William D. Marler, Esq.

Background

William Marler began litigating foodborne illness cases in 1993, when he represented Brianne Kiner, the most seriously injured survivor of the Jack in the Box E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, resulting in her landmark $15.6 million settlement.  Marler has focused his practice on representing individuals in litigation resulting from E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, hepatitis A, and other food contamination cases.  He has represented victims of nearly every large foodborne illness outbreak in the United States against such companies as Wholesale Club, Chili’s, Chi-Chi’s, ConAgra, Dole, Excel, Golden Corral, KFC, Sheetz, Sizzler, Supervalu, and Wendy’s, securing over $300,000,000 for his clients.

Under the umbrella of OutBreak, the nonprofit consulting arm of Marler Clark dedicated to food safety advocacy, Mr. Marler travels widely to speak to food industry groups, fair associations, and public health groups about the litigation of claims resulting from outbreaks of pathogenic bacteria and viruses and the issues surrounding it.  He is also a frequent writer on topics related to foodborne illness.  His articles include “Separating the Chaff from the Wheat: How to Determine the Strength of a Foodborne Illness Claim”, “Food Claims and Litigation”, How to Keep Your Focus on Food Safety, and “How to Document a Food Poisoning Case” (co-authored with David Babcock.) His blog, www.marlerblog.com is avidly read by the food safety and legal communities.

Mr. Marler is a graduate of the Seattle University School of Law in 1987.  In 1998 he became the Law School’s “Lawyer in Residence.” This year, Mr. Marler was given the 2008 Outstanding Lawyer Award by the King County Bar Association, as well as being given the Public Justice Award by the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association.  He has been profiled in numerous publications.

He is married to Julie Marler and has three daughters, Morgan, Olivia, and Sydney.  He is a former board member of the Washington State Trial Lawyers, a member of the board of directors of Bainbridge Youth Services, a former regent at Washington State University, and a member of the Children’s Hospital Circle of Care.

Education

1987 - J.D. Seattle University School of Law   

1982 - B.A.s Political Science, Economics, English Washington State University

Awards and Distinctions

2002 to Present - Bar Register of Preeminent Attorneys

2008 - Public Justice Award, Washington State Trial Lawyer’s Association

2008 - Outstanding Lawyer Award, Seattle/King County Bar Association

1998 to Present - “Super Lawyer”, Washington State Attorneys

1998 - Governor Appointee, University Board of Regents, Washington State University

1998 - University of Puget Sound Lawyer in Residence

1997 - Distinguished Achievement Award, WSU College of Liberal Arts

Publications

2007 - Food Safety and the CEO: Keys to Bottom Line Success:  Food Safety Magazine

2005 - Food Claims and Litigation:  Food Safety In-sight Newsletter by Environ Health Associates, Inc.

2005 - Separating the Chaff from the Wheat: How to Determine the Strength of a Foodborne Illness Claim
Paper presented at Defense Research Institute meeting on Food Liability

2005 - How to Keep Your Focus on Food Safety:  Food Safety Magazine

2004 - How to Document a Food Poisoning Case:  (co-authored with David Babcock) Trial Magazine

Profiles

2008 - What To Eat During The Chowpocalypse: A Conversation With Bill Marler, The Haphazard Gourmet Girls

2008 - E. Coli Lawyer Is Busier Than Ever, Associated Press, Paul Ellias

2008 - Food fight, Portland Oregonian, Alex Pulaski

2007 - Legally Speaking: The Food Poisoning Lawyer, The Southeast Texas Record, John G. Browning 

2007 - The Nation’s Leading Food-borne Illness Attorney Tells All, Washington State Magazine, Hannelore Sudermann

2007 - Back to Court: Burst of E. coli Cases Returns Jack in the Box Litigator to the Scene, Meat and Poultry News, Steve Bjerklie

2007 - Mr. Food Illness Esquire, QSR Magazine, Fred Minnick

2006 - Seattle Attorney Dominates Food-Borne Illness Litigation, KPLU

2006 - How a Tiny Law Firm Made Hay Out of Tainted Spinach, The Wall Street Journal, Heather Won Tesoriero and Peter Lattman

2005 - Bill Marler - Education Holds Key in Tainted-Food Fight, King County Bar Association, Bar Bulletin, Ross Anderson

2001 - THE INSIDE STORY: How 11 Schoolkids Got $4.75 Million in E. coli Lawsuit, MeatingPlace.com, Bryan Salvage

2001 - Hammer Time: Preparation Pays When Disputes Escalate to Lawsuits, Meat & Poultry Magazine, David Hendee

2001 - For Seattle Attorney, A Bacterium Brings Riches—and Enemies, The Wall Street Journal, Rachel Zimmerman

2001 - The Bug That Ate The Burger, Los Angeles Times, Emily Green

1999 - Courting Publicity, Attorney Makes Safe Food His Business, Seattle Post, Maggie Leung