Cases
Representative Cases: Mike Williams has won national recognition for his defense of companies in high-stakes class action litigation. He also represents clients in complex commercial disputes, mass torts, catastrophic accidents, crisis management,
regulatory investigations. Mike is ranked in Chambers USA
was named a 2015 BTI Client Service All-Star. He serves on the firm's six-member management committee.
Won a multimillion-dollar arbitration award for an energy company, recovering more than 15 times the last settlement offer made before trial.
Represented a Fortune 20 company in an international arbitration hearing that resulted in a settlement, after the hearing concluded, for more than 90% of our client's claim.
Yatooma v. OP Property Management et al. (C.D. Cal. 2017) - Won a motion to dismiss with prejudice a putative class action in federal court in California. The plaintiff alleged violations of the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)
California's Rosenthal Fair Debt Collections Practices Act.
In re: Sears, Roebuck & Co. Front-Loading Washer Products Liability Litigation (7th. Cir. 2017) - Won unanimous Seventh Circuit victory in a fee dispute for Whirlpool
Sears arising out of a certified federal class action lawsuit that WTO favorably settled after winning a defense verdict in the bellwether trial of related claims.
Represent a Fortune 20 company in class action
insurance litigation arising from a six-alarm warehouse fire in 2015.
Glazer v. Whirlpool (N.D. Ohio 2014) - Won a complete defense jury verdict for Whirlpool in a $66 million certified class action trial in Ohio involving allegedly moldy washing machines.
Successfully represented a privately held oil company in mass torts litigation arising from a deadly 2013 train derailment in Lac-Megantic, Quebec.
Brown v. Whirlpool (N.D. Ohio 2014) - Obtained dismissal of class action allegations
15 of 17 claims against Whirlpool in an environmental toxic tort case. Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed their remaining claims after the court's ruling.
Successfully negotiated a class settlement for Pilot Flying J as national resolution counsel in diesel rebate litigation.
Represent Electrolux, a global leader in household
commercial appliances, in certain consumer class actions nationwide
in product liability matters filed in Colorado.
Tietsworth v. Sears (N.D. Cal. 2013) - Defeated a motion to certify a nationwide breach of warranty class in a case alleging that certain Kenmore washing machines contained defective electronic control boards that caused the machines to malfunction.
Successfully represent various manufacturers, retailers,
private labelers of diverse consumer products in regulatory inquiries
negotiations regarding the scope of voluntary recalls.
Rush v. Whirlpool (W.D. Ark. 2008) - Defeated certification of a multistate class action in Arkansas federal court involving claims that certain Whirlpool-made refrigerators were defective.
White v. Ford, 500 F.3d 963 (9th Cir. 2007) - Won a reversal
a new trial on the punitive damages phase of a product liability case originally tried by another firm in 1998. Persuaded the second jury to award only one-third of the amount awarded in the initial trial.
Successfully defended a Colorado software company in a securities class action in which the client asked WTO to replace an international law firm as lead trial counsel 90 days before trial.
Conroy v. Dennis (Colo. 2006) - Successfully tried to verdict a case in which our clients proved that Colorado's electronic voting systems had not been tested
certified in accordance with the law. The case led to major changes in Colorado election law.
Successfully defended a large Colorado automobile dealer in a consumer class action in which the plaintiffs alleged violations of the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act
sought hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. The trial court denied class certification,
the Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed that order on appeal,
the Colorado
U.S. Supreme Courts denied certiorari.
Moore v. Bertuzzi - Successfully defended the Vancouver Canucks NHL organization in a lawsuit brought by Colorado Avalanche player Steven Moore as a result of severe injuries he sustained during a hockey game. WTO obtained dismissal of the lawsuit on the grounds of lack of personal jurisdiction
forum non conveniens,
also obtained a six-figure award of attorney's fees
costs in favor of the Canucks organization
against Mr. Moore.
