Bill created and leads the implementation of Thompson Hine’s practice innovation initiatives and the SmartPaTH™ legal services delivery model as a core competency of the firm.
He has been recognized by Financial Times as a Most Innovative Intrapreneur – North America for driving change and growth at Thompson Hine and in the legal industry. He led practice innovations for the firm that have received national industry award recognition from American Lawyer (twice), Financial Times (twice), and Litera Microsystems.
Focus Areas
- Quoted in, “DKM 2024 — AI in Law Practice and Law School: Tomorrow’s Challenge or Today’s Reality?” UNC School of Law, November 2024
- Co-author, “Questions to Ask Your Law Firms About Their Use of Artificial Intelligence,” Journal of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & Law, Volume 7, No. 5, September–October 2024
- Quoted in “AI’s Legal Magic: Despite Pitfalls, Attorneys Test Machine Learning,” Arkansas Business, June 10, 2024 (subscription required)
- Co-author, “Questions to Ask Your Law Firms About Their Use of Artificial Intelligence,” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, October 4, 2023
- Quoted in “PREDICTIVE POWER; Law firms are developing analytics tools to add a quantitative edge to their advice. But AI-powered predictions don’t come easy,” The American Lawyer, June 1, 2022
- Featured, “In Predictive Analytics Market, Law Firms See a Space of Their Own,” Legaltech News, May 2022
- Co-author, “Software: Pencils, Not Panaceas,” Litigation, Vol. 48, No. 3, Spring 2022, American Bar Association (available online at www.americanbar.org)
- Contributor, The Power of Legal Project Management: A Practical Handbook, Second Edition, American Bar Association, November 2021
- Featured, “3 Ways Firms Can Benefit From Data They Already Have,” Law360, September 9, 2021
- Featured, “Legalweek 2020: Change Management – How to Get Lawyers and Staff to Buy-In to Change,” Legal Talk Network, Podcast, February 2020
- Featured, “Change Of Heart: How Attorneys Can Get Buy-In For Big Ideas,” Law360, February 2020
- Featured throughout, “3 Tips For Finding The Right Fee Arrangement,” Law360, June 6, 2017
- Co-author, “Proper Litigation Budgeting Delivers True Value to Clients,” New York Law Journal, April 13, 2015
- Author, “Relationships with Inside Counsel” and co-author, “The Care & Feeding of Inside Counsel,” Rantings of a Partner … and Pushback from the Associate, Greenwald, Bart (Ed.), American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, 2011 (available online at www.americanbar.org)
- “Tips for Becoming the Trusted Outside Counsel,” Sound Advice Podcast Series, Section of Litigation, American Bar Association, April 2010 (available online at www.americanbar.org)
- “Top 10 Things Law Firms Should Know (But Don’t Seem to Know) About Their Clients,” In-House Litigator, Vol. 23, No. 1 (Fall 2008), American Bar Association (available online at www.americanbar.org)
- “The Care and Feeding of Inside Counsel,” Litigation, Vol. 31, No. 2, Winter 2005, American Bar Association (available online at www.americanbar.org)
- “Establishing AI Data Management and Vendor Selection Protocols to Ensure Regulatory Compliance for Your Clients & Firm,” MCLE, February 2025
- “Buy or Build,” American Bar Association, The Center for Innovation AI and the Practice of Law Summit, June 24, 2024
- Co-presenter, “Evolving Legal Practice: Shaping the Future of Law through Tech Innovation,” Thompson Hine Investment Management Coffee Chat, March 2024
- “Generative AI and the Impact on Legal Project Management,” Legal Project Management 2024, Practicing Law Institute, February 2024
- “How Law Firms, Consultants and Other Providers are Supporting Clients by Embracing Advanced Tech,” LegalWeek, February 2024
- “How Large Law Firms Are Incorporating AI into Practice,” American Bar Association webinar, January 2024
- “Legal Industry Updates,” Thompson Hine webinar, October 10, 2023
- “Quality over Quantity: 3 Steps to Reducing Outside Counsel Costs Without Sacrificing Performance,” LegalWeek, March 2023
- “Legal Project Management: Providing Value for In-House Law Departments,” Association of Corporate Counsel – National Capital Region, June 30, 2020
- “Kickstarting Your Firm’s Practice Innovation Initiative,” True Value Partnering Institute, 2020 Business of Law Virtual Value Summit, April 15, 2020
- “Change Management: How to Get Lawyers and Staff to Buy-In to Change,” 2020 Legal Business Strategy Conference, LegalWeek, February 4-5, 2020 and Podcast
- “How to Use Value-Based Fees,” 2017 Association of Corporate Counsel Legal Operations Conference, June 4-6, 2017
- “Legal Industry Pressures, Operational Efficiency and Pricing Strategies,” Nimble Legal Forum, October 25, 2017
- “Applying Legal Project Management – Case Studies in Getting Lawyer Buy-In,” Practicing Law Institute, Project Management for Lawyers 2015, January 22, 2015
- “What Does 2020 Look Like? e-Lawyering and the Future of Legal Work,” American Bar Association, Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession, Minority Counsel Program, May 14-16, 2014
- “Using Value-Based Fees to Strengthen Client-Firm Relationships,” American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Section Annual Conference, April 25, 2013
- “New Partner Session: Working With In-House Counsel,” American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, New Partner and In-House Counsel Conference, March 3, 2012
- “Outside Counsel Management,” Association of Corporate Counsel, 2012 Corporate Counsel University
- “Re-evaluating Law Firm Economics and What Drives Profitability in Today’s Economy,” Legal Marketing Association, Senior Marketer’s Summit, April 4, 2011
- “On the Horizon – The Slow Motion Revolution,” 9th Annual Premier Legal Practice & Risk Management Conference, March 3-5, 2010
- “Gun-Jumping: Pitfalls, Uncertainties and Solutions,” American Bar Association, Section of Antitrust Law, 2006 spring meeting
- “Dealing with the Media: Right, Wrong & Otherwise,” Association of Corporate Counsel, 2005 annual meeting
- “Antitrust Law Primer for Small Department Practitioners,” Association of Corporate Counsel, 2002 annual meeting
- Finalist for Financial Times, Most Innovative Intrapreneur, FT Innovative Lawyers Awards, 2022
- Led innovation development for firm’s recognition as a leader in legal service delivery, including:
- Winner, Financial Times Innovation in the Business of Law – Best New Model Award, 2015 (SmartPaTH)
- Finalist, American Lawyer Inaugural Legal Services Innovation Award, 2018
- Finalist, Litera Microsystems Changing Lawyer Awards/Outstanding Law Firm of the Year, 2018
- Finalist, Legal Week Leaders in Tech Law Award/Tech-Enabled Hybrid Work Environment, 2023 (proprietary staffing solution)
- Finalist, Legal Week Leaders in Tech Law Award/Tech-Enabled Transactional Practice of the Year, 2024 (technology assisted transaction management)
- Finalist, Financial Times Innovative Lawyers North America – Innovation in Digitizing Legal Practice, 2024 (ESOP transactions)
- Selected to Law360 Legal Industry Editorial Advisory Board, 2021-2024
- Accredited Legal Innovation Professional, True Value Partnering Institute, 2024
- Accredited Legal Project Manager, True Value Partnering Institute, 2020
- Fellow, College of Law Practice Management, 2016
Professional Activities
- American Bar Association: Vice-Chair, Center for Innovation (2024-2025); Task Force on Law and Artificial Intelligence (Co-Chair, 2024-2025; Member 2023-2024); Presidential Working Group on Task Based Billing Codes (Chair, 2017-2018); Editor, ABA Journal (2024-2025); Standing Committee on Membership (Chair, 2019-2022; Member 2016-2019); ABA Section of Litigation: Editor, Litigation Journal (2004-2025); former Managing Director, Chair Membership & Marketing, Council Member, Chair Corporate Counsel Committee
- American Arbitration Association, International Center for Dispute Resolution Innovation & Technology Advisory Council, Member, 2023-2025
Community Activities
- College of Law Practice Management, Trustee (2019-2025)
- Washington Office on Latin America, Director (2014-2018)
Education
- The University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1983
- Harvard University, A.B., 1980,
magna cum laude
Languages
- Spanish
- Thompson Hine Shortlisted for Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards North America,
Thompson Hine LLP
, October 29, 2024 - Questions to Ask Your Law Firms About Their Use of Artificial Intelligence,
Journal of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & Law
, July 9, 2024 - Thompson Hine Launches Innovative Generative AI Platform,
Thompson Hine LLP
, November 28, 2023 - Business Law Update – October 2023,
Thompson Hine Newsletter
, October 4, 2023 - Questions to Ask Your Law Firms About Their Use of Artificial Intelligence,
Business Law Update – October 2023
, October 4, 2023 - Tech-Enabled Hybrid Work Environment, Law Firm: Thompson Hine LLP,
ALM LegalTech News
, May 16, 2023 - Thompson Hine Staffing App Acclaimed by ALM and Financial Times,
Chief Practice Innovation Officer Recognized Among Top “Intrapreneurs” by Financial Times
, April 18, 2023 - In Predictive Analytics Market, Law Firms See a Space of Their Own,
Legaltech News
, May 17, 2022 - Am Law 200 Firm Finds Fresh Use For AI: Attorneys’ Budgeting,
Thompson Hine has built AI tools to aid dealmakers and business litigators in the process of budgeting. – The American Lawyer
, February 23, 2022 - Legalweek 2020: Change Management – How to Get Lawyers and Staff to Buy-In to Change,
Legal Talk Network
, February 14, 2020