home destroyed by the Tubbs fire; obtained settlement through mediation. McMinn v. Allstate, Case No. 19-cv-07411-JSC (N.D. Cal.), 2020
- Lead counsel for defendant in breach of contract and fraud case in San Diego County Superior Court (Jahn v. Raffo, 37-2016-00042184); successfully moved to dismiss the case., 2016
- Lead counsel in contentious court ordered settlement conferences in multi-million law partnership and employment dispute; reached favorable settlement on the eve of trial. (Berman v. Levin, Simes, Kaiser, Gornick, RG1221168), 2015
- Led pre-litigation negotiations with software company with respect to a contractual indemnification clause; secured indemnification for investment bank with respect to a Canadian lawsuit demanding over $65 million in damages., 2014
- Lead counsel for plaintiffs in Federal class action on behalf of a group of participants in employee stock option plan (Miller v. Palm Desert Investment, C.D. Cal. CV-11-02454); clients lost a significant portion of their retirement savings due to the mismanagement of the plan by the fiduciaries; worked with financial expert witnesses; obtained favorable settlement through mediation., 2012
- Represented Bay Area artist and community-minded muralist in copyright infringement matter against real estate developer; developer improperly used a photo of mural to market high-end condos in Hayes Valley; achieved pre-litigation settlement., 2016
- Led settlement discussions and obtained favorable settlement on behalf of a minority shareholder and board member in an action alleging breach of fiduciary duty and mismanagement. (Chamine v. The Coaches Training Institute, Case No. Civ. 1403234)., 2015
- Co-led pre-litigation negotiations with insurance carriers; recovered $2.5 million in insurance for start-up life sciences company in multi-party dispute for the defense of bet-the-company litigation., 2014
- Prosecuted breach of contract claim on behalf of a group of clients who started San Francisco business operations for an accomplished hedge fund manager; reached favorable pre-litigation settlement through mediation., 2012
- Co-lead counsel for plaintiff in financial elder abuse claim in Marin County Superior Court (Welch v. Acclaim Home Care, Inc., CIV 1504400); plaintiff was 72 years old woman, estranged from friends and family, ill, depressed, and dependent on caregivers for her physical and mental well-being, when she was defrauded from all her possessions; reached favorable settlement agreement for client., 2017
- Led pre-litigation negotiations with insurance carrier; obtained commitment for coverage under cyber insurance policy for alleged claims of data breach., 2015
- Integral part of trial team representing bankrupt asbestos manufacturer, The Flintkote Company, in fraudulent transfer lawsuit against former parent corporation (Hopkins v. Plant Insulation, San Francisco Superior Court, CGC 06 450944); successfully recovered $575 million for the benefit of victims of asbestos exposure; key brief writer, co-led discovery efforts, co-led expert discovery on damages; took and defended financial related depositions; trial counsel for defense in mock trial., 2014
- Represented a former Harvard student, one of the original creators of the Facebook source code, in malpractice claim against attorney who drafted agreement assigning the code; client lost rights to any recovery from a $160 million lawsuit against Facebook due to legal malpractice; achieved pre-litigation settlement through mediation., 2013
- Represented up-and-coming fashion designer and clothing in copyright infringement matters against large corporate retailers; achieved favorable pre-litigation settlements., 2017
Representative Clients
- Victims of the LNU Complex Fire, 2022
- Victims of the North Bay Wildfires, 2019
- Bellgravia Homeowners Association, 2020
- Victims of the Kincade Fire, 2019
- Herb Lamb Vineyards, 2020
- CE2 Corporation, 2019
- Argent Settlement Analytics, 2018
- Standard Fiber LLC, 2017
- Noser Engineering AG, 2017
- Seven Hills, 2017
- Adipogen International, Inc., 2014
- Plant Asbestos Settlement Trust, 2017
- Calle Del Mar, 2017
- RAJ Technology, 2017
- Levin, Simes, Kaiser Gornick LLP, 2015
- Zio Ziegler, 2017
- CH Murphy Inc., 2017
- Systema Software, 2016
- The Flintkote Company, 2014
Pro bono / Community Service
- Yale Center for Faith & Culture, Advisory Board Member, 2020
- Catholic Charities of San Diego, Board Member, 2021
- Swords to Plowshares, Pro Bono Legal Representation Program, Attorney, 2017
- Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology, Vice-Chair and Member of the Board of Trustees, 2017
- Pencils for Africa, Chair, Executive Board, 2017
Educational Background
- University of California, Hastings College of the Law, 1998
- University of Notre Dame, B.A., Program of Liberal Studies, 1991
Office location for Peter Meringolo
201 Spear St
Suite 1100
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: 833-458-1817
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2020 - 2026
