William "Bill" Marler (born c. May 3, 1957) is an American personal injury lawyer specializing in cases involving foodborne illnesses. He is the managing partner of Marler Clark, a law firm based in Seattle, Washington, that focuses on food safety litigation.
William D. Marler | |
|---|---|
 William Marler in 2009 | |
| Education | Washington State University (BA) Seattle University Law School (JD) |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Employer | Marler Clark LLP |
| Website | www |
Early life and education
editMarler earned his undergraduate degree from Washington State University and later received his Juris Doctor from Seattle University School of Law.
Legal Career and Foodborne Illness Litigation
editIn 1993, Marler represented 9-year-old Brianne Kiner, who was affected by an Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to Jack in the Box. The case resulted in a $15.6 million settlement, one of the largest settlements in a foodborne illness case at the time.[1]
Since then, Marler has focused his practice on representing victims of foodborne illnesses, including cases involving *Salmonella*, *E. coli*, and Hepatitis A. He has litigated against companies such as Chili's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Dole, and ConAgra.[2][3]
Advocacy and Public Engagement
editMarler is active in advocating for stricter food safety regulations and regularly speaks to industry groups and public health organizations. He has provided testimony before both the California State Senate Governmental Organization Committee[4] and the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce.[5]
He also serves as a speaker on foodborne illness litigation and safety issues at public health conferences and food industry events. Marler is affiliated with OutBreak, a nonprofit organization associated with Marler Clark that promotes food safety education.
Media and Publications
editMarler’s involvement in the 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak is detailed in Jeff Benedict’s book *Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. Coli Outbreak That Changed the Way Americans Eat*. The book was adapted into the documentary *Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food*, directed by Stephanie Soechtig, which premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival and was released on Netflix in August 2023.[6]
In 2009, Marler founded Food Safety News, a website dedicated to food safety journalism. He also contributes regularly to the Food Poison Journal.
Recognitions and Awards
editMarler has received numerous awards for his work in food safety, including the Public Justice Award from the Washington State Trial Lawyer's Association and the Seattle University Distinguished Law Graduate Award.[7] *The Daily Meal* named him one of "America's 50 Most Powerful People in Food for 2016".[8]
His blog has been listed among the top 100 legal blogs by the American Bar Association, and *The New Yorker* referred to him as "the most prominent and powerful food-safety attorney in the country."[9]
Selected Publications
edit- "Litigating the Food Poisoning Case: The Importance of Prior Inspections and Investigations" (PDF). Trial. American Association for Justice. November 2004. (Co-authored with David W. Babcock).
- "How to Keep Your Focus on Food Safety" (PDF). Food Safety Magazine. Target Group Inc. June–July 2005. ISSN 1084-5984.
References
edit- ^ Elias, Paul (February 5, 2008). "Lawyer makes good money following bad food outbreaks". Oakland Tribune. San Jose. Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2016 – via HighBeam Research.
- ^ "Erie Couple is Suing KFC". Food Safety Network. Guelph, Ontario. Archived from the original on August 11, 2011 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Conagra Set For Mediation Over Illness From E. Coli". Food Safety Network. Guelph, Ontario. October 4, 2002. Archived from the original on August 11, 2011 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Unraveling the E. Coli Outbreak: Are State Emergency Response Systems Prepared for Outbreaks of Food Borne Illnesses?". California State Senate. October 11, 2006. Archived from the original on May 2, 2009 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Written Testimony Before The Committee on Energy and Commerce" (PDF). United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce. February 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 28, 2008 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food | 2023 Tribeca Festival". Tribeca. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
- ^ "Alumni Awards : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
- ^ Andrews, Colman (January 27, 2016). "America's 50 Most Powerful People in Food for 2016". The Daily Meal. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
- ^ Hylton, Wil S. (January 26, 2015). "A Bug in the System". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
External links
edit- "Marler Blog". William Marler's blog.