Marie Holbrook obtained a Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, in Political Science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1995. In 2001, Marie obtained a Juris Doctorate degree from Hofstra University School of Law.

Marie was admitted to practice law in the State of New York in 2002. She is also admitted to practice law in the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.

Marie joined Speyer & Perlberg, LLP in 2007. Her practice areas include :

• Insurance fraud investigations.
• Insurance coverage investigation and analysis.
• Insurance defense litigation (defending insurers that have been sued for breach of contract and bad faith, including cases involving building collapses, fires, arson, and floods).
• Property/casualty defense litigation (defending companies alleged to have caused property/casualty losses due to negligence).
• The prosecution of subrogation lawsuits.
• Plaintiff’s personal injury litigation (in case involving automobile accident).

Representative Recent Cases:

First Party:

• Defense of actions for breach of an insurance contract arising from the insurer’s denial of a claim for damages allegedly arising from demolition performed upon an adjacent property.
• Defense of actions for breach of an insurance contract arising from the insurer’s denial based upon the insured’s failure to comply with protective safeguards endorsement to the insurance policy.
• Defense of an action for breach of an insurance contract arising from the insurer’s denial of a claim for building code upgrade repairs following a gas explosion.
• Defense of actions for breach of an insurance contract arising from the insurer’s denial of a claim for business interruption losses.
• Investigation and defense of claim for property damage and business interruption losses based upon the insured’s exaggeration of the value of the claim.

Third Party:

• Defense of privately-held municipal water supply company for alleged failure to provide sufficient pressure to hydrants resulting in the Fire Departments’ inability to control house fire.
• Defense of a trucking company alleged to have negligently operated its vehicle, purportedly causing in excess of $1 million dollars in damages to a pedestrian bridge.
• Defense of a terrazzo flooring company alleged to have caused damage by pouring terrazzo waste down a building drain.
• Defense of tree companies who were alleged to have removed trees from an adjacent property.

Subrogation:

• Action against plumbing contractor for negligent use of a torch, igniting and destroying a motel property in Bohemia, New York.
• Action for negligence against a bagel store for starting a fire by failing to turn off a coffee pot before locking up the store for the night.
• Action against restaurant and its contractors for installation of uninsulated water pipes adjacent to an exterior air vent resulting in water damage to the insured premises below.