Attorneys

Mr. Skocypec was born November 1, 1946, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He graduated magna cum laude from Rutgers University in 1968, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering. He was named a member of Tau Beta Pi, national engineering honor society, and Phi Lambda Upsilon, national chemical honor society. In 1970, he earned a Master of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of California at Berkeley. Upon receiving his Masters, Mr. Skocypec was employed for almost three years as an environmental engineer with Exxon Research and Engineering Company. His work was primarily in the area of oil tanker pollution, resulting in research assignments along the eastern seaboard, the Gulf of Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Aruba, Wales and England. His work on tanker pollution resulted in the publication of three NTIS reports.

In 1973, Mr. Skocypec left Exxon to attend the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law, where he received a Juris Doctor Degree in 1976. While in law school, he served as an editor of the UCLA-Alaska Law Review. His law review article on oil tanker pollution was published at 5 U.C.L.A.-Alaska L.Rev. 353 (1976). He was also an extern with the United States District Court, Central District of California, and the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney. During law school, Mr. Skocypec was employed by Fluor Corporation as an engineer in the Environmental Department. He worked on a computer program to predict thermal diffusion in an ocean environment and a computer program to predict the atmospheric dispersion of an LNG spill and assisted in the preparation of an environmental statute and case guide for Fluor's clients.

Mr. Skocypec's legal experience has principally focused on the pretrial preparation and trial of "bad faith" claims, insurance coverage, insurance agent and broker errors and omissions, excess and reinsurance problems, business, product liability and general liability cases. He also has extensive experience in all aspects of appellate practice and is an experienced trial attorney.

Mr. Skocypec was admitted to the California Bar in 1976. He is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States District Courts for the Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of California. He is a member of the State Bar of California, the Defense Research Institute, the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel, the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Mr. Skocypec also maintains his registration in California as a professional chemical engineer. Mr. Skocypec is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell.