Wilber H. Boies - McDermott Will & Emery

Overview


Wilber (Bill) Boies focuses his practice on business dispute counseling and business litigation throughout the country.

Bill leads a pro bono program that advises national legal aid organizations,  Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) programs and bar foundations about obtaining cy pres awards from the undistributed residue of class action settlement funds and frequently submits amicus briefs opposing appeals by serial objectors who argue for the elimination of cy pres awards in class action settlements.

Chambers USA (2006) says “Clients readily turn to Boies for ‘bet the ranch’ type cases and hail him as a ‘top-notch, well-seasoned litigator in the ERISA arena.’ He has built his reputation acting for financial institutions in weighty cases centered on securities and fraud issues.” The Legal 500 (2007) says “Clients seek out the ‘formidable’ Wilber Boies, who doubles up as a financial and securities litigator, for his extensive experience in stock-drop litigation.” Chambers USA (2008) says “Bill Boies ‘is a good strategic thinker – smart, tactical and pragmatic.'” Chambers USA (2009) says “Boies wins acclaim for his highly tuned and carefully considered approach to litigation…’the perfect courtroom strategist.'” Chambers USA (2010) says “Bill Boies is a highly prized litigator.” Chambers USA (2011) says “He has an excellent way with clients and is extremely polished in the courtroom.” Chambers USA (2014) says clients “admire Bill Boies’s substance, noting he is a ‘driving force’ in the practice.” Chambers USA (2015) says “Bill Boies is well regarded for his decades of experience in..class action litigation.” Chambers USA (2017) says “Clients describe Bill Boies as ‘very responsive…on top of everything we need…giving us good advice on the range of options.'”

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Results


  • Loffredo v. Daimler, A.G., et al., Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, 666 Fed. Appx. 370 — Affirmed dismissal of $200 million fraud and breach of fiduciary duty claims against the bank trustee of the Chrysler “top hat” plan by former senior executives who lost benefits during the Chrysler reorganization (certiorari petition denied, 138 S. Ct. 80)
  • Pfeil v State Street Bank, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, 806 F.3d 377 – Affirmed summary judgement dismissal of ERISA breach of fiduciary duty claims for $875 million against independent trustee holding General Motors company stock in pension plans before GM bankruptcy (certiorari petition denied, 2016 136 S. Ct 2511)
  • In re BP Securities, Derivative and ERISA Litigation, MDL 4:10–cv–4214 (S.D. Texas) — Voluntary dismissal by plaintiffs’ class counsel of all claims against the corporate trustee of a major block of BP common stock held for BP retirement plans during the market decline after the Deepwater Horizon explosion

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Recognitions


  • Best Lawyers in America, Litigation – ERISA, 2011-2025
  • Chambers USA 2006-2019
  • The Legal 500 United States, 2006-2019

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Community


  • American Bar Association, Litigation Section, Class Actions and Derivative Suits Committee
  • American Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • Chicago Bar Association, Class Litigation Committee, Past Chair

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Credentials


Education
University of Chicago Law School, JD
Brown University, BA

Admissions
Illinois