Bill O'Hare's practice is concentrated in commercial litigation, arbitration, and mediation including corporate, partnership and trust disputes, franchising, intellectual property and unfair competition litigation, and class action defense.
Bill is the Administrative Partner of the firm's Orange County office.
Education
- University of California, Hastings College of the Law (J.D., 1978)
- Order of the Coif
- Thurston Society
- Loyola College (A.B., 1974)
Court Admissions
- Supreme Court of California
- United States District Court, All Districts of California
- United States District Court, District of Colorado
- United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Professional Memberships & Activities
- American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
- Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, Lawyer Representative (1992-1997)
- Orange County Bar Association
- Business Litigation Section, Chair (1991)
- Board of Directors (1990-1997)
- Resolutions Committee & Conference of Delegates (1985-1995)
- Chair (1989-1990), Vice Chair (1988)
- Orange County Bar Foundation
- Director (1993-present)
- President (2002)
- State Bar of California
- Sections on Litigation, Labor and Employment
- American Bar Association
- Sections on Litigation and Tort and Insurance Law, Forum on Franchising
- State Bar of California
- Conference of Delegates (1985-1995), Delegation Chair (1989-1990)
- Orange County Superior Court Civil Case Management Committee, Lawyer Member (1992-2000)
- Federal Bar Association
- Association of Business Trial Lawyers
Professional Recognition & Awards
- Los Angeles Daily Journal feature article, “Soccer field encounter forms lasting relationship” (March 16, 2012)
- Southern CaliforniaSuper Lawyers®, Business Litigation (2004-2012)
- Top 50 in Orange County (2007-2012)
- Super Lawyers®, Business Litigation - Business Edition (2011)
- Super Lawyers®, Business Litigation - Corporate Counsel Edition (2008-2010)
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Legal Malpractice Law (2005-2011); Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation (2005-2012); Intellectual Property Litigation, Trusts & Estates Litigation (2012)
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Business Edition, Bet-the-Company, Intellectual Property Law, Trusts and Estates (2012)
- Lawdragon Top 3000 Leading Lawyers in America (2010-2011)
- Marcus Kaufman Jurisprudence Award, Anti-Defamation League of Orange County/Long Beach (2009)
- Robert Samuel Barnes Award, Orange County Bar Foundation (2009)
- Orange County Business Journal feature article, "Bill O'Hare After School" (October 19-25, 2009)
- Franchise Times National List of 101 "Legal Eagles" (2005-2007)
- Top Ten Defense Verdicts in California, Los Angelesand San FranciscoDaily Journals (2004 and 2005)
- President's Pro Bono Service Award, State Bar of California (1993)
Community Involvement
- Orange County Bar Foundation
- Past President
- Board Member
- Strategic Planning Committee, Chair
- University of California, Irvine
- CEO Roundtable Steering Committee, Member
- Membership Committee, Chair
- Laguna Beach Education and Endowment Foundation
- President
- PBS SoCal Foundation (KOCE-TV)
- Board of Directors
Other Professional Experience
- Hufstedler, Kaus and Beardsley, Managing Partner, Orange County (1990), Partner (1987-1990)
- Wenke, Evans and Ikola, Managing Director (1986-1987), Principal (1983-1987), Associate (1978-1982)
