Our Team

Blaire Bruns Johnson is a partner at McDowell Hetherington LLP. She focuses her litigation practice on the areas of life, health and disability insurance, including ERISA and group benefits. Blaire also handles matters involving financial services, factoring, business torts, employment, oil and gas, and stop-loss insurance. Blaire maintains a subrogation docket assisting carrier clients in enforcing their reimbursement/subrogation rights.

Blaire has experience in both state and federal courts as well as in arbitration proceedings and has handled matters in at least 27 states across the country.

Blaire is Texas Guardian Ad litem certified. Blaire has been recognized as a Texas “Rising Star” attorney by Super Lawyers Magazine in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Blaire is a member of the Association of Women Attorneys.

Blaire is actively involved in her community. She volunteers to assist homeless families through her local church. Blaire is married and has two small children.

HONORS

Recognized as Texas “Rising Star” Attorney by Super Lawyers Magazine, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

• Obtained judgment in favor of client The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America which was upheld on appeal by the Fifth Circuit. Like the district court, the Fifth Circuit determined that Guardian did not abuse its discretion in denying long term disability benefits, affirmed the recovery of Guardian’s fees during the district court litigation, granted partial fees on appeal, and taxed costs against the appellant. The opinion, notably affirms that an administrator need not mention in its denial letter every piece of evidence it considers in reaching its benefit determination, dispelling a common argument made by claimants in ERISA cases.
• Obtained summary judgment for client American General Life Insurance Company in a multi-million dollar lawsuit arising out a terminated life insurance policy which was upheld on appeal by the Texas First Court of Appeals.
• Obtained dismissal of numerous claims against various Anthem clients in multi-million dollar out-of-network provider litigation. The matter is currently on appeal to the Fifth Circuit.
• Represented national and regional carriers in various ERISA litigation matters and appeals.
• Represented stop loss carriers and managing general underwriter in various stop-loss litigation matters.
• Represented carriers in complex insurance and financial services cases and appeals.
• Represented carrier in multi-party unclaimed property litigation in West Virginia.
• Represented carrier and subsidiary companies in numerous first-party health and disability insurance litigation matters.
• Represented a drilling company in a multi-million dollar international arbitration proceeding.

ADMISSIONS

EDUCATION