William Kiniry, who is a co-chair of DLA Piper's Product Liability practice, engages in all aspects of civil litigation, with a particular emphasis on product liability cases and mass torts. He serves as national counsel for a major motorcycle manufacturer and national trial counsel for a number of automotive manufacturers and automotive component manufacturers, and has served as chairman of the Joint Defense Team in mass tort and Superfund litigation. In addition, he serves as regional and national trial counsel in asbestos and tobacco litigation. He has lectured internationally on product liability and risk management and has produced documentary films for multinational corporations in support of their litigation and marketing interests in the United States and abroad.

Mr. Kiniry was a Special Agent with the Pennsylvania Department of Justice Narcotics Control Strike Force prior to entering active duty with the United States Army. He thereafter became a member of the United States Army Reserve and began attending law school at the University of Baltimore, where he was president of the Student Bar Association and the winner of both the Dean Joseph Curtis and University President's Awards.

The respected research firm Legal 500 cites him for his product liability and mass tort defense practice, noting that clients say he is an "outstanding lawyer" who can "manage, distill and present the most complex cases."

Mr. Kiniry is also a graduate of the United States Army Judge Advocate General's School and the University of North Florida School of Accident Reconstruction and has attended numerous technical training courses offered by original equipment manufacturers and component part manufacturers within the automotive industry. He is a former company commander in the United States Army Special Operations Forces.

Mr. Kiniry is also a member of DLA Piper's Policy Committee.

Significant Matters

• National representation of a friction product manufacturer in toxic tort litigation including development of a national defense strategy, discovery coordination and trial.
• Representation of a global chemical corporation involved in a significant toxic chemical release in crisis response and subsequent class actions as well as multimillion-dollar claims litigation.
• National representation of a global motorcycle manufacturer in toxic tort litigation including the development of a national defense strategy, in-house witnesses identification and preparation, discovery coordination and trial.
• National representation of a global heavy industrial equipment manufacturers in toxic tort litigation to include the development of a national defense strategy, in-house witnesses identification and preparation, discovery coordination and trial.
• Representation of an international children’s products manufacturers in car seat, swing, and stroller litigation to include development of in-house witnesses and experts for national litigation platform.
• Representation of international motorcycle manufacturers in products liability litigation around the world to include the development of a uniform defense strategy, in-house witness identification and preparation, discovery coordination and trial.
• National representation of a cigarette manufacturer in its health effects litigation, including the development of its defense in synergy cases.
• National representation of numerous automobile manufacturers in individual products liability matters and class actions.
• Lead counsel for a regional a regional propane company with respect to crisis management and trial.