William A. Kershaw

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      William A. Kershaw

      William A. Kershaw

      Kershaw, Cook & TalleyTotal Records: 1
      401 Watt Avenue, Suite 1, Sacramento, CA, 95864
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      Biography

      For over 27 years, Mr. Kershaw has represented clients in class actions and complex litigation in state and federal courts, including coordinated and multi-district proceedings. Prior to entering civil practice, Mr. Kershaw spent nine years in the District Attorney’s Office of Sacramento County where he tried some 75 cases to verdict and supervised the Consumer and White Collar Fraud Division, various felony trial teams, and the Career Criminal Unit.

      Mr. Kershaw’s experience includes serving as court-appointed lead class counsel and/or liaison counsel on behalf of plaintiffs in numerous class actions, mass torts and consumer-related proceedings throughout the United States. On occasion, he also served as defense counsel in consolidated securities litigation and other class action cases. During his career some of his notable cases include:

      Currently serving as lead class counsel in a class action against PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP (PwC) alleging failure to pay PwC Audit Associates overtime and other compensation due under California wage and hour laws.A $39 million settlement against VeriSign, Inc. on behalf of a nationwide class alleging misrepresentation to U.S. businesses regarding the degree of security provided by VeriSign’s Secure Site Pro encrypted security certificates.An $87 million settlement against United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) on behalf of a class of 23,600 UPS drivers to recover unpaid wages based on allegations that the employer failed to provide meal and rest periods. The cases settled in 2006 for an $87 million cash payment and other benefits to class members valued at more than $4 million. This is believed to be the largest "meal and rest period” settlement in California history, and was one of the largest nationwide wage and hour settlements of 2007.Multiple mass tort settlements in the $20 to $40 million dollar range involving a broad spectrum of medicaldevices (court protective orders preclude identification of defendants which are well-known pharmaceutical companies).Served as lead counsel in a seven-month trial to verdict of a class action alleging bad faith insurance practices against the California State Compensation Insurance Fund, California’s largest workers compensation carrier.A $330 million class action settlement against American Honda Motor Co., Inc. arising out of MDL proceedings on behalf of all present and former Honda dealers alleging RICO violations relating to misallocation of vehicles in a nationwide bribery conspiracy.A $180 million settlement against a Richmond chemical company for release of sulfuric acid vapor in the San Francisco Bay area.A $46 million settlement against Jenny Craig, Inc. for misleading advertising and improper business practices. Multiple recoveries on behalf of class members, totaling more than $75 million against the funeral industry for improper handling of human remains.

      Bar Admission

      California, 1973

      Oregon, 1978

      Other Affiliations

      Sacramento County Bar Association (SCBA) (Past President)

      California District Attorney's Association (CDAA) (Director/Board Member)

      Sacramento County Bar Association (Secretary/Treasurer and Vice President)

      SCBA Judiciary Committee (Chair)

      State Bar Conference of Delegates, SCBA Conference (Chair, Delegates Committee)

      California Consumer Protection Council (Past Chair)

      The State Bar of California (Member)

      Capitol City Trial Lawyers Association (Member)

      Sacramento County Bar Association (Member, 2014)

      American Association for Justice (Member)

      Chair of Kershaw, Cutter & Ratinoff’s Class Action Practice Group, 2014

      Capitol City Consumer Attorney, 2014

      Anthony M. Kennedy American Inns of Court (Member, 2014)

      Sacramento County Civil Courts Advisory Committee (Member, 2014)

      California District Attorneys Association, CDAA (Past Board Member, Director)

      Sacramento County Bar Association, SCBA, Judiciary Committee (Past Chair)

      Sacramento County Bar Association, Conference of Delegates Committee to the State Bar Conference of Delegates (Past Chair)

      St. Michael’s Episcopal Day School (Past President)

      Sacramento Downtown Rotary (Past Member, Board of Directors)

      American Association of Justice

      Achievements

      • Other Sources of Feedback About William A. Kershaw
      • Included on the 2023 Northern California

      Past Lists

      • 2022 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2021 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2020 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2019 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2018 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2017 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2016 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2015 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2014 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2013 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2012 Northern California Super Lawyers Super Lawyers list
      • 2011 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2010 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2009 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2008 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2007 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2006 Northern California Super Lawyers list
      • 2005 Northern California Super Lawyers list

      Education

      • Santa Clara University School of Law, Santa Clara, California J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence

      • Culver Military Academy, Culver, Indiana

        Honors: 1961-1965

      • University of Santa Clara, Santa Clara, California, 1969 B.A.Major: Political Science

      Honers

      • Northern California Super Lawyer - 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005
      • Martindale-Hubbell AV-Rated Attorney
      • Northern California Super Lawyer for 12 consecutive years, 2005 - 2016
      • Best of the Bar, Sacramento Business Journal, 2014 - 2015
      • Superb Rated, AVVO
      • Top Lawyer in the Sacramento region, 2015

      Reviews

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