William D. Janicki

Of Counsel

San Diego, (858) 720-5195

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Education

U.S. Air Force Academy (B.S., 1989)
;
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.S., 1991)
;
McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific (J.D., 2001)

Practices

Aviation + Aerospace

Product Liability

Patent Litigation

Bar Admissions

California
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

Bill Janicki’s experience includes the management of complex litigation cases involving product liability; mass torts; aviation accidents; wrongful death; and commercial disputes including trade secret, contract and intellectual property matters. Mr. Janicki has represented clients in the aerospace industry before state and federal courts across the country and has successfully tried cases to a jury verdict.

Mr. Janicki’s practice encompasses all areas of product liability and commercial litigation, and he has successfully represented a number of clients in cases involving multidistrict, multijurisdictional and foreign litigation. Mr. Janicki has extensive experience with trial, arbitration, mediation and arguing appeals before courts of appeal. Mr. Janicki has successfully guided the litigation strategy for a number of large and complex aviation litigation matters and has successfully handled matters involving accidents in foreign countries. His legal advice extends beyond the efficient management of litigation matters to the provision of strategic counseling and risk management.

Mr. Janicki is recognized by Legal 500 US in the area of product liability and mass tort defense: aerospace/aviation. He is a frequent speaker on topics of evidentiary issues, jury communication, use of expert witnesses, aviation litigation and electronic discovery. In 2012 Mr. Janicki was appointed to the Legal Technical Committee of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Mr. Janicki received his B.S. in astronautical engineering, with academic distinction, from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1989. He received his M.S. in aeronautical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1991. While serving as a pilot in the United States Air Force (KC-10 aircraft commander), Mr. Janicki attended the McGeorge School of Law, graduating Order of the Coif in 2001. During law school, he was a member of the McGeorge Law Review editorial staff. Upon graduation, he was awarded the Outstanding Graduating Senior Award for Excellence. His aviation background includes multiengine, commercial and instrument ratings with more than 2,000 flight hours and international experience in transport category aircraft.

Cessna Caravan 208 Icing Accidents

Serving as national coordinating counsel for Cessna Aircraft Company in individual personal injury and wrongful death cases pending in various jurisdictions in the United States arising from accidents involving Cessna Caravan 208 aircraft flown in alleged icing conditions. (Ongoing)

Gol Airlines Flight 1907 Litigation

Represented Honeywell International, Inc. in a lawsuit involving a mid-air collision between a Boeing 737-800, operated as Gol Airlines Flight 1907, and an Embraer Legacy 600, operated by ExcelAire Services, over the Amazon jungle, Brazil, on September 29, 2006. The accident resulted in the deaths of 154 passengers and crew-members. Cases were brought in seven different districts, and we were successful in obtaining consolidation of the cases for MDL treatment in the Eastern District of New York. In late July 2008, the motion to dismiss the cases to Brazil for forum non conveniens was granted. The Brazilian carrier is settling the cases with claimants in Brazil. On appeal, the District Court’s dismissal of the consolidated actions was affirmed by the Second Circuit.

Flash Airlines Flight 604 Litigation (In re Flash Airlines)

Representing Honeywell International, Inc. in a lawsuit arising out of the crash of a Boeing 737-300, operated as Flash Airlines Flight 604, into the Red Sea off Sharm-El Sheikh, Egypt, on January 3, 2004. The accident resulted in the deaths of 148 passengers and crew. Cases initially were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by some of the decedents’ estates. Along with co-counsel for Boeing, our firm was successful in having the case dismissed on grounds of forum non conveniens in favor of a French forum. Approximately 600 plaintiffs then filed actions in a French trial court in Bobigny seeking compensation for the deaths of approximately 130 decedents. French Court of Appeal reversed the decision re jurisdiction. New U.S. filings are expected. Appeal pending in French Cour de Cassation.

Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters

Represented Papillon Grand Canyon Airways in a case arising from the crash of a sightseeing helicopter returning to Las Vegas from the Grand Canyon. Six of the seven people aboard were killed and the seventh was severely injured. The case resolved in a favorable settlement for Papillon.

Southwest Airlines Flight 1455

We were retained in March of 2000 to represent Southwest Airlines in the most serious incident in the history of that airline at that time. All but two of the numerous cases were settled, most after a summary judgment decision by the court denying punitive damages. Two cases went to trial, and in both cases the judgments were less than the amounts offered in settlement.

Alaska Airlines Flight 261

This multi-district litigation matter involved wrongful death and survival claims by heirs and estates of the 88 passengers and crew who perished in the crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 on January 31, 2000 near Point Mugu, California. We represented Alaska Airlines as lead trial counsel. Intensive fact and expert discovery led to a series of successful motions to remove punitive damages from the case, limit theories of recovery against the airline under the Warsaw Convention, stipulate to liability to remove potentially harmful evidence from the trials, and prepare and try damages claims. Trial commenced in the MDL Court, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, in ten wrongful death cases leading to settlements during trial of all but one of the remaining cases. After remand to the Central District of California and transfer back to the Northern District of California for trial, the remaining case settled.

Woodbury Financial Services Litigation

Lead trial counsel defending Woodbury Financial Services in a contract dispute for financial services with Umpqua Bank. Defended Woodbury in contract action brought in the Northern District of California resulting in a favorable dismissal of our client following settlement negotiations.

Voorhis v. Cessna

Represented Cessna Aircraft Company in a crash of a Cessna 208B in Oak Glen, CA on March 28, 2006. The plaintiff's initial settlement demand sought hundreds of millions in damages. Several attempts to mediate the case to a settlement before trial were not successful. Ten days before trial, Cessna made a statutory offer to compromise, which was rejected. Trial commenced on October 5, 2009. After a six week trial, the jury returned a defense verdict on November 12, 2009 finding that the decedent was solely responsible for causing the accident.

McKesson v. Bridge Medical, Inc.

(Eastern District of California). Successfully defended Bridge Medical in a patent action involving the use of barcode technology in bedside patient identification and verification systems. Following trial in the Eastern District of California, the court found the asserted patent unenforceable based on inequitable conduct during its prosecution. The Federal Circuit affirmed the trial court in McKesson Info. Solutions v. Bridge Medical, Inc. 487 F3.d 897 (Fed. Cir. 2007). (2007)

Aero Precision Industries Litigation

Lead trial counsel for Aero Precision Industries in a commercial dispute over the performance of a repair contract. A contract action was brought in the Northern District of California resulting in a favorable settlement for our client following mediation.