Practice Areas and Experience

• JPA and SIG Governance and Compliance
• Coverage Analysis and Advice

Beginning in 1988, Mr. Alliston provided coverage opinions to insurance company clients, and within a couple of years was recruited by one of them. During his three and a half years as a Claims Attorney at Nationwide Insurance, he managed litigated liability claims files, most involving coverage disputes, and learned how insurance claims departments work. Upon his return to law firm practice in 1994, he resumed coverage analysis, counseling, and litigation work for insurance companies, and began providing coverage opinions and position letters to school district JPAs. Since then his practice has evolved to representing primarily JPAs, self-insured groups, and risk retention groups. Over the years he has written hundreds of coverage opinions and position letters, drafted or amended insurance policies and memorandums of coverage, and litigated coverage disputes. 

Since 2009, Mr. Alliston has acted as outside general or board counsel for JPAs and SIGs. In that capacity he has advised regarding concerning compliance with the Brown Act, Public Records Act and other laws and regulations; has analyzed, drafted, or amended joint powers agreements and bylaws; negotiated agreements with withdrawing members; helped wind down JPAs; and reviewed and revised contracts with management companies, claims administrators, financial advisors, and other service providers. 

Mr. Alliston was a shareholder at Farmer, Murphy, Smith & Alliston and later at Murphy, Campbell, Alliston & Quinn before opening his own practice in 2022.

BETA Risk Management Authority, California Charter Schools Joint Powers Authority dba CharterSAFE, California Intergovernmental Risk Authority (CIRA), California Transit Indemnity Pool (CalTIP), Employment Risk Management Authority (ERMA), Municipal Insurance Cooperative (MIC), California Healthcare Insurance Company / Optima Healthcare Insurance Services,  and Schools Insurance Authority (SIA, California’s original self-insured risk pool JPA). 

California Transit Indemnity Pool (CalTIP), Credit Union Self-Insured Group of California (CUSIG), Employment Risk Management Authority (ERMA), Fire Risk Management Services (FRMS), Golden State Risk Management Authority (GSRMA), Local Agencies Workers' Compensation Excess JPA (LAWCX), Municipal Insurance Cooperative (MIC), Marin Schools Insurance Authority (MSIA), Northern California Special Districts Insurance Authority (NCSDIA), Redwood Empire Municipal Insurance Fund (REMIF), Schools Insurance Authority (SIA), and Vector Control Joint Powers Authority (VCJPA).