William W. Carrier

Bill has been practicing law with Tydings for more than 25 years and served as the firm’s managing partner for 17 years.

An experienced trial attorney, he has a lengthy record of accomplishments defending national and Maryland companies, including Dollar Tree, Inc. and Best Buy, Inc., in employment ligation and general commercial disputes.  He has litigated and counseled employers on diverse employment matters, including discrimination, wrongful discharge, disability, family leave, wage-and-hour claims, non-competition agreements, and trade secrets.

Bill’s practice also includes, employee benefit and Employee Income Retirement Security Act (“ERISA”) issues.  He has both litigated and advised plans, trustees, administrators, and service providers on fiduciary liability and compliance issues, contribution and funding issues, benefits, and insurance questions arising from fiduciary and service provider liability.

Listed by Benchmark Litigation since 2010 as a "local star" in Maryland, cited for the past 14 years in an annual list of Maryland Super Lawyers appearing in Baltimore Magazine, and recognized by Best Lawyers in America since 2013, Bill has published widely on various legal topics.  He is also AV® Peer Review Rated – the highest possible peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

Bill’s trial experience includes:

• In Smith v. Cognate BioServices, Inc., et al., Circuit Court for Baltimore County (MD Case No. 03612002363) and Cognate BioServices, Inc., et al. v. Smith, United States District Court (MD Case No. 1:13-cv-01797-CCB), representing the former chief executive officer at a biotech company on wage, indemnity, trade secret, and breach of fiduciary duty claims.  After an 11-day trial in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, a jury returned a verdict in favor of Bill’s client on all claims and awarded the maximum amount of compensatory and statutory damages.  In the federal action, Bill was successful in defending the executive against misappropriation of trade secret and product claims, which were resolved in his client’s favor on a motion for summary judgment.
• In Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, Inc. v. Route 40 Paintball Park, United States District Court (MD Case No. 1:11-cv3562), successfully defending a recreational facility against denial of access claims by blind individuals under Title III of the American With Disabilities Act and the Maryland White Cane Law.
• In Surran v. Kuntz, United States District Court (MD Case No. 1:06-cv1380), successfully defending an office equipment retailer/distributor against claims for vicarious liability, negligent hiring and supervision, and gender discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  After a ten-day trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the company; and
• In United States District Court (MD Case No. 1:06-cv2602), successfully defending an AmLaw 250 national law firm and one of its partners against a claim under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1991.  After a four-day trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendants.

His ERISA and employee benefit experience includes:

• Serving as counsel to the MM&P MATES Program (a multi-employer training fund headquartered in Linthicum, Maryland); the Sheet Metal Workers' National Pension Fund (a multi-employer pension plan); the Ryder Systems, Inc., plans (single employer plans for Ryder employees); and several other small to mid-size single-employer plans;
• Playing a lead role in connection with multi-lawsuit litigation brought on behalf of the Sheet Metal Workers' National Pension Fund against fiduciaries and service providers to that fund;
• Defending plans, administrators, and trustees against claims for breach of fiduciary duty under Title I, Part 4 of ERISA (ERISA's fiduciary duty section); and
• Litigating and counseling in regard to the obligations and liabilities of plan service providers including actuaries, accountants, counsel, and in-house and third-party administrators.

Among the reported cases in which he has represented clients are:

• Lowen v. Tower Asset Management, 829 F.2d 1209 (2d Cir. 1987)
• In re Masters, Mates & Pilots Pension Plan and IRAP Litigation, 957 F.2d 1020 (2d Cir. 1992)
• Custer v. Sweeney, 89 F.3d 1156 (4th Cir. 1996)
• Loonie v. Thorne, 1996 U.S. App. LEXIS 28751 (4th Cir. 1996)
• Sweeney v. Moore, 1997, 21 E.B.C. 1337 (4th Cir. 1997)
• Harrington v. Carlough, 22 E.B.C. 1110 (4th Cir. 1999)
• Snowden v. Checkpoint Check Cashing, 290 F.3d 631 (4th Cir.) cert. denied 2002 U.S. LEXIS 9264 (2002)

Prior to joining Tydings, he clerked for the Honorable Walter E. Black, Jr., United States District Judge (1983-84).