William L. Coggshall, III is a Partner in the San Diego office of GRSM. William represents individuals and businesses ranging in size from small sole proprietorships to large international corporations. William is an experienced trial lawyer, handling cases involving professional liability claims (insurance agents and brokers, lawyers, accountants, design professionals), construction litigation (defect, contract, delay claims), and high-exposure toxic tort litigation. His clients include retailers, manufacturers, developers, general contractors and large infrastructure engineering companies. Additionally, he represents clients in all types of real estate disputes (including but not limited to: issues/claims related to easements, encroachments, landlord/tenant, landslides, all types of construction matters, failure to disclose, premises liability and water diversion facilities).
Recent Results
- Trial – Secured a favorable jury verdict for a nationally authorized retailer for a leading wireless provider following a multi-week trial in San Diego County Superior Court. The case arose from an altercation in which an 88-year-old customer alleged she was struck by a store employee, causing her to fall and sustain a traumatic brain injury and a fractured scapula. The plaintiff sought approximately $1.3 million in future medical and life care expenses, $8.7 million in noneconomic damages for pain and suffering and a finding of malice and oppression against the client.
- Trial – Obtained a complete defense jury verdict for a national automotive parts retailer following a three-week trial in Las Vegas District Court. The plaintiffs alleged that the retailer was vicariously liable for an assault by a now-former employee and brought separate negligence claims against the company based on a store manager’s failure to intervene. They claimed the altercation caused a traumatic brain injury resulting in permanent impairment and a need for lifelong care, and sought more than $10 million in compensatory damages. The jury concluded that GRSM’s client bore no fault and that the former employee’s conduct did not fall within the scope of the law governing vicarious liability.
- Trial – Obtained a complete defense verdict on behalf of five insurance agents and one corporate agency client following a three-week jury trial in San Bernardino County Superior Court. The plaintiff, an insurance agency, alleged breach of employment contracts and misappropriated trade secrets under the California Uniform Trade Secrets Act (CUTSA), and sought in excess of $8 million in damages.
- Trial – Obtained a jury victory in San Diego Superior Court for clients sued following an assault at a heavy metal rock concert. The plaintiffs alleged failures in security planning, deployment, intervention and post-incident response and sought damages for significant physical injuries, pain and suffering, emotional distress and loss of consortium.
- Trial – Secured a unanimous defense verdict in a jury trial involving alleged design errors in a water diversion facility dam. The defense established that the erosion damage resulted from the plaintiff’s operation of the facility rather than the project design, defeating claims for breach of contract and negligence.
- Trial – Obtained a unanimous jury verdict for a client following a two-week jury trial involving damage to six rented stainless steel brewing tanks. The client prevailed on its breach of contract claim and was awarded damages and attorneys’ fees.
- Trial – Obtained all requested relief for a defendant following a three-week hotly contested trial involving a dispute between adjacent commercial property owners, then successfully defended the result on appeal. The matter subsequently settled post-appeal with a high six-figure settlement for the client and its insurer for attorneys’ fees and lost business profits.
- Obtained an excellent result on behalf of an architectural firm in a binding arbitration involving claims by a homeowner’s association arising from the design of repairs. The claimant initially sought in excess of $750,000 and reduced its demand to approximately $560,000 at the conclusion of testimony. Following the hearing and post-arbitration briefing, the arbitrator made a very small award of $31,000 in favor of the HOA.
Sampling of Other Representative Matters
- Product Liability Defense – Represented a material supplier regarding product liability claims in a large multi-district litigation over a diet supplement. The asserted defense that set in motion a successful resolution was the argument that the client was protected by the “component parts doctrine.” The case successfully resolved short of trial.
- Landlord/Tenant – Represented apartment owner against multiple lawsuits brought by former and current tenants alleging habitability and discrimination claims. The cases were successfully settled short of trial.
- Landlord/Tenant – Represented mobile home park and its property manager against claims of discrimination and specific performance. Successfully resolved matter following successful motion with client’s receiving the sole compensation on the case.
- Tunnel Collapse/Landslide – Represented a design professional in claims involving the collapse of a tunnel. The matter successfully resolved short of trial.
- Landslide – Represented multiple homeowners in mutual claims against neighbors involving large landslide and issues of lateral and subjacent support. Case settled short of trial with sufficient monetary compensation to repair landslide.
- Premises Liability – Represented a construction general contractor in claims made by injured patron at shopping mall. The matter was resolved when a dismissal of the client was obtained by way of summary judgment.
- Failure to Disclose – Successfully represented a buyer in an odd case of turnabout wherein the seller alleged a claim that the buyer failed to disclose certain knowledge of construction defects. The matter was dismissed after a successful motion for summary judgment.
- Architect Defense – Represented architect whose work was alleged to have contributed to the cause of pedestrian/vehicle accident and the resulting injuries. Plaintiff’s initial demands were in the high six figures. Following a few depositions and faced with a summary judgment motion, plaintiff settled the case against the architect for $2,000.
- Staying Out of Hot Water, AIA – East Bay, February 19, 2015
Admissions
- California
- Wisconsin (inactive)
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
Memberships
- AIA – East Bay
- Council on Litigation Management
- Defense Research Institute
- Contra Costa County Bar Association
- Association of Defense Counsel
Education
- J.D., Marquette University Law School, 1999
- Intellectual Property Law Review, Associate Editor, 1998-99
- B.A., San Jose State University, 1995
Honors
- Best Lawyers in America® distinction in Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants (2026)