Overview

William Dolan is a trial attorney, arbitrator and mediator practicing commercial litigation, professional ethics and malpractice, bankruptcy, and construction law.  His clients include Fortune 500 companies, hedge funds, national retail chains, state and governmental agencies, major cities and towns, and others.

Bill’s best known work includes defense of significant professional malpractice claims, groundbreaking class action pension reform litigation in Rhode Island, and obtaining multi-million-dollar jury and bench verdicts in state and federal courts throughout the country.  His efforts have been central to important cases involving governmental entities, tobacco companies, construction firms, national retailers, and financial institutions.

Before joining AP&S Bill practiced at Donoghue, Barrett & Singal and prior to that was an associate and partner for 25 years at Brown Rudnick LLP where he served as Managing Director of Litigation, General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer.

Education

  • Emory University (J.D., Order of the Barristers, 1985)
  • University of Rhode Island (B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, 1981)

Admissions

  • Rhode Island
  • Maryland
  • U.S. District Court, District of Rhode Island
  • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • Maryland Court of Appeals
Representative Matters
  • Successfully arbitrated and mediated over 100 cases as arbitrator, mediator and party counsel including, as a recent example, a multi-million dollar, multi-party construction dispute over the Sakonnet River Bridge in Tiverton, Rhode Island. 
  • Obtained a multi-million dollar bench verdict in federal district court on behalf of an energy company against a prominent international contractor arising from substantial construction change order and delay claims. ADP Marshall v. NORESCO LLC, U.S. District Court, District of Rhode Island.
  • Successfully defended the State of Rhode Island in a $650 million bid protest. Blue Cross & Blue Shield v. Najarian, 865 A.2d 1074 (R.I. 2005).
  • Obtained a jury verdict for a Fortune 500 company on a $34 million claim arising from the acquisition of two power production facilities in New England. Tiverton Power Associates Limited Partnership v. Shaw Group Inc., Case No. 01-10914-WGY, U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts.
  • Obtained a jury verdict in Massachusetts state court in favor of a developer on a $65 million claim arising from a ground lease dispute. Rogers Street LLC v. MBA Rogers Street LLC, Superior Court for Suffolk County.
  • Secured a Rhode Island state court jury verdict in favor of an executrix of a significant estate in a will contest over charges of undue influence and lack of capacity. Payne v. Payne, Superior Court for Washington County.
  • Represented the City of Providence in the successful defense, mediation, and settlement of groundbreaking class action pension reform litigation. The Providence Retired Police and Firefighters Assn. v. The City of Providence, Superior Court for Providence County.
  • Served as co-counsel to the State of Rhode Island in the prosecution and settlement of claims against the tobacco manufacturers resulting in the historic and unprecedented 2003 Master Settlement Agreement that awarded the State of Rhode Island $1 billion in damages.
  • Procured the dismissal of breach of commitment claims brought by a chapter 11 trustee against a prominent hedge fund.
  • Defeated a motion for summary judgement on behalf of two national retail pharmacy chains in a civil antitrust case. Stop & Shop Supermarket Company v. Blue Cross, 239 F. Supp 2d 180 (D.R.I. 2003).
  • Defeated a motion of a major oil company for summary judgment in a case of first impression arising under The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Raymond K. Hoxsie Real Estate Turst v. Exxon, 81 F. Supp. 2d 359 (D.R.I 2000)
  • Successfully represented the State of Rhode Island as principal trial and insolvency counsel in the receivership of certain privately insured banks and credit unions with assets totaling $1 billion. Paradis v. Central Credit Union, 680 A.2d 70 (R.I. 1996).
  • Successfully defended a national finance company in the successor liability claim arising under the WARN Act.
  • Secured an important ruling confirming the subrogation rights of a contract bond surety. Fireman’s Ins. v. Todesca Equip., 310 F.3d 32 (1st 2002).
Seminars / Publications

Seminars

  • Construction Management / Design Build in Rhode Island, Lorman Education Services (July 2017)

Publications

  • The Agreement of Indemnity, the Sureties Handling of Contract Bond Problems: Enforcement of the Sureties Rights Against the Principal and the Indemnitors Under the Agreement of Indemnity, Torts and Insurance Practice Section, Fidelity and Surety Committee, (January 1989) (co-author).
  • The Contractors Default as a Condition Precedent to the Contract Bond Surety’s Right of Subrogation, Torts and Insurance Practice Section, Fidelity and Surety Law Committee, (August 1999).

 

Honors
  • Best Lawyers’ 2024 Lawyer of the Year, Construction, Providence. 
  • Best Lawyers’ 2023 Lawyer of the Year, Construction, Providence. 
  • Recognized by Chambers USA America’s Leading Business Lawyers  in the area of Litigation: General Commercial, 2022.
  • Listed in The Construction Lawyers as a recommended attorney in Rhode Island, 2023.
  • Selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2019 – 2024 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® in the fields of Construction Law and Litigation – Construction.
  • Best Lawyers’ 2020 Lawyer of the Year, Construction, Providence.
  • Professional Excellence in the Law, Arbitration and Mediation, Rhode Island Monthly 2019, 2021 and 2022 and 2023 and in Civil Trial in 2020.
  • Named Rhode Island Super Lawyer 2017 , 2018, 2020 and 2022, by the publishers of Super Lawyers.
  • AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for attorneys.

 

Best Lawyers 2024
Lawyer of the Year
RI Monthly
Super Lawyers 2020
The Construction Lawyers
Professional Affiliations
  • Member, American Bar Association, Forum on Construction and the Fidelity and Surety Subcommittee, Torts and Insurance Practice Section.
  • Instructor on Federal Court Jurisdiction, Federal Bar Examiners, U.S. District Court, District of Rhode Island.
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