Angelia Wesch helps construction clients, real estate developers and property owners solve big, complex problems related to heavy civil infrastructure projects, differing site conditions, and delay and impact claims where knowledge of insurance coverage and insurance recovery strategies is essential. Her clients are responsible for some of the largest civil infrastructure and transportation projects happening today. Angelia’s clients turn to her for insurance recovery strategy to minimize disruption to their business. With deep understanding of the unique insurance issues facing the construction and real estate industry, Angelia offers clients an opportunity for an alternative dispute resolution mechanism that gets them back to running their business quickly. For more than three decades, Angelia has helped clients resolve first and third party insurance coverage disputes. Her experience includes litigating complex multi-million-dollar construction claims involving builder’s risk, commercial general liability, and errors and omissions (“E&O”) policies. Angelia also advises construction clients on contractual issues involving tenders of defense and indemnity, additional insured issues, and extra-contractual damages.
Committed to advancing the role of women in the legal, real estate, and construction industries, Angelia has been a member of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) since 1995, previously serving as the CREW Seattle Chapter President and a national CREW Network Board Member. CREW Network is a professional commercial real estate association comprised of more than 12,000 members in 75 different markets in the U.S., Canada, and in the U.K. As a co-founder of the CREW Seattle Leadership Development Program, Angelia has provided extensive training and professional development skills to more than 90 women from the construction and commercial real estate industries since the program’s inception in 2013. Additionally, Angelia is an original member of Women Leaders in Construction, a networking group for women in the construction industry that serves more than 500 women. In 2018, Angelia joined the Pike Place Market Foundation Board of Directors and the Foundation’s Community Services committee to help further the Foundation’s mission and vision to nurture a thriving market community by helping to provide economic stability, food access, health care, education, and a strong neighborhood community for people who live, work, and help sustain one of Seattle’s most unique and vibrant communities. In 2020, Angelia was selected as a Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel.
Experience Highlights
Business and Real Estate
- Primary Pierce County counsel for property acquisition to complete downtown Tacoma Light Rail Link.
- Local counsel for property owner regarding tenant improvements, construction, and leasing work for Frank Russell Building.
- Represented large stakeholder and owner’s group involved in the development of an 800+ acre industrial Master Plan in the city of Marysville working with municipal development authorities, governmental agencies, tribes, and county economic development and planning staff.
- Primary advisory counsel on leasing acquisition and disposition of real estate holdings for owners of Seattle based heavy civilcontractor specializing in large scale infrastructure, critical utilities, and transportation facilities for both public agencies and private developers.
Insurance Recovery and Insurance Coverage
- Insurance coverage counsel advising joint venture partners on replacement of seawall project.
- Insurance coverage counsel for specialized micro-tunneling boring machine (“MTBM”) contractors involving multiple specialized
tunneling projects in King County. - Insurance coverage counsel for specialty subcontractor providing services on the Light Rail-Central Tunneling Project in San
Francisco, CA. - Insurance coverage counsel for Joint Venture Partner on Alaskan Way Viaduct Project involving what was, at time of contract, the
world’s largest Tunnel Boring Machine (“TBM”). - Insurance coverage counsel for joint venture on Sound Transit’s Northlink Light Rail project.
- Insurance coverage and trial counsel for largest building materials and cement supplier on the West Coast with operations in Alaska,
Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona as well as Western Canada in litigation involving multi phase commercial
development project in Pacific Northwest. - Insurance coverage counsel advising general contractor on encroachment and differing site conditions claim involving a mixed use
project in Utah. - Insurance coverage counsel advising contractor involving multiple specialized tunneling projects in several Western states including
Washington, Oregon, California, and North Dakota. - Insurance coverage counsel for largest shore-based processor of Pacific Whiting on the West Coast providing advice on equipment and property claims.
- Insurance coverage counsel for fully integrated worldwide leader in transportation infrastructure construction and maintenance of road, air, rail, and maritime transport infrastructure and urban
development projects.
Honors and Awards
- Best Lawyers in America, Insurance Law, Real Estate Law, Insurance Law, and Litigation – Insurance, 2021-2024
- “Daring Woman,” Seattle Business Magazine, March 2020
- Finalist, Inspirator Award, CREW Seattle and The Registry, 2018
- Honoree, 2016 Career Advancement for Women Impact Award, CREW Network
- Mentor of the Year, CREW Seattle, 2015
- Super Lawyers, Insurance Coverage, 2015 – present
- Super Lawyers, Real Estate, 2014 – 2015
Articles & Publications
- Co-Author, “Insurance 101: The Importance of Insurance in Resolving Property Damage Claims and Construction Disputes,” 2023 WSBA Real Property Probate & Trust Section Midyear Meeting and Conference, June 2-4, 2023
- Co-Author, “Are Business Losses for COVID-19 Covered?” Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, January 29, 2021
- Presenter, “The New Normal: Real Estate in the COVID Era,” The Registry, September 17, 2020
- Co-Author, “Insurer Liability for Business Closures due to COVID-19-Will Courts Find “Physical Loss or Damage?” Client Alert, April 21, 2020
- Co-Author, “Am I Covered? Business Interruption and Extra Expense Coverage for Clients Facing Losses Associated with Coronavirus (COVID-19),” Client Alert, March 23, 2020
- Presenter, “Insurance in the Construction Industry-Duty to Defend, Reserving Rights, File Splitting and Claims Handling Issues,” The Seminar Group, Seattle, WA, October 5, 2017
- Moderator, Women of Influence, CREW Seattle & Sound Luncheon, Seattle, WA, June 8, 2017
- Speaker, Insurance and Indemnity Issues, “Construction Law from Design to Delivery,” Sterling Group Construction Law Seminar, Seattle, WA, April 28, 2017
- Speaker, IGNITE Women!, NAWIC’s Women in Construction Week, Seattle, WA, March 9, 2017
- Moderator, Exploring the Multi-Generational Work Environment, CREW Luncheon, Seattle, WA, November 12, 2015
- Moderator, “Are You Ready for the Next Generation of Leadership?” NAIOP Developing Leaders Breakfast, Seattle, WA, October 21, 2015
- Co-presenter, Mysteries of Builder’s Risk Insurance, Anchorage, AK, March 24, 2015
- Co-Founder, CREW Seattle & Sound Leadership Series, September 2013 – present
- Panelist, Women of Influence, CREW Seattle & Sound Luncheon, Seattle, WA, September, 2013
- Speaker, Ethical Considerations In Defending and Resolving Construction Disputes Involving Insurance, Insurance in the Construction Industry, The Seminar Group, Seattle, WA, 2011, 2012
Presentations
Classes & Seminars Taught
- Presenter: “ Insurance 101: The Importance of Insurance in Resolving Property Damage Claims and Construction Disputes,” 2023 WSBA Real Property Probate & Trust Section Midyear Meeting and Conference, June 2-4, 2023”
- Co-Author, “Are Business Losses for COVID-19 Covered?” Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, January 29, 2021
- Presenter, “The New Normal: Real Estate in the COVID Era,” The Registry, September 17, 2020
- Co-Author, “Insurer Liability for Business Closures due to COVID-19-Will Courts Find “Physical Loss or Damage?” Client Alert, April 21, 2020
- Co-Author, “Am I Covered? Business Interruption and Extra Expense Coverage for Clients Facing Losses Associated with Coronavirus (COVID-19),” Client Alert, March 23, 2020
- Presenter, “Insurance in the Construction Industry-Duty to Defend, Reserving Rights, File Splitting and Claims Handling Issues,” The Seminar Group, Seattle, WA, October 5, 2017
- Moderator, Women of Influence, CREW Seattle & Sound Luncheon, Seattle, WA, June 8, 2017
- Speaker, Insurance and Indemnity Issues, “Construction Law from Design to Delivery,” Sterling Group Construction Law Seminar, Seattle, WA, April 28, 2017
- Speaker, IGNITE Women!, NAWIC’s Women in Construction Week, Seattle, WA, March 9, 2017
- Moderator, Exploring the Multi-Generational Work Environment, CREW Luncheon, Seattle, WA, November 12, 2015
- Moderator, “Are You Ready for the Next Generation of Leadership?” NAIOP Developing Leaders Breakfast, Seattle, WA, October 21, 2015
- Co-presenter, Mysteries of Builder’s Risk Insurance, Anchorage, AK, March 24, 2015
- Co-Founder, CREW Seattle & Sound Leadership Series, September 2013 – present
- Panelist, Women of Influence, CREW Seattle & Sound Luncheon, Seattle, WA, September, 2013
- Speaker, Ethical Considerations In Defending and Resolving Construction Disputes Involving Insurance, Insurance in the Construction Industry, The Seminar Group, Seattle, WA, 2011, 2012
Professional Affiliations
- Fellow, American College of Coverage Counsel, 2020
- Program Committee, The Beavers, 2017 – present
- Board of Directors and Community Services Committee, Pike Place Market Foundation, 2017 – present
- Member, Women Leaders in Construction, 2013 – present
- Member, Downtown Seattle Association
- Co-Founder, CREW Seattle Leadership Series, 2013 – present
- Chapter President, CREW Seattle, 1999
- Board Member, CREW Network, 2000 – 2002
- Former Board Member, Tacoma/Pierce County Economic Development Board