Toll Free: 1-877-449-4700
Honors and Awards
Lexis Nexis Insurance Law Center Person of the Year 2008 Policyholder Attorney of the Year, Honorable Mention, 2008
Outstanding Amicus Brief of the Year, United Policyholders, 2002
Eagle Talon Award, The Florida Justice Association (formerly the academy of Florida Trial Lawyers), 1990
National Law Journal® - Tampa’s Top Attorney 2011
William F. "Chip" Merlin, Jr., Esq.
Since 1983, Chip Merlin has served as a plaintiff's attorney with a focus on Commercial & Residential Property Insurance Claim Disputes and Bad Faith Insurance litigation. Chip is a noted national expert on Insurance Bad Faith, lecturing to national trade groups and publishing a number of papers and articles on the subject for organizations such as The American Association for Justice, The Florida Justice Association, The Florida Windstorm Conference, and Trial Magazine.
As founder and president of Merlin Law Group, Chip has dedicated his practice to the representation and advocacy of insurance policyholders in disputes with insurance companies in Florida, Mississippi, and nationwide.
Chip served as Chair for the Bad Faith Insurance Litigation Group and Secretary for the Fire and Property Insurance Litigation Group for the American Association for Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America). He was also Vice-Chair for the Subcommittee on Property Insurance Law for the American Bar Association.
He is Board Certified in Civil Trial by the Florida Bar and AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell. For four consecutive years Chip has been named by Florida Trend magazine in their "Florida Legal Elite" issue and was named twice as one of Florida's Super Lawyers.
U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida
California
District of Columbia
Mississippi
Texas
Tennessee
The U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
University of Florida College of Law, Gainesville, Florida,
Juris Doctorate
Honors: Moot Court
Honors: Florida Blue Key
Honors: Omicron Delta Kappa
Law Review: University of Florida Law Review, Executive Editor
University of Florida
Bachelor of Science
Major: Business Administration
Experience and Specialization Matters When It Comes to Complex Hospitality Insurance, Insurance Journal, Spring 2010
A Case Providing Far Too Little Because It Was Rendered Far Too Late, Mississppi Law Journal, April 2010
Ten Things a Florida Public Adjuster Can do to Raise Professionalism and Become More Successful, FAPIA Summer Conference, August 10, 2007
Plugging the Gaps: Dealing with Inconsistent Terms in Your Layered Insurance, Risk Insurance Management Society Conference, April 30, 2007
Coming Up With Evidence Out of the Blue Creative Bad Faith Discovery, American Association for Justice Mid Year Convention, February 11, 2007
Unfair Claims Practices, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers 2006 Winter CLE Seminar, December 15, 2006
Practical and Legal Lessons from the 2004 and 2005 Hurricanes for Every Policyholder Representative, National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters 2006 Mid Year Meeting, December 1, 2006
Peace of Mind: Getting Adequate Insurance Protection, APCM's 2006 Regional Conference Florida Region, Novebmer 10, 2006
Dealing With Disaster: How to Survive Being Flooded Out, Burned Up, Or Blown Away!, Condominium Associations Institute National Conference & Exposition, 2006
What Else Do We Cover? Extra Coverages, The American Bar Association Presents: Emerging Issues in Homeowners' Insurance Seminar, 2006
How to Apply Coinsurance and Deductible Clauses in Property Insurance Policies, Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (FAPIA), 2006
Condominium Leadership Before and After a Hurricane Catastrophe, Windstorm Insurance Network Annual Conference, 2006
The First Party Bad Faith Claim, (Co-Author with Mary E. Kestenbaum), Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (AFTL) Winter Seminar, 2005
Lessons Learned After the Storms, Trial - Journal of the American Association for Justice, August, 2007
Understanding the Valuation Issues of the Gulf Oil Spill, HB Litigation Conferences Presents Oil in the Gulf – Litigation and Insurance Coverage, June 2010
Fantastic Adjustment Results Through Professionalism and Ethical Conduct: Tips From the Masters and Lessons From the School of Hard Knocks, NAPIA Annual Meeting, June 2010
What Texas Public Adjusters Should Be Doing Ethically and Professionally Regarding Hurricanes Dolly and Ike Claims, TAPIA Annual Meeting 2010
The Ultimate Roofing SeminarTM, CE Seminar for Public Adjusters, April 2010
The Ultimate Seminar for Public AdjustersTM: Ethical Issues for Presenting Claims, CE Seminar for Public Adjusters, April 2010
Learning From Those on the Other Side of Claims Negotiations: Persuasive, Professional, and Ethical Techniques of Adjustment for the Policyholder, FAPIA Summer Conference 2010Proofs of Loss, EUOs, & Requests for Documentation, FAPIA Winter Conference 2010
Speed Adjusting: A Fast and Furious Look at the Concerns and Considerations of Insurance Claims and How They Can Affect Public Adjusting, FAPIA Summer Conference 2009
The Merlin Guide: How to ethically and efficiently adjust claims in Texas, Seminar for Texas Public Adjusters, 2009
The Process Matters: Appraisals, Prompt Payment and Bad Faith in Texas, Seminar for Texas Public Adjusters, 2009
Fact or Fiction: Expert analysis of Hurricane Ike", Seminar for Texas Public Adjusters, 2009
Maximizing Recovery: Best practices and surrounding Law and Ordinance coverage, ACV, RCV, Matching, and Building Codes", Seminar for Texas Public Adjusters, 2009
Successful Solicitations and Salutations: Sell and Close Right to Succeed, FAPIA, 2009
Electronic Discovery Concerns for Adjusters, Insurers, and Policyholders: What you May Not Know Can Hurt You, WIND 2009, January 27, 2009
How Ethical and Knowledgeable Claims Handling Adds Value to Your Clients Claim", 2008 NAPIA Mid-Year Meeting, December 6, 2008
The Rules of the Game, A discussion comparing and contrasting the rules, regulations, and requirements for Northeastern U.S. and the Gulf Coast states, NAPIA/MAPIA, October 24, 2008
Is Your Association really Ready for Another Hurricane in 2008?, CAI North Gulf Coast Chapter, March 19, 2008
Who's on First? Excess Policies and Multiple Insurers, 2008 Windstorm Insurance Conference, February 4, 2008 - February 7, 2008
What Even Seasoned Attorneys Need to Know About Current Techniques of Persuasion When Discussing Issues of Insurer Misconduct, Florida Justice Association, 2008
How Ethical and Knowledgeable Claims Handling Adds Value to Your Client's Claim, NAPIA, 2008
Delay of Game, Panel discussion of specific types of business interruption claims, NAPIA/MAPIA, 2008
The Perfect Game, Best practices for claims handling when it comes to maximizing the recovery for a client, NAPIA/MAPIA, 2008
Rules of the Road: A Different Methodology For Proving Duty and Breach, 2007 Florida Justice Association Winter CLE Seminar, December 11, 2007 - December 17, 2007
Subrogation- Do’s and Don’t’s, First Party Claims Conference, 2009
Science of Roof Damages, First Party Claims Conference, 2009
Gulf Coast Case Law Update, WIND 2010, January 2010
Gulf Coast Case Law Update, Windstorm Insurance Network Annual Conference, January 2011
"A Primer on Proving Roof Damage," NAPIA Summer Meeting, June 2011
Selected by peers as The Best Lawyers in America® 2011
Tampa Bay’s Best Lawyers 2010 by Tampa Bay Magazine
AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Outstanding Amicus Brief of the Year, United Policyholders, 2002
Eagle Talon Award, The Florida Justice Association (formerly the academy of Florida Trial Lawyers), 1990
2007 NAPIA Co-Person of the Year, 2007 - Present
Florida Trend Magazine: Florida's Legal Elite, 2004 - 2011
Florida's SuperLawyers® 2007-2011
Lexis Nexis Insurance Law Center Person of the Year 2008 Policyholder Attorney of the Year, Honorable Mention, 2008
Board of Directors, SoFAB
National Law Journal® - Tampa’s Top Attorney 2011
American Association for Justice, 1996 - 1998, Chairman, Bad Faith Insurance Litigation Group
American Association for Justice, Fire and Property Insurance Litigation Group, 1993 - 1995 Secretary
American Bar Association, 1988 - 1998, Vice Chairman, Subcommittee on Property Insurance Law
National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (NAPIA) Associate Member
Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (FAPIA) Associate Member
Community Associations Institute (CAI) Associate Member
Risk Insurance Management Society (RIMS) Associate Member
Windstorm Insurance Network President
Citizen's Property Insurance Corporation Mission Review Task Force, 2008 - Present Member
Southern Food and Beverage (SOFAB) Board Member
American Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (AAPIA) Member
As founder and president of Merlin Law Group, Chip has dedicated his practice to the representation and advocacy of insurance policyholders in disputes with insurance companies in Florida, Mississippi, and nationwide.
Chip served as Chair for the Bad Faith Insurance Litigation Group and Secretary for the Fire and Property Insurance Litigation Group for the American Association for Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America). He was also Vice-Chair for the Subcommittee on Property Insurance Law for the American Bar Association.
He is Board Certified in Civil Trial by the Florida Bar and AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell. For four consecutive years Chip has been named by Florida Trend magazine in their "Florida Legal Elite" issue and was named twice as one of Florida's Super Lawyers.
Certification/Specialties
Civil Trial, Florida Bar
Bar Admissions
FloridaU.S. District Court Middle District of Florida
California
District of Columbia
Mississippi
Texas
Tennessee
The U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
Education
University of Florida College of Law, Gainesville, Florida,Juris Doctorate
Honors: Moot Court
Honors: Florida Blue Key
Honors: Omicron Delta Kappa
Law Review: University of Florida Law Review, Executive Editor
University of Florida
Bachelor of Science
Major: Business Administration
Published Works
Experience and Specialization Matters When It Comes to Complex Hospitality Insurance, Insurance Journal, Spring 2010A Case Providing Far Too Little Because It Was Rendered Far Too Late, Mississppi Law Journal, April 2010
Ten Things a Florida Public Adjuster Can do to Raise Professionalism and Become More Successful, FAPIA Summer Conference, August 10, 2007
Plugging the Gaps: Dealing with Inconsistent Terms in Your Layered Insurance, Risk Insurance Management Society Conference, April 30, 2007
Coming Up With Evidence Out of the Blue Creative Bad Faith Discovery, American Association for Justice Mid Year Convention, February 11, 2007
Unfair Claims Practices, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers 2006 Winter CLE Seminar, December 15, 2006
Practical and Legal Lessons from the 2004 and 2005 Hurricanes for Every Policyholder Representative, National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters 2006 Mid Year Meeting, December 1, 2006
Peace of Mind: Getting Adequate Insurance Protection, APCM's 2006 Regional Conference Florida Region, Novebmer 10, 2006
Dealing With Disaster: How to Survive Being Flooded Out, Burned Up, Or Blown Away!, Condominium Associations Institute National Conference & Exposition, 2006
What Else Do We Cover? Extra Coverages, The American Bar Association Presents: Emerging Issues in Homeowners' Insurance Seminar, 2006
How to Apply Coinsurance and Deductible Clauses in Property Insurance Policies, Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (FAPIA), 2006
Condominium Leadership Before and After a Hurricane Catastrophe, Windstorm Insurance Network Annual Conference, 2006
The First Party Bad Faith Claim, (Co-Author with Mary E. Kestenbaum), Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (AFTL) Winter Seminar, 2005
Lessons Learned After the Storms, Trial - Journal of the American Association for Justice, August, 2007
Classes/Seminars Taught
Understanding the Valuation Issues of the Gulf Oil Spill, HB Litigation Conferences Presents Oil in the Gulf – Litigation and Insurance Coverage, June 2010Fantastic Adjustment Results Through Professionalism and Ethical Conduct: Tips From the Masters and Lessons From the School of Hard Knocks, NAPIA Annual Meeting, June 2010
What Texas Public Adjusters Should Be Doing Ethically and Professionally Regarding Hurricanes Dolly and Ike Claims, TAPIA Annual Meeting 2010
The Ultimate Roofing SeminarTM, CE Seminar for Public Adjusters, April 2010
The Ultimate Seminar for Public AdjustersTM: Ethical Issues for Presenting Claims, CE Seminar for Public Adjusters, April 2010
Learning From Those on the Other Side of Claims Negotiations: Persuasive, Professional, and Ethical Techniques of Adjustment for the Policyholder, FAPIA Summer Conference 2010Proofs of Loss, EUOs, & Requests for Documentation, FAPIA Winter Conference 2010
Speed Adjusting: A Fast and Furious Look at the Concerns and Considerations of Insurance Claims and How They Can Affect Public Adjusting, FAPIA Summer Conference 2009
The Merlin Guide: How to ethically and efficiently adjust claims in Texas, Seminar for Texas Public Adjusters, 2009
The Process Matters: Appraisals, Prompt Payment and Bad Faith in Texas, Seminar for Texas Public Adjusters, 2009
Fact or Fiction: Expert analysis of Hurricane Ike", Seminar for Texas Public Adjusters, 2009
Maximizing Recovery: Best practices and surrounding Law and Ordinance coverage, ACV, RCV, Matching, and Building Codes", Seminar for Texas Public Adjusters, 2009
Successful Solicitations and Salutations: Sell and Close Right to Succeed, FAPIA, 2009
Electronic Discovery Concerns for Adjusters, Insurers, and Policyholders: What you May Not Know Can Hurt You, WIND 2009, January 27, 2009
How Ethical and Knowledgeable Claims Handling Adds Value to Your Clients Claim", 2008 NAPIA Mid-Year Meeting, December 6, 2008
The Rules of the Game, A discussion comparing and contrasting the rules, regulations, and requirements for Northeastern U.S. and the Gulf Coast states, NAPIA/MAPIA, October 24, 2008
Is Your Association really Ready for Another Hurricane in 2008?, CAI North Gulf Coast Chapter, March 19, 2008
Who's on First? Excess Policies and Multiple Insurers, 2008 Windstorm Insurance Conference, February 4, 2008 - February 7, 2008
What Even Seasoned Attorneys Need to Know About Current Techniques of Persuasion When Discussing Issues of Insurer Misconduct, Florida Justice Association, 2008
How Ethical and Knowledgeable Claims Handling Adds Value to Your Client's Claim, NAPIA, 2008
Delay of Game, Panel discussion of specific types of business interruption claims, NAPIA/MAPIA, 2008
The Perfect Game, Best practices for claims handling when it comes to maximizing the recovery for a client, NAPIA/MAPIA, 2008
Rules of the Road: A Different Methodology For Proving Duty and Breach, 2007 Florida Justice Association Winter CLE Seminar, December 11, 2007 - December 17, 2007
Subrogation- Do’s and Don’t’s, First Party Claims Conference, 2009
Science of Roof Damages, First Party Claims Conference, 2009
Gulf Coast Case Law Update, WIND 2010, January 2010
Gulf Coast Case Law Update, Windstorm Insurance Network Annual Conference, January 2011
"A Primer on Proving Roof Damage," NAPIA Summer Meeting, June 2011
Honors and Awards
Selected by peers as The Best Lawyers in America® 2011 Tampa Bay’s Best Lawyers 2010 by Tampa Bay Magazine
AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Outstanding Amicus Brief of the Year, United Policyholders, 2002
Eagle Talon Award, The Florida Justice Association (formerly the academy of Florida Trial Lawyers), 1990
2007 NAPIA Co-Person of the Year, 2007 - Present
Florida Trend Magazine: Florida's Legal Elite, 2004 - 2011
Florida's SuperLawyers® 2007-2011
Lexis Nexis Insurance Law Center Person of the Year 2008 Policyholder Attorney of the Year, Honorable Mention, 2008
Board of Directors, SoFAB
National Law Journal® - Tampa’s Top Attorney 2011
Professional Associations and Memberships
American Association for Justice, President's MemberAmerican Association for Justice, 1996 - 1998, Chairman, Bad Faith Insurance Litigation Group
American Association for Justice, Fire and Property Insurance Litigation Group, 1993 - 1995 Secretary
American Bar Association, 1988 - 1998, Vice Chairman, Subcommittee on Property Insurance Law
National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (NAPIA) Associate Member
Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (FAPIA) Associate Member
Community Associations Institute (CAI) Associate Member
Risk Insurance Management Society (RIMS) Associate Member
Windstorm Insurance Network President
Citizen's Property Insurance Corporation Mission Review Task Force, 2008 - Present Member
Southern Food and Beverage (SOFAB) Board Member
American Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (AAPIA) Member
Related News
Property Insurance Coverage Law Blog
Related Videos
Chip Merlin discusses legal ramifications of Blackberry's recent outage
