William A. Barton
William (Bill) A. Barton is an American attorney in the state of Oregon. A personal injury lawyer and author,[1] he successfully argued to allow litigation to proceed against the Vatican in the priest sex scandal, despite sovereign immunity that is normally applicable to foreign governments.[2] This is the first time courts in the United States have allowed the Vatican to be sued.
William A. Barton | |
---|---|
Nationality | |
Education | Pacific University Willamette Law |
Occupation | attorney, author |
Bill's son, Brent Barton, was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in November 2008.
Education
Bill Barton graduated from Pacific University, in Forest Grove, Oregon, with a Bachelor of Science in 1969.[1] He went on to law school in Salem, Oregon at Willamette University College of Law, graduating with a JD in 1972.[1]
Barton is a member of the Oregon Law Institute's faculty.[3] The OLI, at Lewis & Clark College's law school in Portland, is a continuing legal education (CLE) center.[4] Barton also teaches several legal courses for The Professional Education Group including, The Art of the Courtroom, Advanced Jury Selection, and Alternative Dispute Resolution.[5]
Professional
With his law firm's office in Newport, Oregon,[6] Barton is listed in three categories of the Best Lawyers in America: Medical Malpractice Law, Non-White-Collar Criminal Defense, and Personal Injury Litigation.[7] William Barton is a past president of the Oregon Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, past governor of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), a fellow in the International Society of Barristers, former president of the Oregon Trial Lawyers, fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and a past president of the Western Trial Lawyers.[5]
For several years Barton represented a plaintiff against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland and the Rev. Maurice Grammond for claims of child molestation. The $135 million lawsuit helped prompt the diocese to file for bankruptcy in 2004, and delayed the case until 2006.[8] Previously, Barton won cases in Oregon against the Children's Farm Home School, and the Oregon Trail Council and the Boy Scouts of America on sex abuse claims.[9] In 1994, he served as mediator in a civil settlement between former Oregon governor Neil Goldschmidt and his sex-abuse victim.[10]
In 2005, the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association named Barton as Distinguished Trial Lawyer.[11] The partner at Barton & Strever, PC in Newport was[1] named to the Super Lawyers Top 50 for Oregon based on research of Law & Politics magazine for 2006.[12] Barton successfully sued the leaders of the Rajneesh movement.[13]
Barton is the author of Recovering for Psychological Injuries, (1985, ISBN 0941916367).
References
- William A. Barton. Legalspan. Retrieved on February 21, 2008.
- Doe v. Holy See, 434 F. Supp. 2d 925 (2006)
- Mediation and Arbitration in Oregon, 2005. Oregon Law Institute. Retrieved on February 21, 2008.
- Litigation Strategies and Tips. Oregon Law Institute. Retrieved on February 21, 2008.
- William A. Barton. Professional Education Group. Retrieved on February 21, 2008.
- William A. Barton. West Legal Directory. Retrieved on February 21, 2008.
- William Barton. Best Lawyers. Retrieved on May 1, 2007.
- Green, Ashbel. 85 plaintiffs seek federal trial against archdiocese. The Oregonian, April 18, 2006.
- Duin, Steve. The threat is closer than you think. The Oregonian, September 19, 1999.
- Jaquiss, Nigel (December 15, 2004). "Who Knew". Willamette Week. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
- Sidebar. Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, July 2005. Retrieved on February 21, 2008.
- WUCL Alumni Named Oregon Super Lawyers. Willamette Lawyer, Fall 2007, p. 30.
- 1985 WL 651471, 1 Nat. J.V.R.A. 3:12