William R. Clayton maintains a national civil trial practice, having tried more than 100 cases in state and federal courts, and has won more than $150 million in jury verdicts. After winning a $70 million verdict in a Florida jury trial, a prominent judge described his trial skills at trial as “wow man” and “brilliant.”
William is listed in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. He and CTL are “Best Lawyers, Best Law Firm” (No. 1 in Region) according to the U.S. News & World Report. He was named in a Business Edition, Super Lawyers among “Top Attorneys in Business Litigation” in the U.S. He has been named a “Super Lawyer” in Florida” (top 5% of Florida lawyers) for over ten (10) years. For 2021, William was chosen again in 2021 as “Legal Elite” by Florida Trend magazine (top 1.4%).
Nationally, he is Board Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocates (“Board Certified — Proven, Tested Excellence”). He is also Board Certified as a Civil Trial Lawyer (1% of Florida lawyers) and Board Certified as a Business Litigation Attorney (.2% of Florida lawyers), having passed rigorous standards. Of over 100,000 lawyers in Florida, William is among only a small percentage of lawyers (.02%) who are board-certified in both specialties. In Nevada, he is also Board Certified as a Civil Trial Lawyer.
William has also been recognized by Corporate Counsel for his superior client service in the BTI Client Service All-Stars 2015 report — just one of about 250 lawyers in the U.S. He was listed in the 2015 edition of The Legal 500 United States Guide to Outstanding Lawyers. William was selected as “Trial Lawyer of the Year” by the Fort Lauderdale chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA).
By invitation only, he was chosen as a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), which is considered by many judges as the “best of the best” trial lawyers in the U.S. (at the time of his admission, applicants were required to try at least 20 jury trial trials — to verdict). William was selected — by invitation only — as a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America, which is limited to less than .5% of American lawyers. He is a member of Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization whose membership is limited to trial attorneys who have achieved jury verdicts of $1 million or more. William has been rated AV Preeminent® by the peer review rating publication, Martindale-Hubbell®.
Outside of Florida and in past years, William was included among top litigation attorneys in New York City as “Legal Elite” Avenue Magazine, “Top Lawyers” in Class Action Litigation in Vegas Inc., and “Top Lawyers in Southern Nevada by Desert Companion magazine. He is licensed to practice law in Florida, Nevada, New York, and Washington DC.
Credentials
EDUCATION
- J.D., Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
- B.S., with distinction, Northwestern University
CLERKSHIP
- Hon. Harlington Wood, Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
COURT ADMISSIONS
- Florida
- Nevada
- New York
- Washington DC
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada
- U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Awards & Accolades
- America's Top 50 Lawyers - Civil Litigation - Florida - 2024
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Construction; Litigation – Intellectual Property; Litigation – Real Estate, 2010-2020
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Florida Super Lawyers, 2009-2019
- “Top Attorney” in Florida, 2020, American Registry
- Listed, South Florida Legal Guide, “Top Lawyer,” Litigation, 2012-2016, 2020
- Named, Client Service All-Star, BTI Client Service All-Stars Report, 2015
- Listed, The Legal 500 United States, Litigation – Commercial Litigation, 2015
- Member, The Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- Rated, AV® Preeminent 5.0 out of 5.0
- Listed, Florida Trend magazine, “Legal Elite,” Employment Law, 2011
- Selected, Super Lawyers and Corporate Counsel magazine, “Top Attorneys in Business Litigation,” 2011
- Listed, Avenue magazine (New York Edition), “Legal Elite,” Employment Law, October 2010, October 2011
- Selected, South Florida Daily Business Review, Complex Business Litigation Finalist, “Most Effective Lawyers,” 2008
- Listed, VEGAS INC, “Top Lawyers,” Class Action Litigation, 2013
- Listed, Desert Companion magazine, “Top Lawyers in Southern Nevada,” 2012 and 201
Contact info:
833.938.2300
claytonw@ctllawyers.com