The Future of Insurance – Cayce Lunch, National Managing Partner, Tyson & Mendes

Episode Info

Cayce E. Lynch is the National Managing Partner and an Equity Partner at Tyson & Mendes. In this capacity, she leads the firm’s strategic vision and execution across all offices, focusing on optimizing the firm’s performance and addressing challenges in the evolving insurance defense industry. As part of the firm’s executive leadership team, Ms. Lynch is passionate about fostering a culture centered on people while driving results, reflecting her belief that organizations thrive when they balance purpose with humanity.

Under Ms. Lynch’s leadership, the firm has more than quadrupled in size and strengthened its reputation as a leader in insurance defense. She is the founder of several transformative initiatives, including the Tyson & Mendes Women’s Initiative, Young Professionals Group, and Diversity & Inclusion Committee, which provide mentorship and support for the firm’s attorneys and staff as well as insurance professionals nationwide. She also established Tyson & Mendes University, the firm’s premier internal education program that delivers unparalleled training for attorneys to ensure excellence in legal practice and client service.

In her leadership, Ms. Lynch prioritizes work-life harmony over rigid concepts of “balance.” She is a vocal advocate for supporting working parents, empowering underrepresented groups, and encouraging individuals to fully embrace authenticity in their work. Her initiatives and approach aim to support employees in thriving personally and professionally. An industry-recognized speaker and educator, Ms. Lynch regularly presents CE and MCLE updates on topics such as preventing Nuclear Verdicts® and social inflation. She also serves as faculty for the Nuclear Verdicts Defense Institute, helping train defense professionals to combat Nuclear Verdict® trends.

Ms. Lynch has been recognized with numerous awards, including San Diego Business Journal’s “Business Women of the Year” Award (2017), “Top 40 Under 40” by both San Diego Metro and San Diego Business Journal (2018, 2019), and CLM’s inaugural “Phenoms Under 40” (2022). She has also been listed as a “Woman of Influence in Law” (2021-2023)and a “Leader of Influence in Law” (2023) by San Diego Business Journal.

Ms. Lynch earned her J.D., cum laude, in 2011 from the William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she served as the Outside Articles Editor for the University of Hawaii Law Review. After graduation, she clerked for Associate Justice James Duffy at the Hawaii Supreme Court. She is licensed to practice law in California and Colorado.

Episode Highlights

1. The Apex Method:

   • Cayce Lynch introduces the "Apex" method, a holistic approach designed to prevent nuclear verdicts by diffusing juror anger from the onset of a case. This method emphasizes reasonableness and being a good human.

2. Core Four Strategies:

   • The Apex method includes four key strategies, referred to as the "Core Four," which are crucial in preventing juror anger and, consequently, nuclear verdicts. Research indicates that these strategies are often not utilized by the defense.

3. Data-Driven Insights:

   • The book is backed by extensive research, including the analysis of trial transcripts from 100 nuclear verdicts over the past decade. This research highlights the importance of understanding the psychological tactics used by the plaintiff's bar.

4. Message of Hope:

   • Despite the increasing challenge of nuclear verdicts, Cayce Lynch offers a message of hope. By changing defense strategies and presentations in court, there is potential to alter the trajectory of these verdicts and improve the viability of the insurance industry.

5. Upcoming Book Release:

   • "Nuclear Verdicts: The Apex" is set to launch on October 22nd, with pre-sales available from early September.

These insights from Cayce Lynch's interview provide a comprehensive look at the challenges and solutions surrounding nuclear verdicts, offering valuable strategies for defense attorneys and claims professionals.

This episode is brought to you by The Future of Insurance book series (future-of-insurance.com) from Bryan Falchuk.

Follow the podcast at future-of-insurance.com/podcast for more details and other episodes.

Music courtesy of Hyperbeat Music, available to stream or download on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music and more.