Overview
Commercial Disputes
William represents clients as plaintiffs and defendants in complex business disputes pending in state and federal courts, including a case involving the civil provisions of the Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organization Act (RICO). He also has represented a variety of clients in commercial litigation matters, including owners and contractors in construction-related disputes and land use and real estate matters. In these representations, William has first-chaired a nonjury trial and an arbitration proceeding.
Product Liability Litigation
William has represented manufacturers and owners of various products in connection with a variety of product-related claims, including product liability, breach of warranty, common law fraud, Medicaid fraud and violations of state deceptive trade practices acts. He currently represents a major pharmaceutical manufacturer in a state court mass tort proceeding involving thousands of personal injury product liability actions.
Representative Experience
- Defending a pharmaceutical manufacturer in various state court actions alleging product liability, breach of warranty, common law fraud, Medicaid fraud, and violations of state deceptive trade practices acts.
- Defending class action civil RICO suit brought by third-party payors against a pharmaceutical manufacturer.
- Representing the prior owner of a facility in connection with product liability claims arising from the use of manufacturing equipment installed during his client’s ownership of the manufacturing facility.
State Attorneys General Litigation
William has represented a pharmaceutical manufacturer in numerous matters brought by state attorneys general alleging violations of state Medicaid fraud statutes, state false claims acts, and state deceptive trade practice statutes.
Securities Litigation and Accountants’ Defense
William represents individuals charged with workplace misconduct, particularly as it relates to public accounting rules and commodity trading regulations.
Representative Experience
- Representing an office managing partner of a national accounting firm who served as the concurring partner on a purportedly deficient audit in a Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) investigation that concerned alleged work paper violations under both PCAOB standards and generally accepted auditing standards (GAAS). No charges or claims were brought against the client.
- Representing a futures trader in a CFTC investigation concerning alleged attempted market manipulation in violation of Sections 6(c), 6(d), and 9(a)(2) of the Commodity Exchange Act.
Internal Investigations and White Collar Criminal Defense
Clients with corporate fiduciary responsibilities engage William when they need to investigate and act on allegations of insider trading, workplace misconduct, and other threats to public and private companies. He conducts fair and balanced assessments of executive conduct and advises governing boards on the law and on their fiduciary duties to shareholders. In these engagements and others, William was responsible for managing various projects, including the retrieval, organization, review, and production of electronic data in response to civil, regulatory, and grand jury requests.
Representative Experience
- Representing a Special Committee of the Board of Directors of a Fortune 500 company in connection with an investigation of alleged insider trading involving senior-level executives of the company.
- Assisting in a document-intensive investigation for a major health care company that involved unique and complex issues.
- Representing a Special Committee of the Board of Trustees of a major university in connection with an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by a professor.
- Representing a corporate manager in connection with a federal grand jury investigation into alleged violations of the federal Clean Air Act.
Prior to entering private practice, William served as a law clerk to the Honorable Joseph H. Rodriguez, U.S.D.J., in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Related Services
Related Industries
Credentials
Bar Admissions
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Court Admissions
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
Clerkships
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Hon. Joseph J. Rodriguez, 2005-2006
Education
Rutgers School of Business - Camden
M.B.A. with high honors (2005)
Rutgers School of Law - Camden
J.D. with honors (2005)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
B.A. (1999)
Insights & Events
Latest
Insights
Other Perspectives
- Smart Contracts: A Few Tips to Avoid Being Outsmarted
Republished in The Journal of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & Law, January–February 2023
Firm Blog Contributions
- Broker Dealer Law Blog – a resource that provides practical insights on litigation, regulatory, compliance and fiduciary issues impacting broker-dealers
- Enforcement Highlights – a blog that provides reports, discussions and analyses on noteworthy trends in the enforcement and regulatory activity of the SEC and other agencies
- Faegre Drinker on Products – a blog addressing all things product liability that covers legal issues and developments of interest to product manufacturers and their employers