William E. Padgett

With a complex litigation practice that is national in scope, Bill’s experience is deep and far-reaching. He represents clients against product liability, toxic tort, and commercial claims involving chemical products, pharmaceuticals, agricultural and crop protection products, medical devices, and a variety of other products. Bill’s practice primarily includes complex and large scale litigation, including multidistrict litigation (MDLs) involving the defense of pharmaceutical and toxic tort personal injury lawsuits brought against product manufacturers, as well as commercial claims involving product defect, non-performance and conspiracy allegations.

Bill leads and assists several national defense teams in defending manufacturers and distributors of crop protection products, pharmaceuticals, chemicals/solvents, medical devices, and other products in toxic tort, product liability and commercial litigation throughout the United States. In this capacity, he has prepared causation and liability defense strategy and expert lineups based on the applicable science, led legal defense teams through expert discovery, motion practice, and trial work, and addressed manufacturer and distributor conspiracy claims, federal preemption, and a wide variety of other product liability issues under numerous state laws. Bill is also well-versed in economic loss doctrine and various warranty defenses as part of his commercial litigation practice, and has worked with the firm’s environmental attorneys in an array of litigation matters.

Notably, Bill advises clients on business practices intended to avoid product liability and commercial claims, including in the areas of occupational health and safety, product advertising and warranty practices. Regardless of the obstacles before him, Bill is appreciated for delivering experienced, effective and fiscally responsible advocacy and comprehensive dispute resolution strategy.

He has completed the firm’s BT ValueWorks’ Legal Project Management (LPM) training on LPM techniques to enhance value for clients.