William J. Sommers, Jr. was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 1, 1950. He was admitted to the Louisiana Bar in 1975 and Texas Bar in 1991. He is admitted to practice before all federal and state courts in Louisiana and Texas, the United States Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits. He received his education from Loyola University (B.A., cum laude, 1972) and Loyola University School of Law (J.D., 1975) where he was Case Note Editor of the Loyola Law Review. He is a graduate of both National and Advanced Sessions of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy in Boulder, Colorado. He is a member of the Louisiana and Texas Bar Associations, the Maritime Law Association of the United States and the New Orleans Bar Association.

* Thirty-two years of intense, successful litigation practice in State and Federal Courts in Louisiana and Texas. Experience includes investigation, pre-trial written and oral discovery, motion practice, jury and non-jury trials and non-binding mediations.

* Two years of practice devoted entirely to the complex Valdez grounding litigation.

* Specialization in Jones Act, Platform and Maritime Personal Injury, Premise Liability, Louisiana and Texas State Tort Liability, insurance defense, supervision of outside counsel and in-house trial team.

* Adjunct Professor, Loyola College of Law, 2008

* Faculty member: National Institute for Trial Advocacy Gulf Coast Regional Advocacy Program, 2007

* Faculty member: National Institute for Trial Advocacy Gulf Coast Deposition Training Program, 2008

* Faculty member: National Institute for Trial Advocacy/American Bar Association National Public Service Corporation Teaching Program, 2008

* Faculty member: National Institute for Trial Advocacy/National Disabilities Rights Network Expert Witness Program, 2008

* Loyola College of Law Skills Faculty, 2001-present, teaching the following courses:

     - Deposition Skills
     - Trial Tactics
     - Developing the Theme and Theory of the Case
     - The Art of Persuasion: Influencing Juries When the Law and Facts are Against You

* Martindale-Hubbell A/V rating.

* Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy Faculty 2009

Click here to read an article on Loyola's Trial Advocacy Program with Bill Sommers.   Click here to read about their 2009 victory in New Haven, Connecticut.

Practice Areas: Maritime & Admiralty; Insurance Defense; Toxic Torts.

E-mail: wsommers@duncour.com