William M. Droze

Partner

Atlanta
Business Phone: 404.885.3468
Business Fax: 404.962.6547

william.droze@troutmansanders.com

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William has more than 24 years of trial and appellate practice experience specializing in areas including commercial litigation, environmental litigation, business torts, government procurement litigation, civil rights, real estate litigation, and legal malpractice defense.  His practice is national in scope, having represented clients in state and federal courts throughout Georgia and across the country.  In addition, William has participated in trials and proceedings before mediators and arbitrators in matters proceeding by alternative dispute resolution.  He has supervised sophisticated electronic discovery in connection with class action litigation and has tried multiple serial week cases to verdict.  William has extensive appellate experience having managed more than 60 reported cases in the state and federal courts.

Representative Experience
Lead Counsel for metropolitan Atlanta county government in connection with tri-state water rights litigation involving U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lake Sidney Lanier.

Lead Counsel for electric utility in procurement challenge to award of service contract for large load customer.

Lead Counsel for Florida municipality in connection with toxic tort litigation.

Lead Counsel for Florida municipality in connection with application of CERCLA bar and environmental justice claims.

Lead Counsel for Georgia municipality in recovery of verdict exceeding $1 million arising out of engineering malpractice for design/installation of land application system.

Lead Counsel for Chinese manufacturer in successful resolution of product liability action.

Counsel for major southeastern law firm in legal malpractice claim arising out of duties as escrow agent.

Counsel for limited partnership in successful defense of foreclosure claim affecting commercial real estate.

Lead counsel for State of Georgia in connection with landmark right to die litigation and defense of product liability punitive damages apportionment statute.

Representative Reported Cases
Diverse Power, Inc. v. Jackson, 285 Ga. 340 (2009).

Hendry v. Wells, 286 Ga. App. 774 (2007). 

Graham v. Palmtop Props., 284 Ga. App. 730 (2007).

Broward Gardens Tenants Ass'n v. United States EPA, 311 F.3d 1066 (11th Cir. 2002).

Multifamily Mortg. Trust 1996-1 v. Ara Associates-Shangri-La, 242 Ga. App. 465 (2000).

Wooten v. Campbell, 49 F.3d 696 (11th Cir. 1995).

Publications
Author and Co-author, "Appellate Practice and Procedure in the Eleventh Circuit," Mercer Law Review, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2001.

Other Distinctions
Achieved Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards

Selected as a Super Lawyer by Law & Politics and Atlanta Magazine for Business Litigation Excellence (2004-2011)(Top 5% of State Bar of Georgia)

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America in Product Liability Litigation (2012)

Named to Georgia Trend magazine’s Legal Elite in business litigation (2004, 2009)

Fellow, Lawyers Foundation of Georgia

Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America, The Trial Lawyer Honorary Society

Member, Diversity Law Institute

Member, The Trial Law Institute

Work Experience
Partner, Troutman Sanders LLP, 2000-present
Associate, Troutman Sanders LLP, 1996-1999
State Law Department:
Assistant Attorney General 1987-1996
Senior Assistant Attorney General, 1995-1996
Practice Group Leader, Opinions Practice Group
Practice Group Leader, Consumer Interests

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Education

  • University of Georgia, J.D., cum laude, 1987
  • University of North Carolina, B.A., 1984


Bar Admissions

  • 1987 Georgia


Court Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia
  • Supreme Court of Georgia
  • Georgia Court of Appeals
  • Georgia Trial Courts


Memberships

  • State Bar of Georgia
  • Coach, High School Mock Trial Competitions, 1991-2000