Bill Marler is the managing partner in the law firm Marler Clark L.L.P., P.S. Since 1993, Bill has represented thousands of victims of E. coli, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, Listeria, Shigella, Campylobacter and Norovirus illnesses in over thirty states. As a trial lawyer, Bill has been involved in several cases of national importance. He represented Brianne Kiner in her $15.6 million E. coli settlement with Jack-in-the-Box. This settlement created a Washington State record for an individual personal injury action. Bill resolved several other Jack-in-the-Box E. coli cases for more than $2.5 million each.
In May of 1998, he settled the Odwalla Juice E. coli litigation for the families of children who were severely injured after consuming Odwalla apple juice for a reported $12 million. Bill represented several children in an E. coli outbreak stemming from E. coli-contaminated swimming pool water in Georgia in 1998. In 2001 he successfully tried to verdict an E. coli case involving a school lunch program in Washington State. The jury returned a verdict of $4.75 million. He also resolved dozens of E. coli cases in 2003 related to one of the largest meat recalls in United States. Bill recently settled an E. coli case for a young girl for $11 million. In addition, Bill has been lead counsel in:
Sheetz Salmonella Outbreak Litigation
Chi-Chi's Hepatitis A Outbreak Litigation
Pat & Osacar's E. coli Outbreak Litigation
Chili's Salmonella Outbreak Litigation
And in many more cases . . .
Bill speaks frequently on issues of safe food and has formed Outbreak, Inc., a non-profit business dedicated to training companies on how to avoid foodborne illness outbreaks.
Bill graduated from the Seattle University School of Law in 1987. In 1998 he became the Law School's "Lawyer in Residence." He received undergraduate degrees in Political Science, English and Economics from Washington State University in 1982. While attending WSU, Bill was elected to the Pullman City Council. At 19 years of age he was the youngest person, and first student ever elected. In 1997, Bill received the Distinguished Achievement Award from the WSU College of Liberal Arts. In 1998, Governor Gary Locke appointed Bill to the University Board of Regents. He recently served as President of the Board. He also served on the State Higher Education Coordinating Board.
He has an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and is listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Attorneys. He is married to Julie Marler and they have three daughters, Morgan, Olivia and Sydney. He is a past board member of the Washington State Trial Lawyers, a member of the board of directors of Bainbridge Youth Services, and a member of the Children's Hospital Circle of Care. He is involved in numerous other civic and political causes.
