228 Park Avenue South
Suite 97572
New York, New York 10003-1502
Bill is the chair of the firm’s Construction Practice Group. He has taken over 100 cases to verdict. Over the last 30 years, Bill has obtained defense verdicts from New York to California. He has been admitted in multiple jurisdictions at client request on specific large exposures. He often parachutes into matters as trial counsel. His practice involves defending primarily construction companies and product manufacturers, with a focus on bicycle component manufacturers. He represented the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in high-profile damage trials in 2009. These arose from the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. Bill’s experience extends to counseling clients on risk avoidance. His vast experience with construction losses cause clients to seek his counsel in contract formation and insurance procurement. In this regard, Bill also practice within the firm’s Insurance Solutions group.
Bill is an accomplished appellate lawyer. He has prevailed in two of the United States’ most esteemed venues: the New York Court of Appeals and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Bill has successfully represented general contractors, prime contractors, sub-contractors, sub-sub-contractors, construction managers, owners, developers, architects and engineers in matters ranging from small payment disputes to multi-million dollar litigation at all levels of the State trial courts as well as is Federal Court.
Bill is ranked as AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. He has received several other top rankings as an insurance lawyer. Bill presents regularly for the New York State Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He is in an elite group of practitioners who act faculty for the Judicial Institute. This group gives instruction and trial guidance for newly elected Supreme Court judges. He is often sought as a counselor and instructor in China and Asia for companies assessing U.S. product liability exposure.
Bill understands what it is like to be a client, and he is a voice within the firm that ensures clients are heard. At the onset of his career, he acted as Managing Attorney in New York City for Transamerica Insurance Company and Royal Sun-Alliance. This experience gives Bill a holistic view of litigation. He visualizes the needed result from both insurer and insured perspective and implements a strategy to achieve that outcome.
Bill enjoys time with his grandchildren, traveling to Asia, and yoga. He has previously served his community as a board member of his local school board. Bill previously ran for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Gomes v. State of New York, 272 AD2d 440
Bill secured the dismissal of a Labor Law 240 claim on grounds of sole proximate cause. The case was cited by New York’s highest court in a seminal case (Blake v Neighborhood) as one of only three successful trial verdicts utilizing this defense.
Piacquadio v Recine, 84 NY2d 967
Bill set legal precedent for slip and fall cases in New York when he obtained a reversal of the intermediate appellate court by New York’s highest court. This case has been cited as precedent over 800 times in subsequent court decisions.
Perri v. Gibert, 14 AD2d 681
This case established key principles on application of common law indemnity. It has been subsequently cited as precedent 300 times.
Lanoue v. Cervelo and Gigantex, Superior Court of Mass
Bill obtained dismissal of a Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer on jurisdictional grounds. The plaintiff alleged wrongful death action.
Higgins v. West 50th, 94 AD2d 522
The appellate court upheld a jury verdict secured by Bill that found no liability for the client contractor. In the same matter, the owner was held responsible for a several million-dollar amount attributable to a traumatic brain injury.
Symonds v 1114 Avenues of America, 7 Misc.3d 1008
Bill forestalled a finding of absolute liability under New York Labor Law. He accomplished this by using an OSHA expert and toxicologist to establish proof of alcohol use and impaired balance by the plaintiff.
HSBC v. Taher, 104 AD2d 815
Bill represented a bank’s counsel relative to sanctions imposed by the trial court of a foreclosure action. After review of the record, the Appellate Division reversed and dismissed the sanctions.
Hudgins v. City of New York, 4 Misc.3d 1023
In a construction matter where summary judgment on liability was granted and exposure on damages was millions of dollars, Bill obtained full common law indemnification against the third-party defendant.
