• Emphasis: Bill advises and represents clients in personal injury and wrongful death claims and litigation.
• Injury/Death tort claims: Bill has handled wrongful death cases, construction site injury claims, automobile collision claims, dog bite cases, and a myriad of other types of injury claims. While most claims are settled through negotiation or mediation, Mr. Thayer has litigated, arbitrated and/or tried to verdict many cases for his clients. He is also appointed by other lawyers to serve as an arbitrator of tort claims.
• Professional Qualifications & Education: Admitted to the practice of law in 1980. Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, 1977, from Southern Oregon College (magna cum laude) and a Juris Doctorate degree, 1980, from the University of Oregon. Has served on the Bench-Bar Committees for both Superior and District Courts in Clark County. Has been asked to be a speaker at various legal education seminars.
• Professional Experience: Initially hired as an associate in a Hazel Dell law firm, he commenced his own solo practice in 1983 and was joined by Craig Schauermann in 1986. Although Bill's nearly four decades of practice have for the most part been anchored in Clark County, he has handled cases in Cowlitz, Skamania, Pacific, Lewis, Wahkiakum, Klickitat, Multnomah, Deschutes and Marion counties as well.
• Professional Affiliation: Licensed to practice before all district, superior and state appellate courts in the State of Washington. Licensed to practice in Oregon courts since 2006. Admitted to practice in the Western District Federal Court of the State of Washington, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. Admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon in 2007. Long-standing member of the Washington State Association for Justice (Eagle member since 1999), and of the Clark County Bar Association. Sworn in as and previously served as a judge pro tempore in Clark County District Court.
• Personal: Bill is no stranger to hard work. He grew up on a cattle ranch in southwestern Oregon bucking hay, moving irrigation pipes, building fences and doctoring cattle. He worked in a lumber mill, cooked in a restaurant, and worked at other odd jobs as he completed his education. He has enjoyed being with his family, fishing, fly tying, playing and coaching basketball and soccer, coaching mock trial, music, reading and writing literary classics and novels in his free time. Bill and his wife live in Vancouver, Washington and have two adult children.
PAST EMPLOYMENT POSITIONS
Lee, Schauermann, Thayer & Day, Associate, 1980 – 1983
William K. Thayer, Sole Practitioner, 1983 – 1986
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
Washington State Trial Lawyers Association, Eagle Member (1999 – Present) (now WSAJ - Washington State Association for Justice)
Clark County Bar Association
Clark County Superior Court Bench-Bar Committee (former member)
Clark County District Court Bench-Bar Committee (former member)
Board Member – Clark County Volunteers Lawyers Program Board of Directors (2015 – Present)
