Resume - William E. Wegner

William Wegner is the quintessential trial lawyer. His refined litigation strategy and skillful execution have earned him a storied record of complex litigation successes. Clients quickly realize the efficiency of his broad experience and appreciate his engaging leadership style.

Mr. Wegner’s dexterity in evidence, procedure and legal theory contributed to recent successes in securities class action defense, mass environmental torts, product defect and recall, Antitrust, Lanham Act, false advertising, unfair competition, copyright infringement, publicity rights, weights and measures regulatory actions, and commercial gaming.

Mr. Wegner’s unwavering “calm under fire” is in part attributable to seven years of military service and extensive study of battle history and strategy. As Captain, U.S. Army Medical Services Corps (Third Infantry Division), Aide-de-Camp to the Surgeon General of Europe and Administrator for U.S. Army hospitals in Europe and in the U.S., he developed strategic skills that he continues to employ in litigation today.

He is consistently named in the Top 100 Lawyers in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Business Journal, and is also listed in the 2013 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, for Product Liability Litigation – Defendants. Best Lawyers® also named him 2013 Lawyer of the Year, Product Liability Defense in Los Angeles.

Mr. Wegner co-authored the California Practice Guide – Civil Trials and Evidence, Volumes 1-3; and the Federal Practice Guide – Civil Trials and Evidence, Volumes 1-3, (The Rutter Group/Thompson West). He has also published a comprehensive work, Relations Among Competitors in Restraint of Trade – Horizontal Price Fixing (Practicing Law Institute), and various articles, including “Fifty Ways to Leave Your ‘Judger’ – Challenging the Judge” (Litigation Magazine, American Bar Association).

As a present Fellow of the Litigation Council of America, he Co-Founded the Complex Commercial Litigation Institute. Mr. Wegner will be the President of Litigation Counsel of America in 2014. He is past president of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers and former Chairman of the President’s Counsel Executive Committee, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Wegner graduated first in his class at the Seattle University (University of Puget Sound) School of Law in 1979. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Santa Clara in 1973.


Representative Successful Trials and Arbitrations - Lead Counsel

• Defended market leader U.S. food manufacturer against a mass tort action claiming factory odor nuisance, brought by 470 plaintiffs. Ten week, State Jury Trial.
• Defended major pet food manufacturer in multi-district litigation for over 200 consumer class actions for food contamination.
• Defended a major insurance company against a national U.S. Bank claiming mortgage insurance claims were wrongfully denied. Federal Trial.
• Prosecuted sanctions trial against U.S. bank for destruction and alteration of evidence. Federal Trial.
• Defended a national, publicly traded U.S. real estate investment trust against two consolidated securities class actions. State Trial.
• Defended multinational Japanese manufacturer in predatory pricing antitrust case. Federal Jury Trial.
• Defended major law firm in contempt action for violation of a corporate asset freeze order. State Trial.
• Defended major pet food manufacturer in multiple proceedings before National Advertising Division for false advertising.
• Prosecuted civil contempt proceeding against pet food manufacturers for violation of injunction against trademark infringement. State Trial.
• Defended major U.S. wallboard manufacturer in secret rebate antitrust case. State Jury Trial.
• Defended food manufacturer from injunction concerning contractual right to sell environmental reduction credits. Arbitration.
• Represented Health Net in corporate lockout case that secured the creation of Health Net. State Trial.
• Represented ship pipe fitters in action against shipyard for asbestos exposure. Arbitration.
• Represented RKO in theft of intellectual property. Arbitration.
• Defended major pet food manufacturer against distributor actions concerning contractual obligations in Israel and Belgium.
• Defended major oil company in dealer termination case. State Jury Trial.
• Recovered personal property of Marilyn Monroe stolen from her estate. State Jury Trial.
• Defended the James Dean family ownership of his post mortem publicity rights. Federal Trial.
• Prosecuted several criminal jury trials for the State of California.
• Defended at State trial and court of appeal vertical price fixing antitrust case against Whirlpool.
• Defended patent infringement action against Japanese manufacturer. Federal Trial.
• Defended CAL OSHA, OSHA and state wrongful death action against a major steel erection company for building collapse. State.
• Defended major U.S Telecommunications Company in multiple antitrust cases. Federal Trial.
• Defended major U.S. Telecommunications Company in multiple wrongful discharge cases. State.
• Prosecuted patent infringement case for major U.S. chemical manufacturer. Federal Trial.
• Represent major U.S. confection and rice manufacturer against state weights and measures action. State.
• Represent Governor Chris Christie and the State of New Jersey in action brought by the NCAA, MLB, NHL, NFL and NBA alleging violation of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. Federal.
• Represented Entravision in a dispute over the ownership of radio stations. State.
• Represent LPGA in proceeding for cancellation of major golf tournament. State.
• Defended the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and preserved its ownership of the trademarks of the Hollywood sign and Hollywood Walk of Fame. State.

Professional Organizations and Recognition

• Recognized by Best Lawyers® as the 2016 Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation and Product Liability litigation – Defendants.
• Recognized by Best Lawyers® as the 2013 Lawyer of the Year, Product Liability Defense in Los Angeles.
• Identified as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal.
• 1998 to Present - Maintained Martindale Hubbell AV® rating, the accolade reserved for the most respected members of the Bar signifying the very highest legal expertise and ethical standards.
• Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America.
• President, 2014, Litigation Counsel of America.
• Founding Fellow, Complex Commercial Litigation Institute.
• Past President – Association of Business Trial Lawyers.
• Since 2004, named annually for Civil Litigation, Super Lawyers.
• U.S. Army Commendation Medal, Oak Leaf Cluster.
• Designated Defender of Berlin by the Commandant of West Berlin for service behind the Iron Curtain defending the City of West Berlin.

Publications

• California Practice Guide – Civil Trials and Evidence, Vols. 1-3. The Rutter Group/Thompson West Publishing Co.
• Federal Practice Guide – Civil Trials and Evidence, Vols. 1-3. The Rutter Group/Thompson West Publishing Co.
• Relationships Among Competitors in Restraint of Trade – Horizontal Price Fixing. Practicing Law Institute
• Fifty Ways to Leave Your “Judger”– Challenging the Judge. Litigation Magazine, ABA
• Lawyering – A Practical Guide To The Successful Practice of Law In The United States – TB Published 2014 – The Rutter Group/Thompson West Publishing Co.

Boards and Community Service

• Board Member, Stand Up And Shout Foundation
• Member, Chancery Club
• Former Chair of the Board, Shakespeare Festival Los Angeles
• Former Member of the Board, The Wonder of Reading
• Former Chairman, Executive Committee, Presidents Counsel of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce