Former Dow AgroSciences General Counsel Joins Barnes & Thornburg’s Indianapolis Office

INDIANAPOLIS – William W. Wales, who spent more than 30 years in the legal department of The Dow Chemical Company and Dow AgroSciences LLC, has joined Barnes & Thornburg LLP’s Indianapolis office as a partner in the firm’s litigation and corporate departments.

Wales, who recently retired from Dow AgroSciences as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, will help grow the firm’s agribusiness services for clients throughout the country.

“We are thrilled to have Bill join our firm and believe his work in a number of different areas will be of benefit to our clients throughout the firm,” said Alan A. Levin, firm managing partner.

“Bill’s depth and breadth of experience in a variety of matters will be a tremendous asset to many of our clients who are dealing with similar issues,” said Joseph G. Eaton, Vice Chair of the firm’s Litigation Department and Co-Chair of the Toxic Tort Practice Group. “Bill has been on the front lines of significant trials and a key negotiator on intellectual property matters and corporate transactions. We are excited to have him join us.”

At Barnes & Thornburg, Wales will focus his practice on complex product liability and commercial litigation matters; commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions; and compliance issues. He also will work with high-technology growth companies on a variety of legal issues.

“For many years, I have worked closely with many talented Barnes & Thornburg attorneys,” Wales said. “I am aware of how they work and the tremendous experiences and resources they bring to bear for their clients’ successes. I’m happy to become a member of the team and of a firm that continues to grow in a number of key areas nationally.”

About William Wales

Wales joined Dow's Legal Department as a trademark attorney in 1980 after law school. During his time at Dow, he held a number of positions. He served in Dow’s Michigan Division Legal Department, was a senior attorney managing Dow U.S.A. Human Resources Legal Group, and then served as regional counsel for Dow United Kingdom/Ireland.

He returned to the United States in 1992 and was elected Vice President and General Counsel for DowBrands, and Vice President and Secretary of the DowBrands Board of Directors. In 1994, he assumed additional responsibilities as Vice President of DowBrands Human Resources and Public Affairs.

From 1999 through 2012, Wales served as Dow AgroSciences' Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, as well as the Chair of the Dow AgroSciences Ethics and Compliance Committee.

Prior to joining Dow, Wales spent eight years at Ford Motor Company as a research engineer.

Wales earned his J.D. from the Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University and his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Detroit-Mercy.

Wales is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan, the Indianapolis Bar Association and the American Corporate Counsel Association. He is admitted to practice in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Deeply involved in the Indianapolis community, Wales is a board member, a member of the Executive Committee, and chairman of the Audit Committee for Noble of Indiana and is a member of the Advisory Board of the University of Detroit-Mercy College of Engineering and Sciences.

With more than 600 attorneys and other legal professionals, Barnes & Thornburg is one of the largest law firms in the country. The firm serves clients worldwide from its offices in Atlanta, Delaware, Chicago, Indiana, Los Angeles, Michigan, Minneapolis, Ohio and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit us online at www.btlaw.com.