Biography
A full time mediator and arbitrator since 1981, Bill's national experience includes more than a thousand complex, multi-party cases arising in over 40 states and foreign countries, as well as appointments by federal and state judges in 10 states. He established the Chicago JAMS/ENDISPUTE office in 1982 and has implemented tailored resolution procedures for sensitive, high-stakes individual matters and diverse groups of difficult cases. Prior to 1981, he practiced law, concentrating on commercial, employment and insurance related litigation where he represented both plaintiffs and defendants. His national practice includes hundreds of complex mediations in some 40 states involving multiple private and governmental parties.
Representative Matters
- Building Failure
- New Jersey. Several $millions of alleged damages involving oceanfront highrise, 250+ contested items among 16 parties and 100+ condo owners
- Michigan. 33 international parties, $42M damages, problems with the exterior wall and other aspects of a new 33-story mixed use building
- Texas. 400-unit condominium development dispute claiming structural defects, design, drainage, and statute of limitation issues
- Class Action: Asbestos
- St. Louis, Mo. Appointment as Special Mediator by federal court to help resolve consolidated group of 400+ asbestos cases
- Coverage: Construction Issues
- Michigan. 33 international parties, complex coverage issues, $42M damages, problems with the exterior wall of a 33-story mixed use building
- Crane Collapse
- Illinois. Co-mediation involving the collapse of a construction crane
- Dalcon Shield
- Kentucky, Wisconsin, Illinois. Referee in 8 claims dating back to the 1970’s
- Fire/Explosion, Multiple Death/Injury and Property Damage
- Indiana. 15-party gas explosion involving new construction, the federal government, multiple deaths and injuries
- Illinois. Consolidation of 6 lawsuits arising out of a smelter explosion
- Glass Failure
- Indiana. “Spontaneous” breakage in multiple large, overhead glass panels
- Intoxicated Driver/Multiple Car Collision
- Champaign, Illinois. Multi-car/chain accident arising out of initial collision and chain reaction accidents in the fog involving convicted intoxicated driver, with assets beyond insurance
- Prison Bus/Car Interstate Collision
- Illinois. Loaded prison bus pulled to the side of the road, was hit by car involved in high speed chase while avoiding the police
- Product Related Fire and Death
- Illinois. Fire in 12-year-old lift chair that had interim refurbishing, elderly plaintiff died after 5 weeks in the hospital
- Professional Liability Issues
- Florida. Multiparty, $14M federal litigation involving fraud, RICO and professional malpractice brought by a state commissioner of insurance against the directors of an 85-year-old life insurance company and a law firm which brought in its professional liability carrier that denied coverage
- Snow Blower Injury
- Illinois. Mediation, severe hand injury in a snow blower accident
- Substantial Property Damage
- Indiana. Multiple party, $millions of frozen food and ice cream losses after a freezer failure in major midwest distribution center
- Missouri. Explosion “burn through” in one of the world’s largest cement kilns
- Illinois. Fire after alleged failure of “state of the art” fire suppression system
- Traumatic Brain Syndrome
- Maryland. Auto/truck collision, 3 of 4 passengers escaped with modest injuries, the fourth, 10 at the time, diagnosed with TBS after the accident
Completed Virtual ADR training conducted by the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS.
- Honors
- Ranked among the Top 10 ADR Neutrals in Illinois, Leading Lawyers, 2014
- Recommended “Leading Lawyer” Commercial ADR Law
- Memberships & Professional Activites
- Former Adjunct Faculty, Northwestern University
- Kellogg School of Management
- Pritzker School of Law
- Trainer, 30 forums in 15 states, Hong Kong, Latvia, and Lithuania
- Member, Regional Utility Mediation/Arbitration Outage Allocation Panels
- Active Member, ABA Section of Dispute Resolution and SPIDR (now ACR), 1981-present
- Member, Unitarian Church of Evanston
- Former Adjunct Faculty, Northwestern University
- ADR Profile
- "The mediation toolbox," ADR Profile, Chicago Lawyer Magazine, September 2016
- J.D., Northwestern University (Law Review, First Place, Moot Court Competition; National Moot Court team), 1975
- B.S., cum laude, Political Science, Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, CA, 1972
- Born 1949, Two children, Extensive travel in Japan, Hong Kong, South Africa, Asian/European Russia, Eastern/Western Europe, Caribbean, Central America, and each of the 50 United States
Counsel Comments
- "Bill is an extraordinarily quick study, who thoroughly prepares and thus is very credible in the discussion of strengths and weaknesses. He understands my business, the law and kept us focused on the practical issues driving our dispute.”
-from Feedback: Secrets of Successful (& Unsuccessful) Mediators 2007 Studies II and III
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- Banking
- Business/Commercial
- Construction
- Employment
- Energy/Utility
- Engineering and Construction
- Entertainment and Sports
- Environmental
- Estates/Probate/Trusts
- Federal Law
- Franchise
- Health Care
- Insurance
- Intellectual Property
- International & Cross-Border
- Personal Injury/Torts
- Pharmaceuticals/Mass Tort
- Professional Liability
- Securities
- Special Master/Discovery Referee
- Surety
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