Bill Padgett utilizes vigorous and targeted early pre-trial management and motion practice to defend leading companies in cases involving agricultural products, prescription and over-the-counter drugs, and specialty chemicals. Bill maximizes client strengths and leverages pressure points throughout the case management process in order to resolve serious claims as quickly and cost-effectively as possible, while positioning the case — with all its moving parts — for trial if needed.

With a complex litigation practice that is national in scope, Bill’s experience is deep and far-reaching. He represents clients against product liability, toxic tort, and commercial claims involving chemical products, pharmaceuticals, agricultural and crop protection products, medical devices, and a variety of other products. Bill’s practice primarily includes complex and large scale litigation, including multidistrict litigation (MDLs) involving the defense of pharmaceutical and toxic tort personal injury lawsuits brought against product manufacturers, as well as commercial claims involving product defect, non-performance and conspiracy allegations.

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Our Barnes & Thornburg summer program is premised on an open-assignment system so that law students are not constrained and can explore various areas of law. It is a busy, truth-in-advertising summer of real work that is as close to being a Barnes & Thornburg junior associate as possible. Our summer associates take part in programming focused on developing their skills for success as future associates and fun events geared towards getting to know the firm and the community.
Experience
  • Barnes & Thornburg attorneys represented Anheuser-Busch in a case that arose as a result of a temporary Indiana state regulation that permitted beer distributors to engage in "transshipping," a practice in which beer distributors were permitted to sell outside of the territory that had been designated for them by the alcohol brewing companies. After the regulation expired, the beer distributors filed suit against the Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission and the various brewing companies. Barnes & Thornburg represented Anheuser-Busch's interests in the litigation. As a major brewing company, Anheuser-Busch's interests were aligned with the position of the Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission because the temporary rule had prevented Anheuser-Busch from enforcing the territories it had negotiated with the beer distributors. Barnes & Thornburg assisted Anheuser-Busch in defending the expiration of the law from the distributors' challenge, and succeeded in obtaining judgment in favor of our Client. The beer distributors appealed to the Indiana Court of Appeals, but the appellate court affirmed the judgment of Marion Superior Court. Little Bev. Co. v. DePrez, 777 N.
  • Barnes & Thornburg attorneys represented chemical manufacturer in liver cancer case involving vinyl chloride exposure and obtained summary judgment on failure to warn, fraud, and conspiracy claims. Taylor v. Airco, Inc., 503 F. Supp. 2d 432 (D. Mass. 2007), aff’d,#576 F.3d 16 (First Circuit 2009).
Credentials

Education

  • Wabash College, B.A., magna cum laude
  • Indiana University-Bloomington, J.D., 1995, cum laude

Bar Admissions

  • Indiana

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
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