UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA 

CASE NO: 20-21707-CV-MARTINEZ

RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC.,

Plaintiff,

vs.

FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY; 

TRAVELERS CASUALTY AND SURETY 

COMPANY OF AMERICA; GREAT 

AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY; 

BEAZLEY INSURANCE COMPANY, INC.; 

and ST. PAUL MERCURY INSURANCE 

COMPANY,

Defendants.

PLAINTIFF RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC.’S REPLY IN FURTHER 

SUPPORT OF MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT AGAINST 

DEFENDANT GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY

Plaintiff, Raymond James Financial, Inc. (“Raymond James”), by and through undersigned 

counsel, files this reply in further support of its Motion for Partial Summary Judgment against 

Defendant Great American Insurance Company, Inc. (the “Motion”) [ECF No. 125], and states:

In its Response to the Motion, GAIC has withdrawn its Seventeenth, Eighteenth and 

Twentieth Affirmative Defenses. [ECF No. 147]. Notwithstanding this withdrawal, the Court 

may still grant summary judgment in favor of Raymond James on these defenses. See Rios v. State 

Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., No. 11-80571-CIV, 2012 WL 3230431, at *2-3 (S.D. Fla. Aug. 6, 2012) 

(granting plaintiff’s motion for partial summary judgment even after defendant agreed to withdraw 

affirmative defenses in its response). Alternatively, if the Court denies the Motion as moot, GAIC

should be prohibited from introducing any evidence in support of these withdrawn defenses at 

trial. See FDIC v. Loudermilk, No. 1:12-CV-4156-TWT, 2016 WL 7334643, at *2 (N.D. Ga. Oct. 

Case 1:20-cv-21707-JEM Document 157 Entered on FLSD Docket 08/20/2021 Page 1 of 5
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5, 2016) (denying motion for summary judgment as moot in light of withdrawn defenses but 

including in order that “Defendants will be prohibited from presenting evidence as to the 

withdrawn affirmative defenses at trial”).

As to GAIC’s Third Affirmative Defense, Raymond James has been clear from the outset 

that it was seeking only the $60 million “single loss” limit of liability under the Bonds. Indeed, 

the very first sentence of the original Complaint and First Amended Complaint could not be 

clearer: “This is an action for breach of contract against the Insurers that promised a $60 million 

tower of ‘single’ loss employee fidelity coverage . . . .” [ECF No. 1 at ¶ 1; ECF No. 39 at ¶ 1; see 

also ECF No. 126 at Ex. A, Resp. No. 3]. Therefore, the aggregate limit of liability is completely 

inapplicable.

Finally, as to GAIC’s Thirteenth Affirmative Defense, Raymond James has never indicated 

an intention to seek the recovery of fees and costs it incurred in the underlying lawsuits against 

Raymond James and Burstein. Rather, it has always claimed to be seeking to recover attorneys’ 

fees and costs in this action pursuant to Fla. Stat. § 627.428. See [ECF No. 39; ECF No. 126 at 

Ex. 4, Resp. No. 3]. In the event Raymond James prevails against GAIC, an award of fees under 

Fla. Stat. § 627.428 “is a mandatory, non-discretionary requirement of law.” Sanchez v. AN Luxury 

Imports of Pembroke Pines, Inc., 216 So. 3d 723, 730 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2017). However, 

Raymond James agrees that its entitlement to attorneys’ fees and costs can be dealt with after trial.

WHEREFORE, Raymond James respectfully requests that the Court grant Raymond 

James’ Motion for Partial Summary Judgment Against Defendant Great American Insurance 

Company [ECF No. 125] and grant such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.

Case 1:20-cv-21707-JEM Document 157 Entered on FLSD Docket 08/20/2021 Page 2 of 5
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Date: August 20, 2021 Respectfully submitted,

/s/ Jason S. Mazer

Jason S. Mazer, Esq. 

Florida Bar No. 0149871 

Joshua R. Alhalel, Esq. 

Florida Bar No. 0016320

CIMO MAZER MARK PLLC

100 Southeast Second Street, Suite 3650

Miami, Florida 33131

Telephone: (305) 374-6481

Fax: (305) 374-6488

jmazer@cmmlawgroup.com

jalhalel@cmmlawgroup.com

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on August 20, 2021, 2021, I electronically filed this Reply with the 

Clerk of Court using CM/ECF. I also certify that the foregoing document is being served this day 

on parties listed in the below Service List via transmission of Notices of Electronic Filing 

generated by CM/ECF. 

/s/ Jason S. Mazer

Case 1:20-cv-21707-JEM Document 157 Entered on FLSD Docket 08/20/2021 Page 3 of 5
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SERVICE LIST

Kristina L. Marsh, Esq. 

Florida Bar No. 0311080

GORDON REES SCULLY 

MANSUKHANI

601 S. Harbor Island Blvd., Suite 109

Tampa, FL 33602

Telephone (Main): 813-444-9700

Telephone (Direct) 813-523-4937

Facsimile: 813-377-3505

kmarsh@grsm.com

afiorito@grsm.com

cflores@grsm.com

fgude@grsm.com

kwatson@grsm.com

Tampapleadings@grsm.com

and

Scott L. Schmookler, Esq.

Sarah Riedl Clark, Esq.

Chantal Christine Wonder, Esq.

Angel Lewosz, Esq.

GORDON REES SCULLY

MANSUKHANI

One North Franklin, Suite 800

Chicago, IL 60606

Telephone: 312-980-6779

sschmookler@grsm.com

srclark@grsm.com

cwonder@grsm.com

aruff@grsm.com

alewosz@grsm.com

Counsel for Federal Insurance Company

James M. Kaplan, Esq. 

Florida Bar No. 921040

KAPLAN ZEENA LLP

2 South Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 3050

Miami, Florida 33131

Telephone: (305) 530-0800

Facsimile: (305) 530-0801

James.kaplan@kaplanzeena.com

Elizabeth.salom@kaplanzeena.com

service@kaplanzeena.com

and

Michael Keeley, Esq.

John R. Riddle, Esq.

Clark Hill Strasburger

901 Main Street, Suite 6000

Dallas, Texas 75202-3794

Telelphone: (214) 651-4718

Facsimile: (214) 659-4121

mkeeley@clarkhill.com

jriddle@clarkhill.com

Counsel for Beazley Insurance Company, Inc.

Case 1:20-cv-21707-JEM Document 157 Entered on FLSD Docket 08/20/2021 Page 4 of 5
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E.A. “Seth” Mills, Jr., Esq. 

Florida Bar No. 339652 

Ryan J. Weeks, Esq.

Florida Bar No. 57897

MILLS PASKERT DIVERS

100 N. Tampa Street, Suite 3700

Telephone: (813) 229-3500

Facsimile: (813) 229-3502

smills@mpdlegal.com

rweeks@mpdlegal.com

csoltis@mpdlegal.com

Counsel for Travelers Casualty and Surety 

Company of America

Dustin C. Blumenthal

Florida Bar No. 0149871 

Goldberg Segalla

222 Lakeview Avenue, Suite 800

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Telephone: (561) 618-4485

Facsimile: (561) 618-4549

dblumenthal@goldbergsegalla.com

lparker@goldbergsegalla.com

and

Stephen N. Dratch, Esq.

Julian Wilsey, Esq.

Franzblau Dratch, P.C.

354 Eisenhower Parkway

Livingston, New Jersey 07039

Telephone: (973) 992-3700

sdratch@njcounsel.com

jwilsey@njcounsel.com

Counsel for Great American Insurance 

Company

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