William Wright

Associate

How I represent clients at Schwabe

I take a personal interest in learning about our client’s unique needs as well as the industries in which they operate. When the need for litigation arises, I will work with clients to help develop a strategy that fits their goals.

I work with diverse clients throughout Alaska to resolve ‎contracting, real estate, environmental, maritime, tort, ‎and employment disputes. I have assisted project owners, ‎prime contractors, and subcontractors in litigation over ‎multi-million dollar construction contracts; Alaska Native ‎Corporations and private individuals seeking to protect ‎their property rights; companies facing potential liability ‎for oil spills and the release of other pollutants; vessel ‎owners facing maritime claims; and employers seeking to ‎protect their trade secrets or facing wrongful termination ‎claims. I also regularly defend local governments and ‎school districts against personal injury claims. ‎

After graduating law school, I clerked for Chief Justice ‎Lorie Gildea of the Minnesota Supreme Court. During law ‎school, I interned for two summers for Judge David Stras of ‎the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. I also ‎worked as a summer associate at a national law firm in ‎Minneapolis focusing on complex litigation, products ‎liability defense, and mass torts. ‎

Experience

Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs)‎

  • Prepared legal opinions for an ANC Village ‎Corporation on ownership of quasi-‎surface/subsurface resources.‎
  • Represented an ANC in litigation with the State ‎of Alaska in state and federal court regarding ‎ownership of the bed of a navigable river ‎adjacent to home village and related trespass ‎claims.‎

Litigation

  • Represented a city in Alaska against tort claims ‎arising from its emergency response to an ‎accident outside city limits and obtained ‎summary judgment based on a novel statutory ‎immunity provision.
  • Assisted in litigation contesting the scope of an ‎easement that resulted in a favorable verdict ‎for our client at trial.‎
  • Reviewed engineering documents and prepared ‎discovery in contract dispute litigation involving ‎a major Alaska infrastructure project.‎
  • Assisted in drafting motions in limine that ‎resulted in the exclusion of the opposing party’s ‎expert testimony. ‎
  • Represented numerous school districts and ‎municipalities in employment and tort ‎litigation. ‎

Maritime

  • Represented a fishing company in litigation over ‎liability and damages from their vessel’s allision ‎with a dock. ‎
  • Assisted with discovery for a shipping company ‎in litigation arising from an oil spill from an ‎underwater pipeline.‎
  • Prepared coverage opinions for maritime ‎insurer. ‎
  • Assisted with multiple companies’ pre-litigation ‎responses to maritime fatalities and significant ‎injuries. ‎

Pro Bono

  • Assisted in overturning client’s death sentence ‎through post-conviction relief proceedings. ‎

Education

  • University of Minnesota, Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif (2021)‎
  • Saint Olaf College, Bachelor of Arts Degree, Economics & Studio Art (2013)

Admissions

  • Alaska State Courts
  • Minnesota State Courts
  • U.S. District Court - District of Alaska

Memberships

  • Alaska Bar Association (2022-present)
  • Minnesota State Bar Association (2020-2021)
  • Minnesota Law Review, Lead Articles Editor (2020-2021)
  • Minnesota Law Review, Staff Member (2019-2020)

Awards

  • Federal Bar Association, Judge Edward J. Devitt Award for Excellence in the Study of Federal Law & Practice (2021)
  • William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition, Best Brief Award (2021)
  • William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition, Semifinalist (2021)
  • Minnesota Justice Foundation, Recognition for Public Service (2021)
  • University of Minnesota Law School, Book Award in Patents (2020)
  • University of Minnesota Law School, Book Award in Business Associations & Corporations (2019)
  • University of Minnesota Law School, Legal Writing Section, Best Brief Award (2019)

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