Jean-Marie Crahan

Biography

Jean-Marie Crahan litigates matters in state, federal, and appellate courts involving matters of complex litigation and insurance coverage. Ms. Crahan has extensive experience in complex litigation defense, motion practice, and appeals. She has successfully argued cases before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, briefed cases to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and authored the briefs of numerous cases before the Wisconsin Courts of Appeal.

Ms. Crahan advises insurance company clients on coverage matters, prepares coverage opinions, and drafts reservation of rights letters. Her coverage work has covered issues for multiple states, including Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Mississippi, Georgia, California, and Wisconsin.

Ms. Crahan’s experience includes, but is not limited to, environmental issues, bodily injury and property damage, premises liability, business pursuit exclusions, employment related practices exclusions, duty to defend, coverage analysis involving choice of laws/conflict of laws, and coverage options regarding homeowners’ policies.

Ms. Crahan represented a Fortune 500 Industrial Automation Control Company in an eight figure commercial lawsuit. She assisted in the compliance with eDiscovery obligations by communicating with appropriate client personnel regarding pertinent document retention and destruction policies, information concerning the structure of electronic information systems, and the execution of search for and production of relevant materials in the lawsuit.

Ms. Crahan has taught CLEs and presented on a variety of litigation and eDiscovery topics, including:

• “Wind and Water and Sharks…Oh My! Blowing the Roof Off Insurance Coverage for Natural Disasters”; National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms Annual Meeting; Minneapolis, MN; September 23, 2013
• “Something Wicked This Way Comes”, an eDiscovery presentation; Milwaukee Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Section; October 25, 2012
• “How Electronic Discovery May Affect Benefits and ERISA Cases”; National Association of Minority and Women Law Firms Insurance Initiative; New York, NY; September 13, 2012
• “Everything You Don’t Know About E-Discovery (But Wish You Did): Social Media and eDiscovery”; National Business Institute; Milwaukee, WI; May 17, 2012
• eDiscovery: “Something Wicked This Way Comes”; Association of Women Lawyers; Milwaukee, WI; January 26, 2012
• eDiscovery: “Something Wicked This Way Comes”; Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan CLE; Milwaukee, WI; December 8, 2011

Ms. Crahan was selected as a 2014 Woman in the Law by the Wisconsin Law Journal for her outstanding achievements and contributions to the practice of law. She is a member of the Wisconsin Association of Mediators, the American Bar Association and was past Co-Chair of the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firm’s Insurance PAC. Ms. Crahan serves on the Board of Directors for the non-profit organization, Journey House.

Ms. Crahan received a B.A., cum laude, in Spanish from the University of Dallas and a J.D., magna cum laude, from Marquette University Law School. She is admitted to practice in Wisconsin, U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin, and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh and Eighth Circuits.

PUBLISHED OPINIONS:

• Estate of Stys ex rel. Kucza v. Auto Club Group Ins. Co., 2010 WI App 17, 323 Wis. 2d 194.
• BCR Trucking, LLC v. PACCAR, Inc., 2009 WI App 36, 316 Wis. 2d 465, 765 N.W.2d 828.
• Godoy ex rel. Gramling v. E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., 2007 WI App 239, 306 Wis. 2d 226, 743 N.W.2d 159.
• State ex rel. Auchinleck v. Town of LaGrange, 200 Wis. 2d 585, 547 N.W.2d 587 (1996).
• U.S. v. Einum, 992 F.2d 761 (7^th Cir. 1993).

Education & Bar Admissions

Education

• Marquette University Law School, J.D., magna cum laude
• University of Dallas, B.A., cum laude, Spanish
  

Bar Admissions

• Wisconsin
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh and Eighth Circuits

In the News

• 6/13/2014 - Jean-Marie Crahan Honored as Woman in the Law
• 4/3/2014 - Jean-Marie Crahan Named a 2014 Woman in the Law