Overview

Rachel Olney is an experienced litigator who has litigation and trial experience defending clients in state and federal disputes involving insurance coverage and commercial law and claims involving the defense of general liability and premises liability as well as cases involving homeowners claims and automobile negligence claims, including first and third party no-fault claims.

She represents national insurance companies and national retail and commercial companies.

She has extensive experience in all aspects of litigation as well as strategic planning with her clients to resolve anticipated claims as well as providing legal opinions regarding coverage and priority disputes. She has achieved success in dispositive motions regarding fraudulent claims filed by insureds.

Honors & Recognitions

Affiliations

Memberships & Affiliations

Legal Affiliations: 

• State Bar of Michigan
• Oakland County Bar Association
• Michigan Defense Trial Counsel

Experience

Representative Matters

• Won appeals in the Michigan Court of Appeals
• Tried a case to verdict that resulted in a $900,000 savings for the client.
• Successfully secured summary disposition in numerous cases in favor of insurance companies in claims for first and third party no-fault benefits. Most notably:
  • Secured summary disposition in favor of an insurance company where the injured party was seeking $1,000,000+ after the Court determined that an insurer of higher priority was responsible for the first party no-fault benefits.
  • Secured summary disposition in favor of an insurance company where the injured party was seeking $1,000,000+ after the Court determined that the injured party committed a fraudulent insurance act.
  • Secured summary disposition in favor of an insurance company where medical providers were seeking $500,000+ after the Court determined that the medical providers did not have standing.
  • Secured summary disposition in favor of an insurance company after the court determined that the injured party was barred from first party no-fault benefits for failing to reasonably cooperate in the investigation of her claim.
  • Secured summary disposition in favor of an insurance company after the court determined the injured party was barred from third party no-fault benefits because she was negligent in causing subject motor vehicle accident.
  • Secured summary disposition in favor of an insurance company after the court determined the injured party was barred from third party no-fault benefits because she failed to satisfy conditions precedent to the insurance policy.

Communications

Publications

• Is the Fraud Defense in First-Party Litigation a Thing of the Past?, Foster Swift Litigation News Update E-blast, July 16, 2020

News & Events

Speaking Engagements

• Coverage for Defective Subcontractor Work: Learning from Skanska v. MAP, Insurance Alliance of Michigan (IAM) Claims Conference, September 19, 2022

News

• Preparing Women Business Leaders for 2024 Legal Challenges, Meltwater Newswire, February 20, 2024
• Foster Swift Best Lawyers® 2024 "Ones to Watch", Best Lawyers in America, August 17, 2023
• 17 Attorneys Selected to 2023 Michigan Super Lawyers and “Rising Stars”, Michigan Super Lawyers, August 11, 2023
• Foster Swift Best Lawyers® 2023 "Ones to Watch", Best Lawyers in America, August 18, 2022
• 21 Attorneys Selected to 2022 Michigan Super Lawyers and “Rising Stars”, Michigan Super Lawyers, August 12, 2022
• New Virtual Program Addresses Legal Strategies for Women Business Leaders, Michigan Business Network, March 28, 2022
• Foster Swift Elects Four Shareholders, January 10, 2022