Rikke A. Dierssen-Morice

Biography

Rikke represents commercial policyholders in the United States and abroad on insurance claims and in recovery litigation, helping her clients recover hundreds of millions of dollars in insurance proceeds.

Rikke has successfully handled high-stakes insurance claims in bench and jury trials throughout the United States. Assisting recovery efforts on small to multimillion-dollar insurance claims, Rikke helps her policyholder clients work with claims representatives and coverage counsel to achieve maximum payment. She is skilled at fully and correctly documenting many different types of insurance claims—and is a fierce advocate on behalf of her clients.

Nationally, Rikke has worked on matters involving:

  • Directors and officers (“D&O”) insurance procurement and recovery;
  • Food contamination general liability and recall insurance recovery;
  • Cyber coverage procurement and claims;
  • Pollution/alleged groundwater contamination claims under general liability, property, and pollution policies;
  • Theft and fraud claims under financial institutions bonds, crime, and liability policies;
  • Errors and omissions (“E&O”) and professional coverage claims;
  • Product liability insurance recovery for manufacturers;
  • International shipping/marine and property coverage for lost or destroyed products and container leakage claims; and
  • Property and appraisal recovery claims for storm destruction damages.

Internationally, Rikke has worked extensively on non-admitted insurance issues and international policy drafting in addition to recovering insurance funds for losses in Europe, Asia, and South America. In addition, she has extensive experience advising U.S. companies across Europe on contract drafting, retention of and work with in-country counsel, and provision of supporting opinions and analysis.

Rikke is fluent in French and Danish.

Outside the Firm

Rikke enjoys downhill skiing, singing with a choir, family time, and cooking.

Experience

  • Litigated cases in 19 states, including more than 20 trials to judgment.
  • Assist deal counsel with insurance procurement, program evaluation, and claims and litigation evaluation as well as negotiation of representation and warranty insurance coverage.
  • Assist clients and insurance brokers with annual insurance procurement and board reporting on insurance choices and program details.
  • Advise clients and attorneys on risk management, legal ethics, and loss prevention.
  • Secured over $200 million in commercial property insurance recoveries from Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, Isaac, and Katrina.

Recent successful insurance recoveries on contested coverage for:

  • Fire fatalities in a group home in 2018;
  • Apartment manager in a balcony fall fatality case in 2019;
  • Construction company for an injury case in 2019; and
  • Crime bond recovery in 2018 for a university faculty-owned condominium association.

Selected policyholder litigation includes:

  • Lead coverage counsel for an American global food corporation prevailing on a motion for judgment on the pleadings on crime coverage, with a $22 million indemnity award, plus interest at 10 percent from the date the claim was first noticed.
  • Lead coverage counsel representing nearly 150 health and fitness centers seeking insurance recovery of over $150 million for COVID-19 business interruption losses and construction delay claims throughout the United States.
  • Lead counsel from 2012–2019 in federal district court and at the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals regarding the interpretation of an AIG Batch Clause, a clause for which there was no controlling case law in the jurisdiction. The case addressed “occurrence” law in the context of products liability losses and determined the number of “occurrences” and large $500,000 deductibles owed under products liability coverage.
  • Lead counsel representing a construction company in a summary judgment determination that the insurer breached its duty to defend and owed indemnity to the insured as an additional insured.
  • Lead counsel representing an amusement park in Hurricane Katrina insurance recovery above $27 million flood submits.
  • Lead counsel representing a builder against water damage litigation, finding that the insurer breached its duty to defend.
  • Lead coverage counsel on an E&O policy representing a real estate company in finding that the insurer breached its duty to defend.
  • Lead counsel representing an amusement park for a six-million-dollar indemnity recovery under CGL policy.

Recognitions

  • 2023, Litigation: General Commercial Law, listed in Chambers USA
  • 2023, Knight of the Order of Dannebrog, awarded by Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark
  • 2022, Notable Women in Law, listed in Twin Cities Business 
  • 2021, North Star Lawyer, named by the Minnesota State Bar Association
  • 2006, Dane of the Year for Pro Bono Legal Services, awarded by the Danish American Center

Affiliations

Professional Activities

Rikke is an active member of various bar associations and organizations, including the Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee of the American Bar Association; the USA and Nordic Consul Committee of the Consular Corps of Minnesota (2014–present); serving as president (2021–present), vice president (2019–present), board member (2019–present; 2011–2013), and pro bono legal counsel (2002–2019) of the Danish American Center; and member of the Minnesota Chapter of the Women Presidents Organization (2021–present).

Rikke also serves as honorary consul for Denmark in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, appointed by Margrethe II of Denmark (2014–present).

She was named a fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel in 2020, and a founding year fellow by the Litigation Counsel of America.

Credentials

Admissions

  • U.S. District Court - Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court - Western District of Texas
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • Minnesota

Education

  • University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, BA, summa cum laude; Phi Beta Kappa
  • Université de Nantes, Higher Diploma in French, 3rd degree
  • University of Minnesota Law School, JD, cum laude