William H. Groner, Esq.
William H. Groner is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SSAM. Prior, Bill had 35+ years of experience in personal injury and construction law representing personal injury clients as well as insurance and surety companies. During those years Bill participated in hundreds of negotiations involving over One Billion dollars in settlements, with an extensive number of mediations and trials.
Bill handled the 9/11 mass tort litigation representing over 10,000 ground zero responders who were exposed to toxins and contaminants post 9/11. He was a principal negotiator in the decade long litigation which resulted in settlements in excess of $900,000,000.
During his career, Bill has lectured on topics ranging from mediation to ethics to law firm management. Bill has recently been an Adjunct Faculty member at Boston University School of Law teaching a course for 3 years on the Ground Zero mass tort. He has made numerous radio and TV appearances including 20/20 ABC News, CNN (Worldwide), Good Day NY, Fox, and CBS.
Bill has been repeatedly selected as a New York Super Lawyer, characterized as a ‘rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.’ Bill also enjoys the maximum rating available (AV-5.0) from Martindale-Hubbell, which denotes the “highest level of professional excellence.”
EXPERTISE
LOCATION
NY Metro
MEDIATION
Founder/CEO, SSAM Alternative Dispute Resolution (2016-present)
Hired/trained/supervised neutrals who have conducted 2,000+ mediations for SSAM
Moderator, “Mediation and Arbitration: Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts, Westchester County Bar Association, March 11, 2008
Panelist, “Best Practices for Mediation and Settlement”, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute, February 28, 2017
American Arbitration Association’s “Essential Mediation Skills” course certificate holder
MASS TORT
IN RE WORLD TRADE CENTER DISASTER LITIGATION (2004-2012)
- DeFacto Liaison Counsel (signator on Settlement Agreement) on “most complex mass tort in US history”
- Represented 10,000+ first responders, construction, municipal and utility workers exposed to Ground Zero dust during the rescue, recovery and clean-up operations post 9/11.
- Chief plaintiffs’ architect of points-based compensatory program utilizing millions of medical and causation data points
- Negotiated $900,000,000+ settlement during near decade long litigation
TEACHING-PUBLIC SPEAKING
BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW
Lecturer in Law, Adjunct Faculty member: “Anatomy of a Mass Tort”
- 2013-2016
Guest Lecturer, “Ground Zero Litigation”
- December 4, 2017; November 18, 2014; November 25, 2013; December 5, 2012
Guest Lecturer, “The Hazardous Impact of Cleaning Up After September 11- Who Is At Fault?”
- March 19, 2007
BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY
Creator, Organizing Team Leader, TIER Talks series (Talks that Inspire, Educate and Resonate)
- October 18, 2014: “Rethinking Success: Thriving in the Modern World” series
- October 10, 2015: “Making Waves: Mind-Blowing Breakthroughs in Neuroscience”
- September 24, 2016: Our Political System On Life Support
- October 7, 2017: Virtual and Augmented Reality: The Future is Now!
- October 6, 2018: The Heat is On: Exploring the Effects of Climate Change
Guest Speaker, Creativity & Innovation class, and Leadership class, School of Management
- October 2, 2014
Alumni Speaker, College in the Woods Commencement Ceremony (Residential College)
- May 6, 2014; May 17, 2008
Featured Speaker, Binghamton University Forum, “Ground Zero Dust, Its Mysterious Medical Consequences and the Resulting Epic First Responders Litigation”
- November 14, 2013
Speaker, College in the Woods, 40th Birthday Anniversary,
- October 14, 2012
CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION
Moderator, “Mediation and Arbitration: Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts, Westchester County Bar Association,
- March 11, 2008
Panelist, “Best Practices for Mediation and Settlement”, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute,
- February 28, 2017
Speaker, “Ground Zero Dust, Its Mysterious Medical Consequences and the Resulting Epic First Responders Litigation,” Pace University Law School,
- February 25, 2014
Speaker, “Trial Prep For A Personal Injury Case: 10 Mandatory Tasks For Plaintiff And Defense Litigators,” Westchester County Bar Association,
- April 11, 2007
Organizer and Speaker, “Who Wants to be a M(B)illionaire? Starting, Managing and Building Your Own
- Westchester Law Firm,” Pace University Law School, February, 28, 2007
Speaker, “Workers Compensation/Negligence Interplay,” Westchester County Bar Association,
- December 19, 2006
Organizer and Moderator, “The Top 10 Differences between State Court and Federal Court Practice for
- the Civil Litigator,” Westchester County Bar Association, November 28, 2006
Moderator, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
- “Decisions Westchester County,” October 21, 2005; October 4, 2002; October 5, 2001
Speaker, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
- “Decisions NYC,” September 30, 2005; October 15, 2004; October 3, 2003; September 15, 2000; September 18, 1999;
- “Decisions Westchester,” October 29, 2004; October 27, 2000; September 24, 1999
- “Decisions Long Island,” October 19, 2004
- “Trial Preparation Secrets,” January 12, 2000
- “Preparation of Auto Premises Liability Cases,” February 6, 1999
Organizer, Moderator and Speaker, “From The Top And From The Trenches: Does The Civil Jury System Still Work?”
- Westchester County Bar Association, March 24, 2004
Organizer, “Ethics: Setting Up A Conflict Of Interest System In Your Office,” Westchester County Bar
- Association, June 23, 2004
Organizer and Moderator, “Hot from the Judges: ‘Evidentiary Bloopers As Seen By The Gatekeepers,’”
- Westchester County Bar Association, October 22, 2003
Speaker, “Aiding Victims of the World Trade Center Disaster,”
- Pace University Law School, January 16, 2002
Organizer, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
- “Technology And Law Office Management,” November 10, 1999
- “Motion Practice Do’s and Don’ts,” June 17, 1999
- “How to Handle it: Ethical Dilemmas for Litigators,” April 15, 1999
MEDIA APPEARANCES
TEDx TALK
9/12: From Me to We
RADIO/PODCASTS
ABA Journal Modern Law Library Podcast: October 30, 2019
Legal Talk Network: October 30, 2019
Sirius XM- POTUS channel
NPR
Chip Franklin Show
WBAP News Talk
WOCA New Talk
The Jim Bohannin Show
KMOX Overnight America
Ross Kaminsky Show, Denver
NATIONAL/LOCAL TELEVISION; PRINT/ONLINE NEWS
Numerous- Available upon request
PUBLICATIONS / LITIGATION BRIEFS (SELECTED)
Co-Author: 9/12: The Epic Battle of the Ground Zero Responders (Potomac Books 2019)
(currently in development with Sony Pictures Television for TV limited series)
In re World Trade Center Disaster Site Litigation, 521 F.3d 169, (2008). On the brief.
In re World Trade Center Disaster Site Litigation, 456 F.Supp.2d 520, S.D.N.Y., (2006).On the brief.
EDUCATION
Boston University School of Law, J.D. (1980)
Binghamton University, B.A. (1977)
ORGANIZATIONS/AWARDS
Boston University School of Law: Annual Shapiro Lecture (forthcoming 2021)
Binghamton University Alumni Achievement Award (2019)
Binghamton University Alumni Association
- Board of Directors (2013- 2018)
New York State Trial Lawyers Association:
- Board of Directors (1990-2006)
- President/Founder of Westchester Chapter (1998-2006)
Westchester County Bar Association:
- Executive Committee (2005-2008)
- Board of Directors (2004-2009)
- Co-Chair, Trial Committee (2003-2011)
- Chair Membership Committee (2004-2006)
New York “Super Lawyers” list, (2009-2017)
American Trial Lawyers Association “Top 100 Trial Lawyers– New York” list, 2009
National Trial Lawyers “Top 100 Lawyers” list, 2008-2015
Million Dollar Advocates Forum: Member
ADMISSIONS
1981, New York State Courts
1981, U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York