Pedro E. Hernandez

Partner

He/Him

"I find cost-effective, reasonable solutions with speed and accuracy. This enables my clients to make informed decisions and resolve their problems in a timely manner."

305-428-5043

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Pedro E. Hernandez

Partner

He/Him

"I find cost-effective, reasonable solutions with speed and accuracy. This enables my clients to make informed decisions and resolve their problems in a timely manner."

305-428-5043

Email cGhlcm5hbmRlekBoaW5zaGF3bGF3LmNvbQ==

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About Pedro

Pedro focuses his litigation practice on insurance coverage, commercial disputes, real estate and construction deals, and intellectual property, including trademark and trade secrets. He also represents clients in the entertainment and media industries.

Representing domestic and international insurers, he handles high-profile coverage litigation and bad faith cases nationwide. His work includes commercial general liability, errors and omissions, and first-party claims involving significant property damage. In addition, Pedro manages commercial class actions in multidistrict litigation courts and has taken numerous cases to verdict.

Pedro serves on Hinshaw's Executive Committee and Management Committee and is co-leader of the global Insurance Industry Team. He has pioneered the firm's International Law and Alliances group, focusing heavily on the European and Latin American markets. He values Hinshaw's ability to offer a small-firm atmosphere for clients and colleagues while drawing on the resources and reach of a national firm.

Areas of Focus

Industries:

Services:

Initiatives:

- International Law & Alliances

Experience

A commercial litigation lawsuit in Colorado seeking $1 billion in damages was dismissed with prejudice on the merits.
A commercial litigation lawsuit in Colorado seeking $400 million in damages was dismissed with prejudice on the merits.
Tarragon Stoneybrook Apartments, LLC v. Summit Contractors, Inc., et al., in the Circuit Court of the Ninth Judicial Circuit and for Orange County, Florida. Case Number 2006-CA-010888 (Div. 32-- Business Court). Vacated a $10 million ($13 million with interest) judgment against insured and a national carrier.
Vintage Properties, Inc. et al., v. Mid-Continent Cas. Co., United States District Court, Middle District of Florida. Case No. 10-CV-80836-PAS. Granted summary judgment on behalf of the carrier based on the pollution exclusion barring coverage for Chinese drywall damages.
Represented two major carriers in the building collapse at the Champlain Towers in Surfside, Florida.

Defended an insurance company whose insured was facing more than $50 million in claims brought against it by multiple national builders over construction defect claims in Florida. Hinshaw extinguished almost all of the liability with only minimal policy limits and in the face of numerous competing time limit demands. The negotiated settlement also protected the client from future bad faith exposure based upon its alleged failure to settle those claims.
Secured a declaratory judgment that its client, a Brit Syndicate, had no duty to defend or indemnify a contractor for substantial property damage allegedly caused by the contractor's faulty installation and repairs of a roof on a historic 16-story building in Birmingham, Alabama. Hinshaw filed the case in the US District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
Charles Mansfield v. Mid-Continent Casualty Company, et al. – 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 179990, Case No. 3:19-cv-187-J-20PDB (M.D. Fla. Sept. 18, 2019). Employment exclusion precluded coverage for this large loss.
Mid-Continent Casualty Company v. JWN Construction, Inc., et al. – 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20529, Case No. 9:17-cv-80286 (S.D. Fla. Feb. 8, 2018). No coverage for carrier based on the CG 2294.
Granada Ins. Co. v. JDP Constr., Inc., No. CACE 17-005883 (Fla. 17th Cir. Ct. Broward City., Sept. 5, 2017) (Westlaw pending). "The Classification Limitation Endorsement precludes coverage under the Policy for the claims at issue as some or all of D.Ph.'s work at the Property, which caused Gonzalez' injuries, was outside the scope of the business description and Classification Schedule of the Policy."
Granada Ins. Co. v. Amarna Painting LLC et al., No. 2021-015203-CA-01 (Fla. Cir. Ct. Miami-Dade City. May 25, 2022) (Westlaw pending). "The Classification Limitation Endorsement … in Granada's Policy preclude coverage for any bodily injury asserted against [insured] and related to its work [at the premises]."
Granada Ins. Co. v. GTZ Construction Mgmt., No. 2020-006745-CA-01 (Fla. Cir. Ct. Miami-Dade City., Mar. 3, 2021) (Westlaw pending). "Granada's Classification Endorsement precludes any finding that Granada has a duty to defend or indemnify its insured for claims that its insured cause … in connection with work on a project unless the insured's work on the project was limited to the operations set forth in the Classification Limitation Endorsement. Stated otherwise, the Court finds and agrees that if an insured exceeds the scope permitted by the Classification Schedule, then the Classification Limitation Endorsement negates any duty to defend or indemnify."
Granada Ins. Co. v. Only Corp. et al., No. 2020-013569-CA-01 (Fla. Cir. Ct. Miami-Dade City, May 13, 2022) (Westlaw pending). "The Court finds that the Classification Limitation Endorsement is unambiguous."… "Granada's Classification Limitation Endorsement Precludes any finding that Granada has a duty to defend or indemnify its insured for claims that its insured caused … unless the insured's work on the [premises] was limited to the operations set forth in the Classification Limitation Endorsement."
Granada Insurance Company v. Keystone, Inc., Case No. 2020-CA-002263, (Fla. Cir. Ct. Pasco County Apr. 28, 2021) (Westlaw pending). Ordering that insurance policies were rescinded ab initio because insured misrepresented the number of units it planned to work on.
Trovillian Construction & Development, Inc. v. Mid-Continent Casualty Company and Casa Jardin Condominium Association, Inc., 2014 WL 201678 (MD Florida, January 17, 2014). No coverage for a $1.8 million consent judgment for failure to allocate.
Chinese Manufactured Drywall Products Liability Litigation (E.D. La. MDL No. 2047). Represented two major carriers in the litigation and the $1 billion global settlement.

Recognition

Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2014 – 2020

Credentials

Education

Pennsylvania State University Dickinson Law, JD, 2006
Ramapo College of New Jersey, BA, 2003

Bar Admissions

District of Columbia
Florida
New York

Court Admissions

US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
US District Court for the Middle District of Florida
US District Court for the Northern District of Florida
US District Court for the Southern District of Florida

Languages

Spanish

Thought Leadership

Presentations

Pedro speaks on insurance-related topics at industry events in both the United States and abroad.

Co-Presenter, "A Look at What's Driving Claims and Exposures in the U.S.," Hinshaw & RPC Joint Seminar, London, United Kingdom, February 26, 2020

"Hot Topics in Florida Insurance Coverage," Section of Litigation Insurance, Coverage Litigation Committee, American Bar Association, May 2013
"Proving Covered Damages: Litigating Construction Defect Cases Following Pozzi Windows and Auchter," Litigation Section, American Bar Association, Coral Gables, Florida, May 2013

Events

In The News

Insights for Insurers Alerts

Hinshaw Readers' Choice Awards: Top Insurance Articles of 2024, Dec 30, 2024
[White Paper] A Look Back at Key Insurance Developments in 2024 and a Look Ahead to 2025, Dec 4, 2024
[White Paper] United States Insurance Trends and Decisions 2023, Dec 21, 2023
Key Insurance Cases and Developments – 2022 In Review, Feb 27, 2023
Florida Courts Rejecting Prejudice as a Matter of Law in Certain Late Notice Cases, Jul 26, 2011

Press Releases

Webinar

Webinar Series: Insurance Insights – What Insurers Need to Know in 2021, Apr 29, 2021

View all of Pedro's Insights

Interests

Did you know...

Pedro commits to providing a significant amount of pro bono work on behalf of the South Florida community.

When he's not working on behalf of his clients, Pedro enjoys spending time with his daughters.

Thought Leadership

Presentations

Pedro speaks on insurance-related topics at industry events in both the United States and abroad.

Co-Presenter, "A Look at What's Driving Claims and Exposures in the U.S.," Hinshaw & RPC Joint Seminar, London, United Kingdom, February 26, 2020

"Hot Topics in Florida Insurance Coverage," Section of Litigation Insurance, Coverage Litigation Committee, American Bar Association, May 2013
"Proving Covered Damages: Litigating Construction Defect Cases Following Pozzi Windows and Auchter," Litigation Section, American Bar Association, Coral Gables, Florida, May 2013