K. Clark Schirle

Partner

Clark Schirle is a partner in the Chicago office of Clausen Miller P.C.  His practice areas include property losses, business interruption, insurance coverage and international. 

Mr. Schirle has expertise in litigating large, complex, multi-million dollar first-party property disputes across the country, including builder’s risk claims, boiler and machinery claims and significant business interruption cases.   

His work involves claims encompassing carpet mills, warehouse and distribution facilities, meat processing plants, casinos, synfuel plants, coal mines, underground tunnels, concrete caissons, cement kilns, industrial furnaces, airports, ports, high schools, and commercial buildings. Mr. Schirle's involvement is reflected in all aspects of these cases including participation in numerous mediations and arbitrations. 

Mr. Schirle has extensive international experience and counsels European insurers on claims involving significant liability exposures in the United States.  His work has involved him closely with Clausen Miller’s London office, most recently on a case involving a rescission action in London, resulting in obtaining an anti-suit injunction from the London court barring the insured from proceeding with litigation pending in the United States.  Mr. Schirle has also participated in mediations in London and Germany. 

Mr. Schirle litigates commercial matters of all size and complexity.  These cases include, multi-million dollar cases for both plaintiffs and defendants in federal and state courts as well as bankruptcy courts while representing liquidating trustees.  His commercial litigation experience involves a wide range of legal matters and businesses.  Substantive areas litigated include warranty cases involving defective products, securities and commodities fraud, banking, corporate control, software licensing agreements, contracts, employment, real estate, commercial code, intellectual property, defamation, RICO and legal malpractice.  

Mr. Schirle, throughout his career, he has litigated cases involving a number of business sectors, including manufacturing, construction, finance, energy, public entities and hospitality.   

Mr. Schirle is a past Chair of the Property Insurance Law Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section.  The Committee, which has over 700 members, is comprised of lawyers across the country who specialize in property insurance coverage and litigation. 

 

He is a frequent lecturer and author in the area of first party property insurance.

 

Education

 
  • J.D. U.C.L.A- School of Law, 1988
  • B.A. Political Science, Phi Beta Kappa, University of Illinois, 1985

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 1988
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 1992

Organization Affiliations

  • Past Chair, ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section - Property Insurance Law Committee
  • Member, ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section - International Committee; Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee
  • Member, French-American Chamber of Commerce