Edward Eshoo, Esq.

Biography

Ed Eshoo has spent nearly 40 years fighting for policyholders after beginning his career defending the insurance companies they faced. After a two-year judicial clerkship for Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Howard C. Ryan, he began practicing in 1987 on behalf of insurance companies in life, health, and disability disputes. Three years later, he moved to the policyholder side. He has stayed there ever since. 

Since 1990, Ed has coordinated the investigation of more than 1,000 insurance claims and related disputes in the United States and abroad. He has represented homeowners, businesses, condominium and homeowners’ associations, and multifamily property owners after fires, storms, burst pipes, theft, vandalism, and other losses. His work has also included risk management and disaster recovery matters, construction defect disputes, and service on plaintiff steering committees in multidistrict litigation involving defective windows. 

Having started his career on behalf of insurers, Ed understands how claims are evaluated and where they tend to stall. In the 10 years since joining Merlin Law Group, Ed has established himself as a powerhouse in complex property insurance matters. He consistently secures significant recoveries for policyholders by navigating intricate policy language and aggressively taking on the nation’s largest insurance carriers when they wrongfully deny or underpay claims. 

The competitive streak that drives his work dates back long before law school to the basketball courts, where he played in high school and at Knox College. He later carried that passion into coaching AAU girls basketball and passed it along to his children. His son, Eddie, was a walk-on for the University of Dayton men’s basketball team, while his daughter, Emily, played for the University of Tampa women’s basketball team. 

Ed is also a sought-after speaker and writer on property insurance law. Through industry presentations, articles, and book chapters, he shares the knowledge gained from decades of handling complex insurance claims and litigation. He and his wife, Libby, have been married for 36 years and live in Naperville, Illinois. 

  • Certified Mediator — DePaul University College of Law Center for Dispute Resolution (2010)

2026

  • “The 10 Most Common Mistakes Made by Public Adjusters During an Insurance Claim,” Chicagoland Public Adjusters Association Spring Seminar (May 2026)

2025

  • “Appraisal: A View from Both Sides,” First Party Claims Conference (December 2025)
  • “Appraisal in Illinois—A View from Both Sides,” Property Loss Appraisal Network, Chicago (February 2025)

2024

  • “Green Buildings Coverage and Ordinance & Law Coverage,” First Party Claims Conference (December 2024)
  • “Appraisal in Illinois—A View from Both Sides,” Insurance Appraisal and Umpire Association Conference, Chicago (June 2024)

2023

  • “Property Underwriting and the Use of Artificial Intelligence,” First Party Claims Conference (December 2023)

2022

  • “Understanding Replacement Cost, ACV, Functional Replacement Cost and the Broad Evidence Rule,” First Party Claims Conference (December 2022)

2021

  • “Collapse: The Hidden or Misunderstood Peril,” First Party Claims Conference (October 2021)

2020

  • “Substantive Update on the Business Interruption Insurance Litigation,” American Association for Justice COVID-19 Business Interruption Litigation Task Force Summit (September 2020)
  • “Commercial Insurance Claims: The Impact of Business Interruption and the Preparation of Claims,” Arab American Bar Association of Illinois CLE (July 2020)

2019

  • “Protective Safeguards Endorsements: The Insured’s Obligations and the Consequences of Non-Compliance,” First Party Claims Conference (October 2019)

2018

  • “The 165-Line Standard Fire Insurance Policy—Understanding the Basic Policy Language,” First Party Claims Conference (October 2018)
  • “Policyholder Perspective on Bad Faith,” EC Defense Network Annual Meeting (September 2018)
  • “Deposing the Insurer and Its Claim Representatives,” American Association for Justice Annual Convention, Bad Faith Litigation Group and Insurance Law Section Joint Education Program (July 2018)

2017

  • “Adjuster Basics: Business Income, Extra Expense, Rental Value, and Loss of Use,” First Party Claims Conference (October 2017)
  • “Insurance Coverage for Construction Defect and Product Liability Claims,” American Association for Justice Annual Convention, Bad Faith Litigation Group and Insurance Law Section Joint Education Program (July 2017)
  • “Replacement Cost Coverage: Not More Than the Least of…,” American Bar Association Property Insurance Law Committee Annual Meeting (April 2017)

2016

  • “Show Me the Money: Issues Impacting ACV and RCV Payments,” First Party Claims Conference (October 2016)
  • Moderator, “Handling the Insurance Coverage and Unfair Claims Handling Practices Case,” American Association for Justice Annual Convention, Bad Faith Insurance Litigation Group and Insurance Law Section Joint Education Program (July 2016)

2015

  • “Examinations and Sworn Statements Under Oath,” Illinois State Bar Association Insurance Law Section webcast, “Hot Topics in Insurance Law” (June 2015)

2013

  • “Class Action/Mass Action Litigation Involving First-Party Insurance Disputes,” United Association of Storm Restoration Contractors, Midwest Members (August 2013)
  • “How Claims Go Wrong: A Policyholder’s Perspective,” 17th Annual America’s Claim Event (June 2013)
  • “Appraisal, Umpiring and Resolution of a Business Interruption Claim,” Financial Forensic Webinar Week—Business Interruption Losses and Claims (May 2013)

2012

  • “Period of Restoration,” American Bar Association Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, Property Insurance Law Committee Spring CLE Meeting, “Business Interruption Issues in Catastrophic Claims” (April 2012)

2011

  • “Hot Topics in Property Insurance,” Association for Midwest Public Insurance Adjusters Annual Conference (October 2011)
  • “EUOs: What a Public Adjuster Needs to Know and Think About,” First Party Claims Conference (October 2011)

2010

  • “Replacement Cost: Meaning, Current Issues, and Recent Cases,” First Party Claims Conference (October 2010)
  • “Chinese Drywall Legal and Insurance Issues,” Environmental Sustainability Alliance on the Research Coast conference, “Tainted Chinese Drywall: Getting Help for Those in Need” (January 2010)

2009

  • “First-Party Insurance Coverage for Chinese Drywall Claims,” National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters Mid-Year Meeting (December 2009)

2008

  • “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About EUOs but Were Afraid to Ask,” Association for Midwest Public Insurance Adjusters Annual Conference (September 2008)
  • “Insurance Coverage Issues for Water and Mold Damage Claims Arising Out of Construction Defects,” American Association for Justice Annual Convention, Toxic Mold Litigation Group and Construction Defect–Property Damages Litigation Group Joint Education Program (July 2008)
  • “Insurance Coverage for Defective Construction,” Illinois State Bar Association Insurance Law Council CLE Program (June 2008)

2007

  • “Mediation in a Large Fire Loss Using Plaintiff and Defense Counsel as Co-Mediators,” Property Loss Research Bureau Large Loss Conference (November 2007)
  • “The 10 Most Common Mistakes Made by Public Adjusters During an Insurance Claim,” Association of Midwest Public Insurance Adjusters Annual Conference (November 2007)
  • “Recent Developments in Insurance Coverage Law for Construction Defect Claims,” Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Section, Insurance Coverage Committee Meeting (September 2007)

2005

  • “Economic Loss Doctrine: Avoidance Strategies,” Plaintiff’s Counsel Mold Summit (October 2005)
  • “Mold Coverage Under Existing Insurance Policies,” Environmental Risk Resources Association, “Environmental Insurance 101” (September 2005)
  • “Strategies & Techniques for Prosecuting & Defending a Mold Claim—A Point-Counterpoint Debate,” Mealey’s Mold Litigation Conference (June 2005)
  • Co-Chair, Mealey’s Mold Litigation Conference (June 2005)

2004

  • “New Products and the State of the Insurance Market,” Mealey’s Construction Defect and Mold Litigation Conference (December 2004)
  • “Insurance Coverage Issues for Defective Construction,” American Association for Justice Annual Convention, Toxic Mold Litigation Group and Construction Defect–Property Damages Litigation Group Joint Education Program (July 2004)
  • “Where Do We Stand on Expert Admissibility? Hear the Latest on Recent Decisions from Around the Country,” Mealey’s National Mold Litigation Conference (June 2004)
  • “Mold and Its Ramifications for the Construction Industry,” Better Buildings: Better Business Conference (February 2004)

2003

  • “First-Party Insurance Coverage for Mold: The Past, the Present, the Future,” Lorman Education Services seminar, “Solving Water Intrusion and Mold Problems” (October 2003)
  • “Recent Developments in First-Party Insurance Coverage for Mold,” Lorman Education Services seminar, “Advances in Environmental Mold Issues in Illinois” (October 2003)
  • “Mold and Its Ramifications for the Construction Industry,” Milwaukee Lead/Asbestos Information Center, Inc. Mold Seminar (October 2003)
  • “Challenging Mold-Related Exclusions and Limitations in Homeowners Insurance Policies,” American Trial Lawyers Association Annual Convention, “Litigation at Sunrise” Program (July 2003)
  • “Anatomy of a Mold Case,” HarrisMartin Publishing’s Mold Litigation Conference: Beyond the Basics II (June 2003)
  • “Mold and Its Ramifications for the Construction Industry,” Painting and Decorating Council of America (April 2003)

2002

  • “How Do You Spell Insurance? M-O-L-D,” HarrisMartin Publishing’s Mold Litigation Conference: Beyond the Basics (October 2002)
  • “Impact of Insurance Coverage and Trial of a Mold Case: Plaintiff’s Perspective,” Mealey’s Mold Litigation Conference (October 2002)
  • “Mold and Its Ramifications for the Construction Industry,” Northern Illinois Air Conditioning Contractors of America Association (July 2002)
  • “Making Your Insurance Company Pay for Toxic Mold,” American Trial Lawyers Association Annual Convention, Insurance Law Section Education Program (July 2002)
  • “Mold and Its Ramifications for the Construction Industry,” Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Association of Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin (May 2002)
  • “Mold and Its Ramifications for the Construction Industry,” National Association of the Remodeling Industry of Greater Chicagoland (May 2002)
  • “Mold and Its Ramifications for the Construction Industry,” Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association (May 2002)
  • “Mold Litigation from the Policyholder’s Perspective,” Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Section, Insurance Law Committee Seminar (April 2002)

1997

  • “The Policy Requirement to Submit to an Examination Under Oath and to Produce Documentation: The Insured’s Rights and Obligations and the Consequences of Noncompliance,” American Bar Association Tort and Insurance Practice Section, Property Insurance Law Committee Regional Meeting (May 1997)

  • Contributor, Merlin Law Group Property Insurance Coverage Law Blog (2016–present)  
  • “Property Insurance 101: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Examinations Under Oath But Were Afraid to Ask,” Adjusting Today (July 2018)  
  • “Holding the Line: The Standard Fire Policy Remains a Useful Floor,” United Policyholders Blog (December 2015)  
  • “Navigating Releases in Property Insurance Claims,” American Association for Justice Insurance Law Section Spring Newsletter (May 2015)  
  • “Filling the Vacant Premises Void,” Trial Magazine (October 2014)  
  • Chapter 18, “Homeowner’s Insurance: The Real Estate Attorney’s Role,” Residential Real Estate Handbook, Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (2008 and 2011)  
  • Chapter 10, “An Overview of Toxic Mold Litigation in Illinois,” Toxic Mold Litigation, second edition, Lawyers and Judges Publishing Company (2009)  
  • “Replacement Cost Insurance and the Issue of Matching,” The Insurance Law Bulletin (January 2007)  
  • “Overhead and Profit: Its Place in a Property Insurance Claim,” Adjusting Today (2007); reprinted in Fire Casualty and Surety Bulletins  
  • “A Matter of Trust: The Duties and Liabilities of Insurance Producers,” Chicago Bar Association Record (October 2005)  
  • Chapter 6, “Mold Litigation in Illinois,” Toxic Mold Litigation, Lawyers and Judges Publishing Company (2005)  
  • “Making Waves with Water Intrusion Mold Claims,” Journal of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (Summer 2004)  
  • “Teachers and Mold: School District Liability for Work-Related Illness or Injury,” Indoor Environment Connections (February 2004)  
  • “First-Party Insurance Coverage for Mold,” Environmental Risk Resources Association Mold Page (Winter 2004)  
  • “Insurance Payouts Indicate ‘Mold is Gold’ Holds,” Indoor Environment Connections (December 2003)  
  • “Mold Litigation From the Policyholder’s Perspective,” Chicago Bar Association Record (June/July 2002)  
  • “Change in Character of Surface Water 11 Years After Heller,” American Law Journal (October 2001)  
  • Chapter 10, “Analysis of the Simplified Homeowners Insurance Policy,” Property Insurance Handbook, Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (1998)  
  • Chapter 4, “Analysis of the Simplified Insurance Policy,” Property Insurance Handbook, Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (1993, 1996, and 1998) 

Education

University of Illinois Chicago School of Law
Chicago, Illinois
Juris Doctor
Honors with distinction
Member, Law Review

Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois
Bachelor of Arts

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