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Partnerwriley@rileycate.com |
Will is the principal managing member at the central-Indiana based firm, RileyCate, LLC. His practice focuses on plaintiffs’ complex litigation including class actions, pharmaceutical and medical device injury, product liability, serious personal injury, defamation and business litigation.
Will graduated from Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington in 1989, where he held the office of Executive Editor of the Indiana Law Journal. He was one of the youngest lawyers in Indiana to be awarded the prestigious AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, which designates the highest rating for quality of representation and ethics. Will has been honored numerous times locally and nationally with selections to Indiana Super Lawyers, Indianapolis Monthly’s Top Attorneys in Indiana, Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Association of Distinguished Counsel, Nation’s Top One Percent of Lawyers in 2015, and U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers, and Lawyer of the Year in 2015. Further, Will is a charter member of Rue Ratings Best Attorneys of America.
Will has been lead counsel in cases that have had far reaching legal impact locally and nationally. Will has been involved in the recovery of billions of dollars from corporations for their wrongdoing. Will was a member of the Castano Plaintiffs’ Legal Committee that recovered $12.5 billion for the State of California and the litigation group that recovered $3.9 billion for the State of Indiana from the tobacco companies. Recently, he served as one of the allocation counsel in the $89 million nationwide third party payer/consumer settlement with Pfizer for the drugs Bextra and Celebrex. Will was appointed to the Purchase Claims Committee in the Vioxx Multi District Litigation, which resulted in a $65 million settlement for insurers against Merck. Will has been appointed lead counsel in numerous class actions for consumer matters and settled class actions on a state and nationwide level. Will was co-lead counsel or lead counsel on class actions that compensated individuals who purchased off-specification gasoline from BP in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin; purchased lead painted toys for their children; were wrongfully solicited vacations; or were sold illusory insurance.
Will has tried numerous cases to verdict. In 2013, after two years of appeals, the Indiana Supreme Court authorized the Hamilton Superior Court to release $17,255,397.17 to Will’s client, Joseph Radcliff. This was the result of a jury verdict and interest that Mr. Radcliff won after a six week trial against State Farm for defaming him in 2011.
Will also has recovered millions of dollars for his individual clients who were wrongfully injured by the prescription drugs Vioxx, Zyprexa, Ortho Evra, Avandia, Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella. He has also handled numerous complex personal injury cases. He recently recovered, through settlement, $1,200,000 for a worker who fell from a Lamar billboard and $1,500,000 for a motorcyclist. Defendants will often negotiate to keep Will’s settlements confidential. Will strives to obtain a just result for all of his clients, while endeavoring to treat them with compassion.
Representative Settlements & Decisions
• 12.5 Billion – State of California from Tobacco Companies
• 3.9 Billion – State of Indiana from Tobacco Companies
• 89 Million Settlement – In re Bextra & Celebrex Mktg. Sales Practices & Prod. Liab. Litig.,
• 14.5 Million Dollar Jury Verdict Awarded Against State Farm Insurance
• 5 Million for Hoosiers’ vehicles damaged by BP Gas
• Tens of millions for Individuals injured by defective pharmaceutical drugs and devices
• 1.5 Million for injured motorcyclist
• 1.2 Million for injured worker in fall
• 1.25 Million for medical malpractice victims in numerous cases
*Past results are not predictive of future results in individual matters
Professional Associations
• American Association of Justice (Key Person Committee)
• Fellowship of Catholic Scholars (Inducted 2010)
• Indiana Trial Lawyers Association (Emeritus Board of Directors)
• Thomas More Law Center
News
• Carmel man files class-action lawsuit against Volkswagen – 13 WTHR Indianapolis
• Former Contractor Victorious After State Farm Legal Defeat – The Indy Channel
• Jury Orders State Farm to Pay Contractor $14.5M for Defamation – Property Casualty 360º
• Contractor Awarded $14.5M In Defamation Suit Against State Farm – The Indy Channel
• Judge: State Farm owes Fishers contractor $14.5M – WishTV 8
• Contractor wins $14.5M judgment against State Farm – IBJ
• Hail creates firestorm for State Farm – The Indiana Laywer
• 14.5 Million Dollar Jury Verdict Awarded Against State Farm – Dallas News ~ The Dallas Morning News
• Contractor wins $14.5M judgment against State Farm – RemodelCrazy Forum
• Contractor wins $14.5M judgment against State Farm – Roofers Coffee Shop Forum
• BP settles lawsuit over tainted gasoline sold in Midwest – WLS-TV