Experience

Bill’s trial experience includes:

• In Smith v. Cognate BioServices, Inc., et al., Circuit Court for Baltimore County (MD Case No. 03612002363) and Cognate BioServices, Inc., et al. v. Smith, United States District Court (MD Case No. 1:13-cv-01797-CCB), representing the former chief executive officer at a biotech company on wage, indemnity, trade secret, and breach of fiduciary duty claims. After an 11-day trial in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, a jury returned a verdict in favor of his client on all claims and awarded the maximum amount of compensatory and statutory damages.  In the federal action, Bill was successful in defending the executive against misappropriation of trade secret and product claims, which were resolved in his client’s favor on a motion for summary judgment.
• In Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, Inc. v. Route 40 Paintball Park, United States District Court (MD Case No. 1:11-cv3562), successfully defending a recreational facility against denial of access claims by blind individuals under Title III of the American With Disabilities Act and the Maryland White Cane Law.
• In Surran v. Kuntz, United States District Court (MD Case No. 1:06-cv1380), successfully defending an office equipment retailer/distributor against claims for vicarious liability, negligent hiring and supervision, and gender discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. After a ten-day trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the company; and
• In United States District Court (MD Case No. 1:06-cv2602), successfully defending an AmLaw 250 national law firm and one of its partners against a claim under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1991.  After a four-day trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendants.

His ERISA and employee benefit experience includes:

• Serving as counsel to the MM&P MATES Program (a multi-employer training fund headquartered in Linthicum, Maryland); the Sheet Metal Workers' National Pension Fund (a multi-employer pension plan); the Ryder Systems, Inc., plans (single employer plans for Ryder employees); and several other small to mid-size single-employer plans;
• Playing a lead role in connection with multi-lawsuit litigation brought on behalf of the Sheet Metal Workers' National Pension Fund against fiduciaries and service providers to that fund;
• Defending plans, administrators, and trustees against claims for breach of fiduciary duty under Title I, Part 4 of ERISA (ERISA's fiduciary duty section); and
• Litigating and counseling in regard to the obligations and liabilities of plan service providers including actuaries, accountants, counsel, and in-house and third-party administrators.

Among the reported cases in which he has represented clients are:

• Lowen v. Tower Asset Management, 829 F.2d 1209 (2d Cir. 1987)
• In re Masters, Mates & Pilots Pension Plan and IRAP Litigation, 957 F.2d 1020 (2d Cir. 1992)
• Custer v. Sweeney, 89 F.3d 1156 (4th Cir. 1996)
• Loonie v. Thorne, 1996 U.S. App. LEXIS 28751 (4th Cir. 1996)
• Sweeney v. Moore, 1997, 21 E.B.C. 1337 (4th Cir. 1997)
• Harrington v. Carlough, 22 E.B.C. 1110 (4th Cir. 1999)
• Snowden v. Checkpoint Check Cashing, 290 F.3d 631 (4th Cir.) cert. denied 2002 U.S. LEXIS 9264 (2002)