William O'Neill is an associate in the business litigation, banking and financial services litigation, and real estate and construction litigation practice groups in the Orange County office of Haynes and Boone, LLP. His practice focuses on litigation in both state and federal courts. Will has experience in a wide range of practice areas, including trade secret misappropriation, breach of fiduciary duty, construction dispute litigation, employee restrictive covenants, complex real estate development disputes, malicious prosecution, specific insurance coverage disputes, judgment enforcement, and international and cross-state litigation complexities.
He also contributes back to the legal community as the Editor of the quarterly-publication for the Association of Business Trial Lawyers; a Trustee of the Celtic Bar Association; and a member of the Board of Governors for the University of California Hastings College of Law.
Selected Client Representations
- Obtained a judgment after trial for unlawful detainer and retention of hundreds of thousands of dollars against a defendant arising from a complex interaction between lease and option agreements for a $20 million residence in Laguna Beach.
- Successfully litigated a construction dispute against a dozen defendants on behalf of a large developer in Orange County, ultimately recovering an eight-figure settlement.
- Resolved complex trademark infringement action between an international client and a regional company that was litigated in both federal court and the TTAB.
- Successfully resolved dispute alleging trademark infringement and misappropriation of a deceased celebrity’s right of publicity (California Civil Code section 3344.1) against a national manufacturer.
- Successfully defended and prosecuted a variety of cases arising from novel and complex investments, referenced colloquially as "Stranger Originated Life Insurance."
- Early and low-cost resolution of a particularly contentious, high-end home owners association dispute instigated against the HOA and three neighbors, including our client. The non-settling parties would ultimately spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on litigations costs, leading to a claim for malpractice against the plaintiff's counsel.
- Domesticated foreign judgment and instigated judgment enforcement proceedings.
Selected Community and Professional Activities
- Editor; Association of Business Trial Lawyers; ABTL Report; 2013-present; Associate Editor, 2009-2010, 2011-2012
- Governor; University of California, Hastings College of the Law; Board of Governors, 2011-present
- Trustee; Celtic Bar Association (Orange County), 2013-present)
- Education Chair; Orange County Bar Association; Young Lawyers Division Board, 2010-2011
- Guest Judge; Stanford Alumni Association; William Saroyan International Writing Contest, 2009-2010, 2011-2012
- Stanford University; Cardinal Class Core
Selected Publications
- "Don't Be Left Standing at the Courtroom Door," Managing IP guest article, April 22, 2013.
- "100 Words or Fewer: California’s Privacy Policy Regulation," Social Media Law Brief, February 27, 2013.
- "Standing Challenges on the Rise," Social Media Law Brief, January 28, 2013.
- "OPPA! Regulating Privacy Policies for Mobile Apps in California," Social Media Law Brief, November 2, 2012.
- "Avoiding the Hague: How to Serve A Foreign Corporation Through Its American Subsidiary," Association of Business Trial Lawyers Report, Summer 2011.
- "When Liking Cookies Implicates Privacy: Facebook Litigation," Social Media Law Brief, March 1, 2011.
- "Digital Litigation: Preparing for Success," Orange County Business Journal, August 2011.
- "Beware Greentree's Bark," Orange County Lawyer, January 2011.
- "Why Jury Polling Counts," Association of Business Trial Lawyers Report, Fall 2009.
- "Another Arrow in the Quiver: Unique Aspect of Malicious Prosecution Claims," Association of Business Trial Lawyers Report, Summer 2009.
Professional Recognition
- Martindale-Hubbell AV® Rated, 2013