Meet William B. Hanley

Professional Profile

William B. Hanley is an attorney with over 50 years of trial experience representing individuals and businesses across Southern California. Since entering legal practice in 1974, he has established expertise across a broad range of practice areas, including business litigation, commercial litigation, real estate litigation, construction litigation, environmental law, employment law, personal injury, and trust disputes. Bill earned his Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law in 1974 and was named the 2002 Business Litigation Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Orange County Trial Lawyers’ Association.

Throughout his career, Bill has focused on providing direct, personal involvement in every case he handles. Working independently and within small firm settings allows him to personally prepare and argue cases from inception through final judgment or settlement. While he has successfully represented several Fortune 500 companies, he works in representing small businesses, emerging entrepreneurs, and individuals facing challenging legal disputes against larger corporate entities. To learn more about his approach, explore our Firm Overview.

Raised as one of six children in Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, where his father worked in a local steel mill, Bill developed a grounded, straight-forward approach early in life. His early ambition to practice law was fueled by determination, which carried through his undergraduate studies at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His legal aspirations were briefly interrupted when he served his country in the United States Army with the 101st Airborne Division during a tour of duty in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970. Upon returning to the United States at Fort MacArthur in San Pedro, Bill chose to make Southern California his permanent home and pursue his legal career.

After completing his military service, Bill enrolled at Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu, California. During his legal education, he served as a member of the Pepperdine Law Review from 1973 to 1974 and published scholarly research regarding procedural law. Following his graduation and admission to the California Bar in 1974, he joined the Costa Mesa firm of Russell Behrens as an associate attorney, becoming a partner in 1978. His foundational training in trial practice established a track record of courtroom advocacy that spans over five decades.

Legal Expertise and Practice Focus

Bill represents clients in challenging state and federal litigation, offering comprehensive counsel across several core practice areas:

• Business Litigation: Managing challenging commercial disputes, corporate conflicts, contract issues, and unfair competition practices to protect corporate assets and operational integrity.

• Partnership & Shareholder Disputes: Resolving internal ownership conflicts, breach of fiduciary duty claims, governance disputes, and entity dissolutions among business co-owners.

• Real Estate & Construction Litigation: Representing property owners, developers, and contractors in boundary conflicts, title issues, contract disputes, and construction defect claims.

• Environmental Law: Advising businesses and landowners on environmental compliance, land use restrictions, regulatory disputes, and liability risks.

• Employment Law & Personal Injury: Representing plaintiffs and organizations in workplace claims, contract enforcement, and serious personal injury matters, including nursing home neglect and abuse.

• Trust & Commercial Disputes: Advocating for beneficiaries, fiduciaries, and corporate entities involved in high-stakes trust litigation, financial disputes, and breach of contract actions.

By maintaining a focused litigation scope, Bill makes sure that every matter receives rigorous factual analysis and customized trial strategies. His practice prioritizes protecting the financial interests of smaller businesses and individuals when pitted against well-funded corporate opponents. He handles all pre-trial discovery, law and motion proceedings, settlement negotiations, and courtroom trials directly, providing consistent legal representation without delegating primary case duties to junior associates.

Whether managing intricate contractual language or prosecuting business torts, Bill applies trial preparation techniques refined across hundreds of contested matters. He routinely handles claims involving corporate governance, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duties, and challenging commercial real estate disputes across Southern California court systems. Clients benefit from an advocate who understands both the legal mechanics of litigation and the economic realities facing business owners.

Admissions, Credentials & Education

Bar & Court Admissions

• State Bar of California: Admitted 1974

• U.S. Supreme Court: Admitted 1985

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit: Admitted 1977

• U.S. District Court, Central District of California: Admitted 1985

• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California: Admitted 1985

• U.S. District Court, Northern District of California: Admitted 1985

• U.S. District Court, Southern District of California: Admitted 1985

Education & Academic Honors

• Pepperdine University School of Law: Juris Doctor, 1974

• Pepperdine Law Review: Member (1973–1974)

• Duquesne University: Bachelor of Arts, 1968

Military Service

• United States Army: 101st Airborne Division, Tour of Duty in Vietnam (1968–1970)