Contact information

Contact

2 Wall Street
New York, New York 10005
D/212-238-8656

Litigation and business and personal transactions attorney William F. Sondericker represents U.S. and international clients in a wide variety of litigation and corporate, joint venture and business matters. Bill concentrates in antitrust as well as the sale and distribution of products and products liability defense, international transactions, licensing, unfair competition, intellectual property, employment, corporate M&A and partnership and business transaction matters.

With a history of representing Japanese enterprises engaged in business in the United States, Bill has worked on a wide range of industrial matters including U.S. patent litigation in the food supplement field, pharmaceutical including ANDA litigation. Bill also provides personal representation of business entities, shareholders, and individuals in business transactions, arbitrations and trials. He also serves as a mediator in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

Bill is grateful to have clients that have worked with him for decades and to have had opportunities for in depth experience in numerous industrial matters including electrical equipment, EDPM, uranium, steel and others.

Experience

Litigation/Antitrust

  • McAllister Software Systems v. Henry Schein, Inc.: - U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis) granted client MSS summary judgment declaring 18-year old Exclusive Distribution Agreement “void from creation” in violation of New York Rule against Perpetuities. Appeal dismissed in Eighth Circuit.
  • Lefrak v. Aramco: U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York granted client subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell summary judgment and dismissed antitrust action for alleged illegal cartel and price fixing of heating oil.
  • Petroleum Products Antitrust Litigation:  Second Circuit vacated contempt of court order against client McGraw Hill and sustained OilGram press reporters’ confidential sources privilege.
  • Serious U.S.A., Inc. v. Interactive Card Solutions, LLC: Supreme Court New York County denied and dismissed plaintiff’s application for contempt order against client in trade secrets case.
  • Koyo Seiko Ltd. v. TRW, Inc.: Monroe County, Tennessee Circuit Court granted Japanese client, a 49% minority owner of an automotive industry joint venture located in Tennessee a preliminary and then a permanent injunction, denied TRW’s cross-motion for summary judgment for dismissal, and enjoined transfer of the joint venture’s business and assets to a potential acquirer, The Blackstone Group, all of which eventuated in representation of the client in its acquisition of TRW’s 51% interest in and ownership of the entire joint venture.
  • Berg v. Underwood:  Second Circuit affirmed summary judgment entered in Southern District of New York in favor of Japanese client and dismissed product liability and failure to warn claims of 65 consumer plaintiffs. (Same favorable result in several other cases brought against client and dismissed on summary judgment in the Supreme Court New York County).
  • City of Detroit v. Grinnell: Second Circuit vacated antitrust fee award in class action and remanded for further proceedings in District Court and first adopted the “lodestar” fee award rule in Second Circuit.
  • Cashman v. Petrie: New York Court of Appeals affirmed dismissal of complaint on demurrer in favor of client in corporate control case between 51% and 49% owners of company.
  • AFA v. AT&T: New York Court of Appeals sustained client’s complaint for damages for misrepresentation in central station alarm services industry.
  • In re Mechanical Plastics Corp. Arbitration:  AAA Arbitration panel after 49 days’ hearings found liability against client, a Japanese trading company for breach of marketing agreement for importing and sale of U.S. products in Japan but awarded only one dollar ($1.00) in nominal damages after 10 additional days’ damage hearings.

Corporate/Business Transactions

  • Represented New York Not-For-Profit corporation in merger with Colorado tax exempt non-profit organization with approval of New York Supreme Court.
  • Represented Japanese corporation in joint venture with U.S. manufacturer and related license to joint venture for sale of U.S. products in Japan.
  • Represented Japanese corporation as licensee of industrial products imported from Germany for sale in Japan.
  • Represent Japanese manufacturer of medical supplies for distribution agreements for products sold in U.S.A.
  • Represent Japanese corporation for licenses with popular celebrity artists to promote sales of client’s products imported into U.S. and also for related licenses between client’s U.S. subsidiary and foreign owned U.S. distributors of the products.

Outside the Office

Bill and his wife enjoy many of the cultural offerings of living in New York City. They have attended over 1000 opera performances as well as performances at Carnegie Hall and NY Philharmonic and the Boston Symphony. They frequently attend the American Ballet Theatre at Lincoln Center and enjoy baseball games and held season tickets to the football Giants and Jets for many years.

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