William has more than 30 years’ experience as a litigator. He advises insurance companies in complex coverage matters and represents insurers in coverage and bad faith litigation in federal and state trial courts, and on appeal. William has extensive litigation experience in areas including professional liability, intellectual property and commercial disputes. He has tried complex bench and jury cases, as well as arbitrations, and has argued more than two dozen federal and state appeals in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and outside of New England.
Practices
- Obtained summary judgment for general liability insurer in case seeking coverage for $400,000 default judgment
- Obtained summary judgment for rental car company in case involving injury to pedestrian
- Obtained summary judgment for nursing home and estate-planning attorney
- Settlement of claim involving injury to handicapped adolescent for snowmobile dealership
- Settlement of claim involving alleged improper termination for co-founder of search-technology company
- Prevailed on summary judgment for condominium association against claim brought by unit owners for water damage
- Amicus brief on behalf of land-trust organization in appeal involving unlawful removal of trees
- Settlement for insurer client in complex multi-party insurance dispute arising from housing-development class action
- Settlement for claim of responsibility on behalf of medical practice for doctor’s misconduct
- Settlement of family dispute over handling of trusts and real-estate interests
- Reversal of benefits following insurer’s decision to deny claim by parents of employee who died in automobile fire (non-litigation)
- Settlement of accountant in malpractice claim involving audit of public housing authority
- Obtained summary judgment for fireproofing subcontractor in claim for coverage of contract dispute
- Prevailed on summary judgment for home inspector in claim for failing to settle buyer’s claim
- Successful resolution of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Code of Ethics charges against accountant-auditor
- Injunction in favor attorney against website for publishing personal information
- Settlement of malpractice dispute between large law firm and university in case involving the handling of construction dispute (non-litigation)
- Settlement of malpractice dispute between accounting firm client and entrepreneur in case involving alleged missed tax benefits
- Obtained summary judgment for professional liability insurer in dispute over claim wherein Plaintiff sought return of $215 million in contingent fees from securities class action
- Prevailed on summary judgment for accounting firm client in suit brought by owner of restaurant group
- Successful resolution of suit alleging improper refusal to settle harassment case on behalf of liability insurer
- Awarded $1.13 million in arbitration of fee dispute between tax consultants and defense contractor
- Obtained summary judgment victories for professional liability insurer in federal cases involving coverage for attorneys caught in check scams
- Settlement of patent-licensing dispute with manufacturer on behalf of medical device inventors
- Settlement of legal malpractice claim arising from $52 million commercial arbitration award in trademark-licensing dispute
- Settlement of claim against primary carrier for mishandling defense of insured and failing to settle on behalf of umbrella insurer
- Successfully defended Fortune 500 technology company, through jury trial and appeal, in trademark dispute with Massachusetts software maker
- Jury verdict for patent lawyers in malpractice case arising from dispute over biotech patent
- Jury verdict for owners of Irish pubs in trademark dispute against major hotel chain; recognized as one of “biggest defense wins” of the year by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly
- Successful in arbitration for tax accountant in dispute involving prominent author client’s audit
- Pre-trial dismissal of product liability lawsuit involving defective design brought by quadriplegic Plaintiff against office-furniture maker
- Substantial settlement on behalf of family of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) worker who suffocated inside walk-in freezer
- Favorable resolution of dispute against medical-device company over alleged breach of disclosure agreement on behalf of inventor
- Dismissal of suit against aluminum can manufacturer that was alleged to have violated an equipment lease
- Obtained jury verdict on behalf of bank’s general counsel accused of withholding information about pending loan application in malpractice case
- Obtained summary judgment for on behalf of law firm charged with malpractice for improper drafting of release in tort case
- Successfully defended liquid-propane valve manufacturer in jury trial against product liability claims brought by tank-truck operator who was severely injured in an explosion
- Prevailed for ferry passenger in jury trial who fell down a flight of stairs and suffered a debilitating knee injury
- Prevailed in disputes involving defective design products claims addressed to stationary power woodworking tools, heating-system controls, large appliances, conveyor systems, construction cranes and pneumatic tire-changing machines
Education
- Northeastern University School of Law, JD, 1991
- Dartmouth College, BA, English and Government, 1985
Admissions
- Massachusetts
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- United States District Courts: District of Massachusetts, District of Maine, District of New Hampshire, District of Vermont
- United States Courts of Appeal: First Circuit, Second Circuit, Fourth Circuit
Languages
- English