Mr. Waxler specializes in defending professionals in malpractice actions with an emphasis on representing lawyers and insurance agents and brokers. Mr. Waxler is a Certified Specialist in Legal Malpractice Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.
Mr. Waxler also represents insurers in D&O matters, professionals in professional liability coverage disputes, and in bad faith litigation. He has written numerous professional liability insurance policies. Mr. Waxler has served as an expert witness or consultant in state and federal courts involving standard of care issues in professional liability, and claims handling in insurance actions.
Mr. Waxler is also privileged to be among a small select group of lawyers appointed to represent California Judges and Justices before the Commission on Judicial Performance.
Mr. Waxler also acts as coverage counsel for insurers issuing D&O policies to associations.
In the past, Mr. Waxler was a member of the Attorneys Insurance Mutual Risk Retention Group, Inc. (AIMRRG) board of directors, as well as the claims committee. AIMRRG is a highly-respected risk retention group that provides professional liability insurance for many of California’s large law firms.
Prior to Miller Waxler LLP, Mr. Waxler was Co-Managing Partner of the Los Angeles Office of national firm Kaufman Dolowich LLP.
Admissions
California
U.S. Court of Appeals
Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court
Northern District of California
Southern District of California
Central District of California
Eastern District of California
Education
Loyola School of Law, Los Angeles – J.D.
University of California, Los Angeles – B.A
Professional Memberships
ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers Professional Liability
Defense Research Institute
Professional Liability Underwriting Society
Reported Decisions
Harris v. Rand (9th Cir. 2012) 682 F.3d 846
Financial Management Advisors, Inc. v. American Spec. Lines Ins. Co. (9th Cir 2007) 506 F.2d 922
Bodell v. Walbrook Ins. Co. (9th Cir 1997) 119 F.2d 1411
Markel American Ins. Co. v. G.L. Anderson Ins. Services (CD Cal 2010) 715 F.Supp.2d 1068
Harbison v. American Motorists Ins. Co. (ND Cal 2009) 636 F.Supp 2d 1030
Coregis Ins. Co. v. Camico Mut. Ins. Co. (CD Cal 1997) 959 F.Supp 1997
Roldan v. Callahan & Blaine (2013) 219 Cal.App.4th 87
Rickley v. Goodfriend (2013) 212 Cal.App.4th 1136
Health Net, Inc. v. RLI Ins. Co. (2012) 206 Cal.App.4th 232
Donovan v. Dan Murphy Foundation (2012) 204 Cal.App.4th 1500
Moore v. Kaufman (2010) 189 Cal.App.4th 604
Clark v. Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc. (2008) 165 Cal.App.4th 150
Peninsula Committee for Children’s Hospital LA
Community Service
Peninsula Committee Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (PCCH)
Awards
AV® Preeminent™ Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®, Professional Malpractice Law- Defendants–2025
Super Lawyers, Southern California, 16 consecutive years, 2009 – 2024
Contributor, “Rutter California Practice Guide for Insurance Litigation”
Presentations
“Practical Advantages: Increase Efficiencies While Decreasing Risks in the Practice of IP Law,” 2014, CNA Loss Prevention Seminars
“Legal Malpractice Claims: When Good IP Lawyers Error,” 2013, AIPLA Annual Meeting
“The Adaptable Lawyer: Staying Practical in Today’s Complex Legal Environment,” 2012, CNA Loss Prevention Seminars
“Fix It and Forget It: Pre-Claim Assistance Trends and Tools,” 2011, CNA’s ALADN Conference Conference
“The Care and Feeding of Independent Counsel,” Spring 2011, ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers’ Professional Liability Spring 2011 Conference
“Battling the Pro Se Claimant: Common Defenses, Tactics and Best Practices” Legal Malpractice Conference, American Bar Association, Lawyer’s Professional Liability. Austin Texas.