Founder Ray Bourhis

As a pioneer in disability insurance litigation, Ray played a crucial role in holding insurers accountable for their unethical denial of claims. His relentless pursuit of justice set new legal precedents and led to millions of dollars in recoveries for his clients—many of whom faced unjust treatment when they needed their benefits the most. Ray’s fearless advocacy and profound legal expertise earned him a reputation as one of the nation’s leading consumer rights attorneys.

Ray’s legacy of fighting for fairness and dignity in the insurance industry continues today under the leadership of his son, Matthew Bourhis. Sharing Ray’s deep belief in justice, fairness, and compassion for those who have been mistreated by the insurance industry, Bourhis Law Group has expanded to offer legal representation to disabled individuals around the world.

• 2000 to present. Has authored dozens of internet articles on insurance law, disability coverage and bad faith, available online at Bourhislaw.com,  DoctorsAndDisability.com and InsuranceConsumers.com.
• When Disaster Strikes Will Your Insurer Be There For You, San Francisco Chronicle, Op Ed, September 2005.
• Author, Insult to Injury: Insurance, Fraud and the Big Business of Bad Faith. Endorsed by Sen. Edward Kennedy, Hon. Lynn Woolsey, Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi.
• The Private Practice of Public Interest Law, Panel Discussion, Harvard Law School, April 03.
• So You Thought You Had Disability Insurance, Northern California Psychiatric Association June 2004
• California Tort Reporter, June-July 2004, McGregor v. Paul Revere Life Insurance Co., 369 F.3d 1099 (9th Cir. 2004)
• Mealey’s Litigation Report, Insurance Bad Faith July 20, 2004, 9th Circuit Panel Upholds $7.6 Million Verdict in Favor of Insured, Finds No Error (Joan Hangarter v. Provident Life and Accident Insurance Co., The Paul Revere Life Insurance Co., and UNUMProvident Corp., 02-17423, 9th Cir. 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 12841).
• The Preparation and Trial of an Individual Disability Bad Faith Case: State Bar of California, 76th Annual Meeting. Anaheim, CA September 2003
• Litigating Disability Insurance Claims. American Conference Institute, Boston, MA March, 2003
• The Ins & Outs of Litigating Bad Faith Disability Cases At Trial. San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association. January, 2003.
• Litigating Individual Disability Insurance Claims: Obtaining Punitive Damage Verdicts in Bad Faith Claims. The Bar Association of San Francisco, November, 2002.
• Punitive Damages in Disability Coverage. Association of Trial Lawyers of America Conference. San Diego April, 2002.
• Analyzing “Own Occupation” Disability Coverage. Association of Trial Lawyers of America Conference. Miami Beach, FL February, 2002.
• Bad Faith: Depositions and Cross Examinations of Claims Personnel; Expanding Your Practice in the New Millennium. Association of Trial Lawyers of America. San Francisco, CA – July, 1999.
• Strategies for Success in Litigating Disability Claims. American Conference Institute. Boston, MA June, 1999.
• Summation in a Bad Faith Case. Consumer Attorneys of California. Lake Tahoe, NV March, 1998.
• Cross-Examination of the Insurer’s Bad Faith Expert. Association of Trial Lawyers of America. San Diego, CA July, 1997.
• Cross-Examination in Deposition and at Trial. Consumer Attorneys of California. San Francisco, CA November, 1996.
• The Need for Federal Insurance Reform. Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Boston, MA July, 1996.
• Insurance Litigation, Recorder Magazine (Legal Newspaper). Analyzing Insurance Coverage and Maximizing Recoveries in Bad Faith Cases. San Francisco, CA – July, 1996.
• The Duty to Defend in Insurance Regulation: General Principles. Association of Trial Lawyers of America.
  • Breckenridge, CO March, 1996.
  • Los Angeles, CA February, 1996.
• Homeowners’ Insurance and Bad Faith. Consumer Attorneys of California. Los Angeles, CA – November, 1995.
• Cross-Examination of Insurance Witnesses at Deposition and Trial. Consumer Attorneys of California. April, 1995.
• Emergency Issues in Commercial and Homeowners Coverage. Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Chicago, IL – July, 1994.
• Selected Issues in Insurance Litigation. State Bar of California.
  • Continuing Education of the Bar. San Francisco, Santa Clara, Sacramento.
  • Videotaped for 34 additional locations – December, 1993.
• Advising Individual and Commercial Policyholders Concerning Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith. The San Francisco Daily Journal, 1992
• Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith. Stratton Press. Bad Faith Seminar. San Francisco, Beverly Hills, Santa Clara. 1988-1989.
• Trial Strategy in Insurance Bad Faith Litigation. California Trial Lawyers Association. San Francisco, CA 1985
• Strategy and Tactical Considerations in Bad Faith Actions. California Trial Lawyers Association. San Francisco, CA 1985
• Bad Faith Insurance Litigation. State Bar of California, C.E.B. Seminar. San Francisco, Monterey, San Rafael, San Jose, April-May, 1985
• Insurance Bad Faith: Some Commonly Asked Questions, Answers and a Few Predictions. San Francisco Attorney Magazine. Bar Association of San Francisco. California Trial Lawyers Magazine. CTLA. March, 1985.
• Calculating and Proving Damages. State Bar of California. C.E.B. San Francisco, San Jose, Tahoe. January, 1985.
• Seaman’s Direct Buying Service, Inc. v. Standard Oil Co. and The Law of Commercial Bad Faith. California Trial Lawyers Magazine. CTLA. August, 1984.
• Insurance Bad Faith Litigation. California Trial Lawyers Association. Statewide Seminar. San Diego, CA 1984
• The State Bar Litigation Specialization Program: A New Solution or a New Problem? Los Angeles Daily Journal and San Francisco Recorder, August 1984.
• California Trial Lawyers Association. CTLA. August, 1984.
• Insurance Bad Faith and The Use of Insurance Code Section 790.03. California Trial Lawyers Association and San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association. San Francisco, CA 1983.
• Persuasion in Settlement and Trial. California Trial Lawyers Association and San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association. San Francisco, CA 1983.
• Evaluating and Arguing Damages. California Trial Lawyers Association and San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association. San Francisco, CA 1983.
• Proving Income Loss for the Insured Professional or Self-Employed Person. California Trial Lawyers Association. CTLA. March, 1983.
• Recognition and Recovery for Bad Faith Torts. TRIAL Magazine. Association of Trial Lawyers of America. December, 1982.
• Summation. California Trial Lawyers Association. Statewide Seminar, Anaheim, CA 1982.
• Pleading and Proving General Damages. State Bar of California. C.E.B. San Francisco, San Mateo, Yosemite, CA 1982.
• Examination and Cross-Examination of Expert Witnesses. State Bar of California. C.E.B., San Francisco, CA 1981.