John S. Worden

Partner

John S. Worden has been with Schiff Hardin (and its predecessor, Morgenstein & Jubelirer) since 1989 and has been a partner since 1996. From 1997 to 2000, Mr. Worden was Morgenstein's managing partner. He practices throughout the western United States and, in addition to substantial work in California and elsewhere, heads the firm's Nevada practice.

Mr. Worden focuses his practice on complex corporate litigation and trial work, insurance coverage litigation, real estate/construction and securities and investment-related litigation, and insolvency/bankruptcy litigation. He has tried and arbitrated dozens of coverage, securities and commercial cases in state and federal courts and in front of judges, juries and arbitration panels across the United States. Mr. Worden has won multiple seven- and eight-figure jury verdicts. To date, he has won the last 17 cases he has tried.

Mr. Worden also has served as an arbitrator for the San Francisco County Superior Court since 2004.

Mr. Worden is a black belt kung fu instructor, a former gold medalist at the National Kung Fu Championships in Baltimore and silver medalist at the 2003 World Kung Fu Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil.  He is married and has two daughters in college.

Publications

"Securities Arbitration: An Idea Whose Time Has Come & Gone? (Part 2)," (Co-Author) Wall Street Lawyer (October 2007)

"Securities Arbitration: An Idea Whose Time Has Come & Gone? (Part 1)," (Co-Author) Wall Street Lawyer (September 2007)

"What Every Construction Professional Should Know About Insurance Coverage," (Co-Author) Construction Accounting and Taxation (July/August 2007)

"What Every Real Estate Professional Should Know About Insurance Coverage (Especially Real Estate Lawyers Who Do Not Do Coverage Work)," 23 California Real Property Journal 4 (Fall 2005)

"Equine Law: They Sue Horses Don't They?" San Francisco Attorney Magazine (December 2000)

"A Parent Corporation's Insurance Coverage, Watch Out!" Association of Business Trial Lawyers Report (November 1997)

"The 'Waiver of Damages' Provision in Commercial Construction Contracts: a Most Prudent Weapon," Association of Business Trial Lawyers Report (March 1996), and California Construction Law Reporter (December 1995)

"The Mountains Behind Molehills: How to Litigate Effectively Complex Cases," Association of Business Trial Lawyers Report (November 1994) and The Recorder (July 1993)

"Liquidated Damages for Delay in Completion of Commercial Construction Projects," California Construction Law Reporter (September 1995), and Santa Clara University Law Review (Fall 1993)

"Potential CERCLA Liability of Parent Corporations for the Acts of Their Subsidiaries," Univ. of Idaho Law Review (Fall 1993)

Speeches and Presentations

Mr. Worden has given numerous presentations at national and regional legal seminars, including:

"Taking Control of Your Career," Bridging The Gap: Between Law School and Legal Practice, The Bar Association of San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif. (November 14, 2008)

"Insurance and California Real Estate," CREW (California Real Estate Women) (July 31, 2008)

"What Every Real Estate Lawyer Should Know About Insurance Coverage," State Bar of California Section Education Institute (January 19, 2008)

"Winning by Arguing Burden of Proof," Network of Trial Law Firms, Pebble Beach, Calif.  (April 2007)

"What Every Real Estate Lawyer Should Know About Insurance Coverage," State Bar of California, 78th Annual Meeting (September 9, 2005)

"Securities Arbitrations," (Moderator)

"Creative Discovery in NASD Action"

"How to Try and Win an Insurance Coverage Case"

"A Parent Corporation's Insurance Coverage"

"What's Hot in Coverage Litigation," The Network of Trial Law Firms, San Diego, Calif. (April 2003)

"World Trade Center Insurance Coverage Issues: Property and Liability Issues in Claims for Damages Incurred as a Result of War (Declared or Not)Hijacking, and Acts of Foreign Enemies," Network of Trial Lawyers, Palm Beach, Fla. (October 2001) and State Bar of California, Carlsbad, Calif.(May 2001)

"Recent Coverage Developments in Construction Litigation," State Bar of California, Anaheim, Calif. (September 2001)

"California Insurance Law," Lorman Education Services, San Francisco (May 2001)

"California Insurance Law," Lorman Education Services, Monterey, Calif. (June 2000)

"Coverage Issues With Mergers and Acquisitions," State Bar of California, Monterey, Calif. (June 2000)

"Dealing with Insurance Issues in Mergers and Acquisitions," State Bar of California, San Francisco (June 2000)

"California Insurance Law," Lorman Education Services, San Francisco (January 2000)

"Insured-Insurer Issue Resolution," Network of Trial Law Firms, Palm Beach, Fla. (October 1999)

"Recent Developments in 'Continuous Trigger' Insurance Coverage Litigation," Network of Trial Law Firms, Palm Beach, Fla. (October 1998)

"Developments in Continuous Trigger Coverage Law"

"Coverage Issues in Premises Liability Cases"

"How to Get to Coverage"

"Litigating Small Business Cases"

"Litigating a Small Complex Case Cost-Effectively"

Previous Experience

While an undergraduate at Seattle University, Mr. Worden served as an aide to U.S. Senator Slade Gorton.

Awards and Honors

1997 Barrister of the Year — Bar Association of San Francisco

Super Lawyer — Insurance Coverage; Securities Litigation, Northern California Super Lawyers

Education

Teaching Appointments

Adjunct Professor of Law, University of California Hastings College of the Law (1996-present)

Professional Memberships

State Bar of California
Insurance Law Committee

Bar Association of San Francisco
Barristers Club
          Board of Directors
Antitrust and Securities Litigation Section 
          Past Chair