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Fred L. Shuchart

Shareholder
fred.shuchart@cooperscully.com
713.236.6810
815 Walker St., Suite 1040, Houston, TX 77002
Fred L. Shuchart Photo

Fred is a shareholder in Cooper & Scully's Houston office.  He was born in St. Louis, Missouri and obtained his undergraduate degree from Duke University in Economics and German where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.  He attended Washington University School of Law and was inducted into the "Order of the Coif" and the "Order of the Barrister" upon graduation.

Fred started his legal career in St. Louis and was part of the legal team for the longest running jury trial in American jurisprudence, Kemner v. Monsanto.

After meeting his future wife, Fred moved to Houston in 1990 and found his legal passion, insurance coverage and insurance litigation. Fred has been representing insurance companies and insureds since 1992 with respect to both commercial and personal insurance issues.  He has handled hundreds of matters arising from Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Ike, and Hurricane Dolly.  He was part of the trial and appellate team for the Trinity Universal Insurance Company v. Bleeker case and helped define the term "occurrence" in Hartford Insurance Company v. Meridian Oil.

Fred is also at home in the court room.  He spent almost two years in the Rio Grande Valley and his last trial there resulted in a defense verdict in a trucking fatality case.

Fred has been named to the Texas Super Lawyers list (by Thompson Reuters) in the area of Insurance Coverage from 2007 to present and was named as a member of Super Lawyer's Blue Ribbon panel in 2015.  He was named as a top lawyer in Insurance Law by American Lawyer Media and Martindale Hubbell in 2013 and 2014.

When Fred is not in the office or the courtroom, he travels throughout the country presenting seminars on coverage and extra-contractual issues to his clients. Fred participates in the Houston Bar Association’s “Teach Texas” program which teaches 7th graders about the Texas and Federal Court Systems. Fred also teaches two insurance courses at South Texas College of Law Houston.

Fred is licensed to practice law in the States of Texas, Missouri and Illinois along with all Federal District Courts in Texas and the Federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. 

 

Admitted

Missouri, 1985
Illinois, 1986
Texas, 1990
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
U.S. District Court Western District of Texas

 

Education

J.D., Washington University in St. Louis, 1985
B.A., Magna Cum Laude, Duke University, 1982

Selected as one of Texas's Top Rated Lawyers by ALM Media (2021)
Selected as one of 2018's Top Lawyers by Houstonia Magazine
Selected as one of America's Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators (2018)
Texas Super Lawyers® list, Thomson Reuters Legal (2007-present)
Selected as a Top Lawyer in Insurance Law by American Lawyer Media and Martindale Hubbell in 2013 and 2014
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rated
The Order of Barristers
The Order of the Coif
Adjunct Professor - South Texas College of Law (2009 - Present)
Adjunct Professor - University of Houston - Downtown (2011-2012)

Houston Bar Association
Metropolitan St. Louis Bar Association
State Bar of Texas
State Bar of Missouri
State Bar of Illinois
CLM Alliance - Greater Houston Chapter, Director of Education

“Legislative Update,” 17th Annual Construction Symposium, Cooper & Scully, January 28, 2022

"Appraisals: The Process and Protection from Contractual and Extra-Contractual Claims," 28th Annual Insurance Symposium, Cooper & Scully, April 9, 2021 

"Will General Liability Insurance Respond to COVID-19 Claims?," 16th Annual Construction Symposium, Cooper & Scully, January 29, 2021

“Chapter 151 - Issues Encountered,” 15th Annual Construction Symposium, Cooper & Scully, January 31, 2020

"Restatement of the Law of Liability Insurance," 26th Annual Insurance Symposium, Cooper & Scully, April 5, 2019

Panel: “Joint and Several Contractual Liability and Settlement Credits: A Look at the “One Satisfaction Rule” in Texas,” 14th Annual Construction Symposium, Cooper & Scully, January 25, 2019

“Stowers, Liens and Subrogation and Automobile Policy Coverage Issues” presented to Pronto  Insurance Company (San Antonio & Brownsville locations) April/May 2018

"SIU/Fraud - Red Flag!," presented at the 2018 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law Symposium

GAIC v. Hamel – Requirement of Trial: A Panel Discussion,” presented at the 2018 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Construction Law Symposium

“Stowers, Liens and Subrogation and Automobile Policy Coverage Issues” presented to Voyager Indemnity Insurance Company on April 18, 2017

“Stowers, Liens and Subrogation and Automobile Policy Coverage Issues” presented to Sentry Insurance(Arizona office) on September 28, 2017

 “Appraisals: Protection from Contractual and Extra-Contractual Claims presented at 2017 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law Symposium

"Fraudulent Joinder of Adjusters" presented at 2016 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law Symposium

“Construction Coverage Issues and Additional Insured Provisions” presented at 2015 Dallas City Attorney’s Office In-House CLE, June 26, 2015

“Stowers: Past, Present & Future” presented at 2015 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law Symposium

“Recent Developments in Construction Coverage” presented at 2015 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Construction Law Symposium

“Stowers: Past Present & Future” presented at the Houston Bar Association on September 19, 2014

“Patterson v. Home State County Mutual” May 29, 2014 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Webinar

“Stowers for the 21st Century” presented at 2014 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law Symposium

Coverage and Extra-Contractual Liability Seminar, March 13, 2014, Davenport, Iowa

“Expert Witness in Bad Faith and Coverage Litigation” a Strafford Publication Webinar

“Lennar v. Markel – Settlement and Allocation” presented at 2014 Cooper & Scully, P.C.
Construction Law Symposium

“Reservation of Rights” presented to Western Litigation, Houston, Texas, November 15, 2013

“Coverage: Real or Illusory” presented at 2013 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law Symposium

Extra-Contractual Liability Seminar, presented to Voyager, Scottsdale, Arizona, December 5, 2012

“What’s New in Stowers” presented at 2012 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law symposium

“Allocation Among Insurers” presented at 2012 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Construction Law Symposium

“Certificates of Insurance” presented at 2011 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Construction Law Symposium

“Expert Witnesses in Coverage Lawsuits” presented at 2011 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law Symposium

“Duty to Defend” presented at Cooper & Scully, P.C. 2011 Insurance Law Update in Scottsdale, Arizona

“Triggering Stowers” presented at Cooper & Scully, P.C. 2011 Insurance Law Update in Scottsdale, Arizona

“Prompt Payment of Claims” presented at Cooper & Scully, P.C. 2011 Insurance Law Update in Scottsdale, Arizona

“The Appraisal Provision and Extra-Contractual Exposure” Cooper & Scully, P.C. Newsletter, Volume 4, May 2015

“Medical Liens” Cooper & Scully, P.C. Newsletter, Volume 2, June 2014

"Extra-Contractual Exposure: An Overview and Recent Developments"

"Policy Limits and Stowers Demands"

"Insurance Coverage Issues in Third-Party Policies"

"Reservation of Rights and Denial Coverage"

"Consumer Protection and Ethics for Adjusters and Claims Personnel"

"Insurance Coverage Issues in Professional Liability Policies"

"Does the Vendor's Endorsement Provide Additional Coverage to Physicians?"

"Independent Counsel in Texas”

"The Business Pursuit Exclusion"

"The Duty to Defend and Article 21.55"

"Are Punitive Damages Covered in Texas"

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Eleven Cooper & Scully Attorneys Named Texas Super Lawyers for 2023


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Cooper & Scully Attorneys Featured in 2021 Texas Super Lawyers Listing


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10 Cooper & Scully Attorneys Named Texas Super Lawyers


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Payment of Policy Limits and Covenants Not to Execute


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Appraisal and Extra-Contractual Claims - Texas Supreme Court's Analysis


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10 C&S Attorneys Named Texas Super Lawyers


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Appraisal and Extra-Contractual Exposure Post - Menchaca


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Cooper & Scully Partners Listed in Texas Super Lawyers® 2017


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Covenants Not to Execute and Primary Policy Exhaustion


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Fishing Not Permitted


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Is a Denial a Waiver of the Appraisal Provision?


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Texas Supreme Court Changes Measure of Damages


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The Appraisal Provision and Extracontractual Exposure


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Medical Liens


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Texas Supreme Court Rules Damages Covered Even if Loss Incurred After Policy Period