PROFILE
William Wargo is a graduate of Columbia University School of Law and was law clerk for The Honorable Stephen V. Wilson in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. He has practiced for more than 23 years in state and federal courts across the country. He has extensive experience in all manner of complex commercial disputes, including contract actions between sophisticated commercial parties, antitrust investigation and litigation, consumer class actions under state and federal unfair competition laws, employment discrimination class actions, products liability actions, securities cases, and data privacy matters.
Mr. Wargo has litigated at the trial and appellate levels in federal and state courts, including the Central District of California, the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the Middle District of Florida, New York State Supreme Court, California trial courts, and the state courts of West Virginia. He has represented parties in investigations conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
- Defended large retailer in action regarding the company’s price match policy resulting in jury verdict in favor of client.
- Represented large telecommunications company in multi-year employment discrimination class action in West Virginia resulting in favorable settlement of claims against client.
- Represented Canadian investment company in breach of contract litigation with food products company resulting in $1.5 million judgment for client.
- After large corporation suffered federal trial loss and jury award of significant compensatory and punitive damages in employment discrimination case, was retained to write post-trial brief that resulted in punitive damages being stricken and large reduction in compensatory damages.
- Defended estate of famous author against negligence and other claims premised on allegations that the author’s diet plan caused injury to plaintiff, resulting in plaintiff’s case being dismissed with prejudice.
- Defended prominent newspaper when printing mistake led thousands of readers to mistakenly believe they had won prizes in contest run by the newspaper, including drafting of a dozen motions to dismiss, all of which were granted.
- Defense of large accounting firm in securities litigation and Securities & Exchange Commission investigation. Responsibilities included conducting fact investigation in Amsterdam.
- Managed response to Second Request from Federal Trade Commission regarding sale of business by oil field services company resulting in approval of the transaction with modifications acceptable to all parties.
EDUCATION
- J.D., Columbia University School of Law, 1996
- Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96
- Appellate Moot Court Finalist
- Member, Columbia Journal of Law and Social Problems
- M.A., History, University of California, Los Angeles, 1993
- B.A., History, University of California, San Diego, 1990