Candidate Comstock Legal Profession Resume
David “Chip” Comstock is a shareholder who joined the firm of Bonezzi Switzer Polito & Hupp on January 1, 2016. Before joining BSPP, he was a partner in an insurance/malpractice defense firm in Youngstown, Ohio, for more than 25 years. He has almost four decades of trial experience in both the federal and state courts, and is associated with more than 35 reported state and federal court opinions, including 25 Ohio Supreme Court cases.
Liability Defense:
Chip has defended insurers, insureds, and Fortune 500 companies in tort, contract, product liability, professional negligence, and civil rights cases in Ohio state and federal courts.
Insurance Coverage Opinions and Litigation:
Chip is one of 26 lawyers certified by the Ohio State Bar Association in the specialty of insurance coverage law and currently sits on the OSBA insurance coverage law specialty board. His practice includes the investigation of coverage-related matters and the defense of insurance claim denials. He has also lectured on insurance claim topics more than 30 times.
Special Investigation Unit (SIU) Claims:
Chip has extensive experience in providing legal and claims handling advice to insurers in first and third-party coverage-related “suspicious” claims, including property and personal injury claims. He has conducted over 500 examinations under oath as part of this process.
Fire Litigation:
Chip has successfully defended numerous complex fire cases. His 30 years of experience in the fire service, as both an investigator and certified fire safety inspector, provide him with unparalleled expertise and insight into fire-related cases.
Local Government and Fire Service Law:
Chip’s 25+ years of experience as a fire chief provides a wealth of experience and knowledge in the operation of local government and fire service law. He has represented over 100 fire districts, townships, villages, private fire companies and chief officers. He has published more than 30 articles and has presented more than 75 lectures on fire service and government law. Chip has also assisted in the creation of more joint fire and ambulance districts than any other lawyer in Ohio.
Expert Testimony and Consulting:
Law firms, corporations, and individuals have retained Chip to provide expert testimony or consulting services in cases involving insurance bad faith, fire origin and cause, fire suppression and department operations, professional malpractice, and legal ethics. He has also provided consulting services in government operations and investigative services related to governmental/employment ethics and conduct matters.
Admitted to Bar:
1988, State of Ohio
1989, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
1989, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
1997, U.S. Supreme Court
2016, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
Education:
The College of Wooster (B.A., 1985)
The Ohio State University College of Law (J.D., 1988)
Certifications:
Ohio State Bar Association Insurance Coverage Law Certified Specialist; IRG Investigations Training Institute Certified Professional Insurance Investigator; Certified Fire Safety Inspector; Firefighter II; and Emergency Medical Technician.
Areas of Practice:
General Insurance Defense (including premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, and property and casualty claims), Insurance Coverage and Litigation, including bad faith claims, Business Litigation, Products Liability Defense, Fire Litigation, Special Investigation Unit claims and cases, Civil Rights Litigation, Professional Liability Defense, and Local Government, and Fire Service Law.
Awards:
2020-2025, Ohio Super Lawyers Recognition (top 5% of all lawyers)
2023, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys’ Outstanding Advocacy Award
2020, Boardman High School Alumni of the Year