William "Bill" Marler, a nationally recognized personal injury lawyer

Personal injury lawyer

A personal injury lawyer is a lawyer who provides legal representation to those who claim to have been injured, physically or psychologically, as a result of the negligence or wrongdoing of another person, company, government agency, or other entity....

 and food safety

Food safety

Food safety is a scientific discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness. This includes a number of routines that should be followed to avoid potentially severe health hazards....

 advocate, is Managing Partner of Marler Clark

Marler Clark

Marler Clark, LLP is a Seattle, Washington based law firm specializing in foodborne illness litigation on the national level. They have represented thousands of victims of E. coli, Salmonella, hepatitis A, and other foodborne diseases. The firm was founded in 1998 by William Marler, Denis Stearns...

, a Seattle, Washington based law firm

Law firm

A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...

 that specializes in foodborne illness

Foodborne illness

Foodborne illness is any illness resulting from the consumption of contaminated food, pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or parasites that contaminate food, as well as chemical or natural toxins such as poisonous mushrooms.-Causes:Foodborne illness usually arises from improper handling, preparation, or...

 cases.

Background

In 1993, Marler represented a plaintiff in a case against Jack in the Box regarding the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, securing a $15.6 million settlement. He subsequently directed his practice toward foodborne illness, representing many more people affected by diseases such as E. coli, hepatitis A

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is an acute infectious disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus , an RNA virus, usually spread the fecal-oral route; transmitted person-to-person by ingestion of contaminated food or water or through direct contact with an infectious person...

, and Salmonella

Salmonellosis

Salmonellosis is an infection with Salmonella bacteria. Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. In most cases, the illness lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment...

, among others. He has been involved in litigation relating to most of the large foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States, representing individuals against large companies such as Chili's

Chili's

Chili's Grill & Bar is a restaurant chain founded by Larry Lavine. The chain has more than 1400 casual dining restaurants, mostly located in the United States and Canada...

, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Dole

Dole Food Company

Dole Food Company, Inc. is an American-based agricultural multinational corporation headquartered in Westlake Village, California. The company is the largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world, operating with 74,300 full-time and seasonal employees who are responsible for over 300...

, and ConAgra.

Marler is also involved with OutBreak, a nonprofit organization

Nonprofit organization

Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...

 under the auspices of Marler Clark. In this capacity he travels extensively, discussing foodborne illness litigation and related issues with public health

Public health

Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...

 groups, fair associations, and food industry

Food industry

The food production is a complex, global collective of diverse businesses that together supply much of the food energy consumed by the world population...

 groups. In addition, Marler has written articles about the same topics and maintains a frequently updated blog

Blog

A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...

 read by many in the legal and food safety communities.

As a proponent of improved food regulation, Marler has been asked to speak to numerous groups to address the subject, including testimony to both the California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 State Senate Governmental Organization Committee and the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Marler contributes to the Food Poison Journal.

Awards and Distinctions

• Bar Register of Preeminent Attorneys (2002-Present)
• Public Justice Award, Washington State Trial Lawyer's Association (2008)
• Outstanding Lawyer Award, Seattle/King County Bar Association (2008)
• "Super Lawyer", Washington State Attorneys (1998-Present)
• Governor Appointee, Washington State University Board of Regents (1998-2004)
• Distinguished Achievement Award, WSU College of Liberal Arts (1997)

External links

• Biography - on firm web site
• William Marler's Blog