William Cronin (Emeritus)

(206) 621-1406

wcronin@corrcronin.com

William Cronin (Emeritus)

Admitted in Washington and California

Mr. Cronin is a retired founding partner of the firm. We are proud to call him one of our “emeritus” partners. He is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and has been named as one of the top business litigators in Seattle in every one of Seattle Magazine’s top lawyer surveys since 2001. He was also selected by his peers in the annual Super Lawyer’s list as one of the top ten Business Litigators in the state in 2013 and 2014. In 2019 he was chosen to the “Super Lawyers” list and voted among the Top 100 lawyers in the state. For 12 years in a row Bill has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America.

Bill’s practice focuses on business litigation, representing both plaintiffs and defendants. He has represented law firms, accounting firms, engineering firms, construction contractors, corporate officers and directors, majority and minority stockholders, employees and employers, and Fortune 500 companies such as Exxon Mobil, AT&T Mobility, and Amazon.com in high-stakes litigation.

He is licensed to practice in Washington and California.

Professional Associations

  • Washington State Bar Association

  • California State Bar Association

Education/Background

  • J.D., University of Southern California Law School, 1975

  • University of Oregon Law School, 1972-1973

  • B.A., cum laude, Brown University, 1970

  • Bogle & Gates, 1978-1999

  • O’Melveny & Myers, Associate, 1975-1978

Featured Cases

VC Sellers v. CH2M Hill

Corr Cronin represented CH2M Hill in a multi-million-dollar dispute arising from the acquisition of VECO International by CH2M Hill. The dispute was settled in 2013 and the settlement terms are confidential.

AT&T v. Federal Insurance

Corr Cronin represented AT&T Mobility in a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against Federal Insurance Company to recover amounts allegedly due on a directors and officers insurance policy. After a two-week jury trial in Delaware Superior Court, AT&T obtained a verdict for $9.25 million against Federal. Mr. Cronin was lead trial counsel in this matter.

Amazon.com v. Expedia, Inc.

Corr Cronin represented Amazon.com in a lawsuit filed against Expedia, Inc. for breach of contract for recovery of in excess of $12,000,000. Expedia asserted counterclaims. The case was settled shortly before trial and settlement terms are confidential. Mr. Cronin served as lead counsel.

VersusLaw, Inc. v. Stoel Rives, et al.

Mr. Cronin was engaged to represent a law firm and individual attorney defendants against claims of legal malpractice arising from a failed licensing relationship and underlying arbitration proceeding. Corr Cronin obtained a summary judgment for all defendants dismissing the plaintiff’s $12 million claim, but the Court of Appeals reversed and remanded for trial. The matter was subsequently settled and settlement terms are confidential.

State of Alaska v. Exxon Corporation

This was a tax dispute arising from Alaska’s $1.3 billion tax assessment against Exxon. Mr. Cronin was lead counsel for Exxon through six months of trial. During trial, Mr. Cronin directed a team of three law firms and more than ten lawyers and obtained a result that reduced the tax assessment on Exxon by 80% and saved Exxon nearly $1 billion off the assessment sought by the State of Alaska at trial.

More Representative Cases

VC Sellers v. CH2M Hill

Corr Cronin represented CH2M Hill in a multi-million dollar dispute arising from the acquisition of VECO International by CH2M Hill. The dispute was settled in 2013 and the settlement terms are confidential.

AT&T v. Federal Insurance

Corr Cronin represented AT&T Mobility in a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Federal Insurance Company to recover amounts allegedly due on a directors and officers insurance policy. After a two week jury trial in Delaware Superior Court, AT&T obtained a verdict for $9.25 million against Federal. Mr. Cronin was lead trial counsel in this matter.

Amazon.com v. Expedia, Inc.

Corr Cronin represented Amazon.com in a lawsuit filed against Expedia, Inc. for breach of contract for recovery of in excess of $12,000,000. Expedia asserted counterclaims. The case was settled shortly before trial and settlement terms are confidential. Mr. Cronin served as lead counsel.

Fluor Corporation v. AT&T Wireless

Corr Cronin and Perkins Coie represented AT&T Wireless in a multi-million dollar claim asserted by Fluor Corporation against AT&T Wireless arising out of a contract between AT&T Wireless and Fluor Corporation for the construction of cell tower and cell tower service centers across the country. The case was ultimately settled. The settlement terms are confidential.

Phillips Petroleum, et al. v. Arco Alaska, Inc., et al.

Mr. Cronin served as lead counsel for Arco Alaska, Atlantic Richfield and Exxon Corporation in a dispute with Mobil, Phillips, and Chevron relating to ownership rights in the Prudhoe Bay oil field, the largest oil and gas field in North America. Claims included alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, conversion and breach of contract by Arco Alaska as operator of the Prudhoe Bay Unit. Bogle & Gates obtained a summary judgment for their clients on a $500 million conversion claim before trial and proceeded through a three month trial in Delaware on the remaining claims asserted by Mobil, Phillips and Chevron. The matter concluded in a post-trial settlement.

Prudhoe Bay Arbitration No. 1

Mr. Cronin served as lead counsel for Arco Alaska, Inc. in a two-year commercial arbitration before six technical experts arising out of ownership disputes at Prudhoe Bay. Parties to the arbitration were Mobil, Phillips, Chevron, Arco, Exxon and Standard Oil Company of Ohio.

AT&T v. Federal Insurance

Corr Cronin represented AT&T Mobility in a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Federal Insurance Company to recover amounts allegedly due on a directors and officers insurance policy. After a two week jury trial in Delaware Superior Court, AT&T obtained a verdict for $9.25 million against Federal. Mr. Cronin was lead trial counsel in this matter.

Champion International v. Aetna

Represented Champion International, plaintiff in a multi-million dollar insurance coverage case filed against 62 insurance companies in state court in Washington. After two years of litigation, Champion obtained in excess of $40 million in settlement from the defendant insurance companies.

Georgia-Pacific v. Aetna

Represented Georgia-Pacific and subsidiaries who were plaintiffs in a multi-million dollar insurance coverage case filed against 87 insurance companies in state court in Washington. After nearly three years of litigation, Georgia-Pacific obtained in excess of $50 million in settlement from defendant insurance companies.

North Slope Borough v. U.S. Filter, Inc., et al.

Corr Cronin represented U.S. Filter, Inc. in a twenty million dollar action filed by the North Slope Borough in Barrow, Alaska against U.S. Filter, Inc. and Hydropro, Inc. The complaint alleged numerous claims arising from the alleged failure of water filtration systems installed at five native villages on the North Slope of Alaska. After obtaining a summary judgment dismissing the Borough’s claims under the Alaska Unfair Trade Practices Act, U.S. Filter settled the remaining claims shortly before trial. The settlement terms are confidential. Mr. Cronin served as lead counsel for U.S. Filter.

North Slope Borough v. U.S. Filter, Inc., et al.

Corr Cronin represented U.S. Filter, Inc. in a twenty million dollar action filed by the North Slope Borough in Barrow, Alaska against U.S. Filter, Inc. and Hydropro, Inc. The complaint alleged numerous claims arising from the alleged failure of water filtration systems installed at five native villages on the North Slope of Alaska. After obtaining a summary judgment dismissing the Borough’s claims under the Alaska Unfair Trade Practices Act, U.S. Filter settled the remaining claims shortly before trial. The settlement terms are confidential. Mr. Cronin served as lead counsel for U.S. Filter.

Phillips Petroleum, et al. v. Arco Alaska, Inc., et al.

Mr. Cronin served as lead counsel for Arco Alaska, Atlantic Richfield and Exxon Corporation in a dispute with Mobil, Phillips, and Chevron relating to ownership rights in the Prudhoe Bay oil field, the largest oil and gas field in North America. Claims included alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, conversion and breach of contract by Arco Alaska as operator of the Prudhoe Bay Unit. Bogle & Gates obtained a summary judgment for their clients on a $500 million conversion claim before trial and proceeded through a three month trial in Delaware on the remaining claims asserted by Mobil, Phillips and Chevron. The matter concluded in a post-trial settlement.

Prudhoe Bay Arbitration No. 1

Mr. Cronin served as lead counsel for Arco Alaska, Inc. in a two-year commercial arbitration before six technical experts arising out of ownership disputes at Prudhoe Bay. Parties to the arbitration were Mobil, Phillips, Chevron, Arco, Exxon and Standard Oil Company of Ohio.

Glacier Northwest v King County and Preserve Our Islands, et al.

Corr Cronin represented Glacier Northwest in a trial de novo before the Shorelines Hearings Board (“SHB”) regarding Glacier’s application for a permit to modify and construct a dock for the export of sand and gravel from an island mine. Despite local opposition to the permit request and King County’s denial of and opposition to the permit request, Glacier prevailed after a two-week trial before the SHB and obtained a unanimous ruling in Glacier’s favor. Mr. Cronin served as lead trial counsel.

Tax

State of Alaska v. Exxon Corporation

This was a tax dispute arising from Alaska’s $1.3 billion tax assessment against Exxon. Mr. Cronin was lead counsel for Exxon through six months of trial. During trial, Mr. Cronin directed a team of 3 law firms and over 10 lawyers and obtained a result that reduced the tax assessment on Exxon by 80% and saved Exxon nearly $1 billion off the assessment sought by the State of Alaska at trial.