Preview
1 Jeremiah M. Welch (State Bar No. 180370)
William S. Bennett (State Bar No. 315537)
2 Melanie A. McDonald (State Bar No. 326253)
Kyle A. Rudolph (State Bar No. 345277)
3 SAXE DOERNBERGER & VITA, P.C.
One Better World Circle, Ste. 300
4 Temecula, CA 92590
Tel: (951) 365-3145 | Fax: (203) 287-8847
5 Email: jwelch@sdvlaw.com
wbennett@sdvlaw.com
6 mmcdonald@sdvlaw.com
krudolph@sdvlaw.com
7
Attorneys for Plaintiffs, BayWa r.e. Wind,
8 LLC, and Strauss Wind, LLC
9 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
10 COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA
11
BAYWA R.E. WIND, LLC; STRAUSS WIND,
12 LLC Case No.: 24CV00202
13 Plaintiffs, DECLARATION OF CAROLINA
14 NUNEZ BARRERA IN SUPPORT OF
vs. PLAINTIFFS’ OPPOSITION TO
15 DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO STAY
RSG UNDERWRITING MANAGERS, LLC OR DISMISS PURSUANT TO
16 TRADING AS POWER.ENERGY.RISK; CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL
LLOYD’S SYNDICATE CSL 1084; PROCEDURE SECTIONS 410.30 AND
17 LLOYD’S SYNDICATE 1458 418.10
18 RENAISSANCERE MANAGEMENT
LIMITED; QBE INSURANCE (UK) Date: April 4, 2024
19 LIMITED; LLOYD’S SYNDICATE Time: 8:30am
ATRIUM 609; CONVEX INSURANCE UK Dept: 4
20 LIMITED; SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE Hon. Jed Beebe
21 COMPANY; EVEREST INDEMNITY
INSURANCE COMPANY; ACCIDENT Complaint Filed: January 12, 2024
22 FUND GENERAL INSURANCE Trial Date: None Set
COMPANY (AFGIC); HDI GLOBAL
23 SPECIALTY SE; AGCS MARINE
24 INSURANCE COMPANY; QBE (UK)
LIMITED; AND DOES 1 THROUGH 20,
25 INCLUSIVE
26 Defendants.
27
28
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
DECLARATION OF CAROLINA NUNEZ BARRERA IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFF’S OPPOSITION TO
DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO STAY OR DISMISS PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL
PROCEDURE SECTIONS 410.30 AND 418.10
1
1
I, Carolina Nunez Barrera, declare:
2
1. I am the Head of Legal Americas for Plaintiff BayWa r.e. Wind, LLC
3
(“BayWa”).
4
2. I submit this Declaration in support of the Opposition to Defendants’ Motion to
5
Stay or Dismiss Pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Sections 410.30 and 418.10.
6
3. As the Head of Legal Americas for BayWa, I have personal knowledge of the
7 facts declared herein and, if called upon to testify, can and will testify competently thereto.
8 4. BayWa and Strauss Wind, LLC (“Strauss”) (collectively the “Insureds”) are
9 qualified to do business in California and maintain their principal place of business in Carlsbad,
10 California.
11 5. Over the past eight (8) years, the Insureds have overseen the construction of a
12 wind-powered electrical generation facility located at 4800 San Miguelito Road, Lompoc,
13 California 93436 (the “Project”).
14 6. The Project was insured under two (2) consecutive all risk insurance policies
15 issued by the Defendants covering a policy period of December 31, 2020, to August 17, 2023
16 (the “Policies”).
17 7. During late-December 2022 and early-January 2023, the Project was inundated
18 with record-setting rainwater corresponding with a series of atmospheric river storms
19 experienced along California’s central coastline.
20 8. This record-setting rainwater caused direct physical loss or damage to the
21 Project’s access roads and various other insured property (the “Loss”).
22 9. Promptly thereafter, the Insureds submitted notice of the Loss to the Defendants,
23 who have failed to provide coverage for the Loss to date.
24 10. Since the Loss occurred on or about January 15, 2023, and because of the
25 Policies’ “Action Against Underwriters” provision mandated the Insureds bring suit against
26 Defendants within twelve months after the Loss became known to the Insureds, the Insureds
27 filed this suit on January 12, 2024.
28
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
DECLARATION OF CAROLINA NUNEZ BARRERA IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFF’S OPPOSITION TO
DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO STAY OR DISMISS PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL
PROCEDURE SECTIONS 410.30 AND 418.10
2
\ \. Under the advisement of counsel of record for the Insureds and due to the
2 Insurers' previous representations concerning the application of New York law, a separate
3 complaint was filed in New York to avoid the Insureds from forfeitin g their ability bring suit
4 against the Defendants in the event the Court does not retain jurisdiction over this action.
5 12. The Insureds have not made any effort to serve the New York complaint, and the
6 Insureds fully intend on pursuing this action under California law with this Court.
I declare under the penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California and the
7
Constitution of the United States that the foregoing is true and correct and that this Declaration
8
9
was executed by me on this '2\,, day of March 2024, in C:'n~Ac,-\\@..,,\k ,
10 \) 1,C~(\\,c;,...
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
DECLARATION OF CAROLINA NUN EZ BARRERA I
DEFENDANTS ' MOTION TO STAY OR DISMISS PiRss~: i;~g ~PLA INTIFF'S OPPOS IT ION TO
PROCEDURE SECTIONS 41 0.30 AND 4 1:i~IFORN IA CO DE OF CIVIL
1
1 PROOF OF SERVICE
2 BayWa R.E. Wind, LLC, et al. v. RSG Underwriting Managers, LLC, et al.
3 Case No. 24cv00202
4 I am employed in the County of Riverside, State of California. I am over the age of 18
5 and not a party to this action. My business address is: One BetterWorld Circle, Suite 300,
6 Temecula, CA 92590.
7 On March 21, 2024, I served the foregoing document described as: DECLARATION
8 OF CAROLINA NUNEZ BARRERA IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFF’S OPPOSTION TO
9 DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO STAY OR DISMISS PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA
10 CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE SECTIONS 410.30 AND 418.10 on the interested parties
in this action at the following addresses as indicated:
11
12 SEE ATTACHED SERVICE LIST
13 [ ] BY MAIL: I am readily familiar with my employer’s business practice for
14 collection and processing of correspondence for mailing with the United States Postal Service. I
15 am aware that on motion of the party serve, service is presumed invalid if the postal
16 cancellation date or postage meter date is more than one day after the date for deposit for
17 mailing in affidavit. I deposited such envelopes with postage thereon fully prepaid to be placed
18 in the United States mail at Temecula, California.
19 [X] BY ELECTRONIC SERVICE: by electronically mailing a true and correct copy
20 in PDF format to the email addresses set forth in the attached service list.
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the
21
foregoing is true and correct.
22
Executed on March 21, 2024 at Temecula, California.
23
24
/s/ Melissa Parker________________
25 Melissa Parker
26
27
28
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
PROOF OF SERVICE
4
1 SERVICE LIST
2
BayWa R.E. Wind, LLC, et al. v. RSG Underwriting Managers, LLC, et al.
3
Case No. 24cv00202
4
Edward P. Murphy Counsel for Defendants
5 FORAN GLENNON PALANDECH PONZI &
RUDLOFF PC
6 38 Corporate Park
Irvine, CA 92606
7 Telephone: (949) 791-1060
Fax: (949) 791-1070
8 Email: emurphy@fgppr.com
9
Natalie M. Limber
10 DENTONS US LLP
601 S. Figeroa Street, Suite 2500
11 Los Angeles, CA 90017-5704
Telephone: (213) 623-9300
12 Fax: (213) 623-9924
Email: natalie.limber@dentons.com
13
14 Sonia R. Martin
15 DENTONS US LLP
1999 Harrison Street, Suite 1300
16 Oakland, CA 94612
Telephone: (415) 882-5000
17 Fax: (748) 882-0300
Email: Sonia.martin@dentons.com
18
19 James Koelzer
CLYDE & CO LLP
20 355 S. Grand Avenue, Suite 1400
Los Angeles, CA 90071
21 Telephone: (213) 358-7600
Fax: (213) 358-7650
22 Email: james.koelzer@clydeco.us
23
24
25
26
27
28
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
PROOF OF SERVICE
5
Preview
1 Jeremiah M. Welch (State Bar No. 180370) William S. Bennett (State Bar No. 315537) 2 Melanie A. McDonald (State Bar No. 326253) Kyle A. Rudolph (State Bar No. 345277) 3 SAXE DOERNBERGER & VITA, P.C. One Better World Circle, Ste. 300 4 Temecula, CA 92590 Tel: (951) 365-3145 | Fax: (203) 287-8847 5 Email: jwelch@sdvlaw.com wbennett@sdvlaw.com 6 mmcdonald@sdvlaw.com krudolph@sdvlaw.com 7 Attorneys for Plaintiffs, BayWa r.e. Wind, 8 LLC, and Strauss Wind, LLC 9 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA 10 COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA 11 BAYWA R.E. WIND, LLC; STRAUSS WIND, 12 LLC Case No.: 24CV00202 13 Plaintiffs, DECLARATION OF CAROLINA 14 NUNEZ BARRERA IN SUPPORT OF vs. PLAINTIFFS’ OPPOSITION TO 15 DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO STAY RSG UNDERWRITING MANAGERS, LLC OR DISMISS PURSUANT TO 16 TRADING AS POWER.ENERGY.RISK; CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL LLOYD’S SYNDICATE CSL 1084; PROCEDURE SECTIONS 410.30 AND 17 LLOYD’S SYNDICATE 1458 418.10 18 RENAISSANCERE MANAGEMENT LIMITED; QBE INSURANCE (UK) Date: April 4, 2024 19 LIMITED; LLOYD’S SYNDICATE Time: 8:30am ATRIUM 609; CONVEX INSURANCE UK Dept: 4 20 LIMITED; SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE Hon. Jed Beebe 21 COMPANY; EVEREST INDEMNITY INSURANCE COMPANY; ACCIDENT Complaint Filed: January 12, 2024 22 FUND GENERAL INSURANCE Trial Date: None Set COMPANY (AFGIC); HDI GLOBAL 23 SPECIALTY SE; AGCS MARINE 24 INSURANCE COMPANY; QBE (UK) LIMITED; AND DOES 1 THROUGH 20, 25 INCLUSIVE 26 Defendants. 27 28 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ DECLARATION OF CAROLINA NUNEZ BARRERA IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFF’S OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO STAY OR DISMISS PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE SECTIONS 410.30 AND 418.10 1 1 I, Carolina Nunez Barrera, declare: 2 1. I am the Head of Legal Americas for Plaintiff BayWa r.e. Wind, LLC 3 (“BayWa”). 4 2. I submit this Declaration in support of the Opposition to Defendants’ Motion to 5 Stay or Dismiss Pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Sections 410.30 and 418.10. 6 3. As the Head of Legal Americas for BayWa, I have personal knowledge of the 7 facts declared herein and, if called upon to testify, can and will testify competently thereto. 8 4. BayWa and Strauss Wind, LLC (“Strauss”) (collectively the “Insureds”) are 9 qualified to do business in California and maintain their principal place of business in Carlsbad, 10 California. 11 5. Over the past eight (8) years, the Insureds have overseen the construction of a 12 wind-powered electrical generation facility located at 4800 San Miguelito Road, Lompoc, 13 California 93436 (the “Project”). 14 6. The Project was insured under two (2) consecutive all risk insurance policies 15 issued by the Defendants covering a policy period of December 31, 2020, to August 17, 2023 16 (the “Policies”). 17 7. During late-December 2022 and early-January 2023, the Project was inundated 18 with record-setting rainwater corresponding with a series of atmospheric river storms 19 experienced along California’s central coastline. 20 8. This record-setting rainwater caused direct physical loss or damage to the 21 Project’s access roads and various other insured property (the “Loss”). 22 9. Promptly thereafter, the Insureds submitted notice of the Loss to the Defendants, 23 who have failed to provide coverage for the Loss to date. 24 10. Since the Loss occurred on or about January 15, 2023, and because of the 25 Policies’ “Action Against Underwriters” provision mandated the Insureds bring suit against 26 Defendants within twelve months after the Loss became known to the Insureds, the Insureds 27 filed this suit on January 12, 2024. 28 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ DECLARATION OF CAROLINA NUNEZ BARRERA IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFF’S OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO STAY OR DISMISS PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE SECTIONS 410.30 AND 418.10 2 \ \. Under the advisement of counsel of record for the Insureds and due to the 2 Insurers' previous representations concerning the application of New York law, a separate 3 complaint was filed in New York to avoid the Insureds from forfeitin g their ability bring suit 4 against the Defendants in the event the Court does not retain jurisdiction over this action. 5 12. The Insureds have not made any effort to serve the New York complaint, and the 6 Insureds fully intend on pursuing this action under California law with this Court. I declare under the penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California and the 7 Constitution of the United States that the foregoing is true and correct and that this Declaration 8 9 was executed by me on this '2\,, day of March 2024, in C:'n~Ac,-\\@..,,\k , 10 \) 1,C~(\\,c;,... 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 DECLARATION OF CAROLINA NUN EZ BARRERA I DEFENDANTS ' MOTION TO STAY OR DISMISS PiRss~: i;~g ~PLA INTIFF'S OPPOS IT ION TO PROCEDURE SECTIONS 41 0.30 AND 4 1:i~IFORN IA CO DE OF CIVIL 1 1 PROOF OF SERVICE 2 BayWa R.E. Wind, LLC, et al. v. RSG Underwriting Managers, LLC, et al. 3 Case No. 24cv00202 4 I am employed in the County of Riverside, State of California. I am over the age of 18 5 and not a party to this action. My business address is: One BetterWorld Circle, Suite 300, 6 Temecula, CA 92590. 7 On March 21, 2024, I served the foregoing document described as: DECLARATION 8 OF CAROLINA NUNEZ BARRERA IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFF’S OPPOSTION TO 9 DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO STAY OR DISMISS PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA 10 CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE SECTIONS 410.30 AND 418.10 on the interested parties in this action at the following addresses as indicated: 11 12 SEE ATTACHED SERVICE LIST 13 [ ] BY MAIL: I am readily familiar with my employer’s business practice for 14 collection and processing of correspondence for mailing with the United States Postal Service. I 15 am aware that on motion of the party serve, service is presumed invalid if the postal 16 cancellation date or postage meter date is more than one day after the date for deposit for 17 mailing in affidavit. I deposited such envelopes with postage thereon fully prepaid to be placed 18 in the United States mail at Temecula, California. 19 [X] BY ELECTRONIC SERVICE: by electronically mailing a true and correct copy 20 in PDF format to the email addresses set forth in the attached service list. I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the 21 foregoing is true and correct. 22 Executed on March 21, 2024 at Temecula, California. 23 24 /s/ Melissa Parker________________ 25 Melissa Parker 26 27 28 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ PROOF OF SERVICE 4 1 SERVICE LIST 2 BayWa R.E. Wind, LLC, et al. v. RSG Underwriting Managers, LLC, et al. 3 Case No. 24cv00202 4 Edward P. Murphy Counsel for Defendants 5 FORAN GLENNON PALANDECH PONZI & RUDLOFF PC 6 38 Corporate Park Irvine, CA 92606 7 Telephone: (949) 791-1060 Fax: (949) 791-1070 8 Email: emurphy@fgppr.com 9 Natalie M. Limber 10 DENTONS US LLP 601 S. Figeroa Street, Suite 2500 11 Los Angeles, CA 90017-5704 Telephone: (213) 623-9300 12 Fax: (213) 623-9924 Email: natalie.limber@dentons.com 13 14 Sonia R. Martin 15 DENTONS US LLP 1999 Harrison Street, Suite 1300 16 Oakland, CA 94612 Telephone: (415) 882-5000 17 Fax: (748) 882-0300 Email: Sonia.martin@dentons.com 18 19 James Koelzer CLYDE & CO LLP 20 355 S. Grand Avenue, Suite 1400 Los Angeles, CA 90071 21 Telephone: (213) 358-7600 Fax: (213) 358-7650 22 Email: james.koelzer@clydeco.us 23 24 25 26 27 28 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ PROOF OF SERVICE 5