Carolyn Branthoover practices in the area of complex commercial litigation and international arbitration. In addition to representing Fortune 100 companies and investors in litigation, including trials, arising out of complex commercial transactions, she has considerable experience with respect to insurance coverage disputes arising under a wide variety of liability and property policies related to environmental, toxic tort, employment, business interruption, and product liabilities. She has represented major industrial and commercial clients in numerous state and federal courts in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio and Washington, and she has acted as lead trial counsel in a number of high stakes disputes before both U.S. courts and international arbitration tribunals under the Rules of the AAA, ICDR and LCIA. In 2006, Carolyn represented an aluminum distributor in securing a $59.6 million jury verdict in a UCC breach of warranties case tried in federal court in Washington. This verdict was among the top 100 U.S. verdicts of 2006, ranking 27th.
Carolyn Branthoover has been a lawyer with the firm since 1982 and has been a partner since 1990. She previously served as the managing partner of the Pittsburgh office and recently completed a term as one of the practice area leaders of the firm’s litigation and dispute resolution practice area. She is a member of the firm’s insurance coverage and international arbitration practice groups. Carolyn regularly produces articles and podcasts on issues of interest to international arbitration and insurance coverage practitioners, and she has spoken at a number of regional and national seminars on a variety of topics. She has also served as an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association and in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.
- Recognized by the Best Lawyers in America® for Insurance Law, 2015-2020, 2022-2023
- Named to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list for Business Litigation, 2014-2023
- American Bar Association
- United Way of Allegheny County (Board Member, 2012-2017)
- Women’s Leadership Council of the United Way (Member, 2011-2016)
- Wexford Children’s Center (Board Member, 2002-2004; Chair, 2004)
- Wexford Community Presbyterian Church (Elder and Session member, 2006-2011, 2015-2017, and 2023)
- “Effectively Managing Risk: Contractual Indemnification and Additional Insured Coverage,” National Sand Stone and Gravel Association Annual Convention, Legal Symposium, February 13, 2019 (Indianapolis, IN)
- “Board Member Liability and Risk,” Women on Boards 2020, Executive Leadership Development Workshop, October 4, 2018
- “Insurance Policy Rescission: Navigating the Differing Standards Underlying a Misrepresentation Claim or Defense,” Strafford Publications webinar, October 13, 2016
- “Issues in E-Commerce Business Interruption Coverage” – ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Section, Midyear Meeting, March 2, 2002 (Tucson, AZ)
- “Environmental Update” (panel discussion) – ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Section, Midyear Meeting, March 10, 2001 (Tucson, AZ)
- “First Party Coverage Review” – ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Section, Midyear Meeting, March 8-10, 2001 (Tucson, AZ)
- “Career Transitions and Exit Strategies” – 2nd Law Firm Associate Management Forum: Training, Supporting and Keeping Your Best Associates, July 15-16, 1999 (San Francisco, CA)
- “Insurance Coverage Litigation Workshop – Influencing a Jury” – 2nd National Conference for Women Insurance Professionals, May 17-18, 1999 (Chicago, IL)
- “Knowledge Management: Building and Leveraging Professional Expertise” – The Law Firm Associate Management Forum: Training, Supporting and Keeping Your Best Associates, February 25-26, 1999 (Washington, D.C.)
- “Distinct Coverage Approaches for Component Part Manufacturers” – 2nd Annual Conference on Insurance Coverage for Tobacco-Related Litigation & Liability, June 9-10, 1997 (Washington, D.C.)
- Settlement (Civil Litigation) Q&A: US (New York), part of Practice Note, Settlement: Cross-Border Dispute Resolution, Thomson Reuters Practical Law, July 2020
- “Congress Considers Closing Trade Secret “Discovery Loophole”: Section 1782,” IP Litigator, January/February 2019
- Q&A With K&L Gates' Carolyn Branthoover, Law360, 3 May 2016
- “New York Rescission Law Strikes Again: Lessons Learned From the Voiding of Heinz's Product Contamination Insurance Policy,” FC&S Legal, 4 April 2016
- “K&L Gates Launches Multidisciplinary Biometric Data Compliance and Defense Practice,” December 6, 2017
- “In Marketing Its ‘Trial Jocks,’ K&L Gates Takes a New Approach,” Am Law Litigation Daily, October 3, 2017
