Bio
Summer represents insurers in disputes involving commercial general liability, first-party property, automobile, trucking, and professional liability insurance. She also assists clients with policy interpretation, drafting endorsements, regulatory matters, and Stowers.
Summer is board certified in insurance law with the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She has devoted nearly three decades to learning the ins and outs of the insurance industry. She obtained a property and casualty agent’s license in 1996, a life, accident, health and HMO license in 1999, and a Texas adjuster’s license in 2020. Prior to her career as an attorney, she spent more than a decade working with a major insurer. Summer has served as both an in-house coverage counsel and a claims counsel. Through these experiences, Summer has gained a rare understanding of the interwoven relationships among insureds, agents, underwriters, adjusters, and brokers. Summer’s diverse background and experience makes her an asset to her clients, and allows her a unique ability to provide invaluable insight from all sides of the table.
Summer received her B.S. in criminal justice from the University of North Texas. She received her J.D. from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law. Prior to graduation, she completed a clerkship with the Texas Department of Insurance.
In 2023, Summer was elected to serve on the council of the Insurance Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. She is a managing editor of the Journal of Texas Insurance Law, and a member of Right off the Press.
Summer is married with three children, three dogs, and two cats. In her spare time, you can find her volunteering for her children’s activities, attending musicals and concerts, and planning her next cruise.
Admitted:
Texas, 2009
U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
Education:
J.D., Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, 2008
B.S., University of North Texas, 2000
Honors
Board Certified in Insurance Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (2023)
Managing Editor of the Journal of Texas Insurance Law (2023 – 2024)
Member of Right Off the Press (2023 – 2024)
Council Member of the Insurance Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (2023 – 2025)
Texas Super Lawyers® Rising Stars® list, Thomson Reuters Legal (2012 – 2014)
Texas Super Lawyers® list, Thomson Reuters Legal (2014)
Awards
Affiliations
State Bar of Texas, Tort and Insurance Section
College of State Bar of Texas
Publications
Presenter, Late Notice, Voluntary Payment, and Lack of Cooperation, 31st Annual Insurance Symposium, Cooper & Scully
Presenter, Keep Trucking! Insurance Coverage and the MCS-90, 29th Annual Insurance Symposium, Cooper & Scully
“Cybersecurity Insurance: Current Conditions,” October 2022 ed. of Headnotes
“Cybersecurity Insurance: Both Valuable and Bewildering,” June 2022
“An Overview of Construction Liability Insurance in Texas,” 15th Annual Construction Symposium, January 2020
"Appraisals," 26th Annual Insurance Symposium, April 2019
“Why We Could Cry Over Spilled Milk,” Cooper & Scully Newsletter, September 2018
"SIU/Fraud - Red Flag!," 25th Annual Insurance Symposium, April 2018
Update on Statutes of Limitations in Texas Bad Faith Claims, Law 360, January 18, 2017
How Late is Too Late to Amend Insurance Appraisals? Law 360, November 22, 2016
Eight Corners and True Facts, November 2013 ed. of Headnotes
Auto Coverage Under General Liability Policies, co-authored article for presentation at 16th Annual Insurance Law Conference, Austin, Texas
Cases
Walker v. Century Surety Co., No. 1:22-cv-350, 2023 WL 8235978 (E.D. Tex. June 27, 2023)
Century Surety Co. v. Club Adventure Learning Center LLC, 674 F. Supp.3d 362 (W.D. Tex. 2023)
Finger Oil & Gas Inc. v. Mid-Continent Cas. Co., 5-20-CV-00712, 2021 WL 1241972 (W.D. Tex. Apr. 27, 2022), aff’d, No. 22-50432, 2023 WL 581650 (5th Cir. Jan. 27, 2023)
Mid-Continent Cas. Co. v. McCollum Custom Homes, 461 F.Supp.3d 516 (S.D. Tex. 2019); dism’d, No. 20-20439. 2020 WL 8569300 (5th Cir. Oct. 28, 2020)
Balfour Beatty Constr., LLC v. Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 968 F.3d 504 (5th Cir. 2020)
Liberty Surplus Ins. Corp. v. Century Ins. Co., No. H-18-1444, 2019 WL 3067504 (S.D. Tex. July 12, 2019)
Colony Ins. Co. v. Marty D. Price, et al., 622 F. Appx 311 (5th Cir. 2015)
Quibodeaux, et al. v. Nautilus Ins. Co., 1:10-cv-739, 2015 WL 1406375 (E.D. Tex. Mar. 25, 2015), aff’d, 655 F. Appx 984 (5th Cir. 2016)
Berkley Assur. Co. v. Serrano, No. EP-14-CV-00135-DCG (W.D. Tex. Dec. 9, 2014)
Acadia Ins. Co., et al. v. Jacob & Martin, Ltd., et al., No. 4:13-cv-798-O (N.D. Tex. May 28, 2014)
Argonaut Midwest Ins. Co. v. XP Servs., Inc., No. H-12-2304, 2014 WL 12531515 (S.D. Tex. Jan. 9, 2014)
Colony Nat’l Ins. Co. v. Unique Indus. Prod. Co., 487 F. Appx 888 (5th Cir. 2012)
Nautilus Ins. Co. v. S. Vanguard Ins. Co., 899 F. Supp. 2d 538 (N.D. Tex. 2012)
Nat’l Fire Ins. of Hartford v. C. Hodges & Associates, PLLC, 825 F. Supp. 2d 792 (W.D. Tex. 2011)
Gemini Ins. Co. v. Hayssam Allaov d/b/a Am. Auto Center, No. H-10-3413, 2011 WL 3323120 (S.D. Tex. Aug. 2, 2011)
Key Construction, Inc. v. Colony Ins. Co., No. 3-10-CV-0297-BD, 2011 WL 2728138 (N.D. Tex. July 13, 2011)
Nautilus Ins. Co. v. Tex. State Sec. & Patrol, No. SA-09-CA-390-OG, 2010 WL 3239157 (W.D. Tex. June 8, 2010)
Am. States Ins. Co. v. Miranda & Boyaki, LLP, 384 F. Appx 412 (5th Cir. 2010)