Bill Leach is a veteran trial lawyer who has tried more than 95 cases to verdict in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas and New Mexico. He has successfully tried jury cases for clients in the insurance, utility, trucking and transportation, securities, manufacturing and service industries, and concentrates his practice on insurance claims and coverage disputes, claims of bad faith against insurers, product liability defense, mass torts and class action litigation, multidistrict litigation, and complex business litigation.

In 1982, Bill began private practice in Texas and became one of the youngest attorneys to complete the requirements for dual certification in personal injury trial law and civil trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He returned to Oklahoma in 1990.

Bill regularly practices before all state and federal district courts in Oklahoma, including the northern, western and eastern districts. He has also tried cases in state courts in Kansas, Arkansas, Texas and New Mexico and several federal district courts in Texas. He has argued numerous appeals in the Fifth and Tenth Circuits, as well as several courts of appeal in Texas and the Supreme Court of Texas.

In addition to his litigation practice, Bill serves as an adjunct settlement judge in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and as an adjunct professor of trial advocacy at the University of Tulsa College of Law. He is also a frequent speaker and continuing legal education teacher on trial practice and multiple substantive topics.

His achievements as a trial lawyer have earned him induction in the American College of Trial Lawyers and inclusion in Benchmark Litigation, Chambers USA Guide to Americas Leading Lawyers for Business, The Best Lawyers in America (commercial litigation; insurance law; mass torts litigation / class actions defendants; personal injury litigation defendants; product liability litigation defendants) and Oklahoma Super Lawyers, in which he was also honored as one of the Top 50 Oklahoma Lawyers.

Prior to joining McAfee & Taft, Bill was a founding partner of Tulsa-based Eldridge Cooper Steichen & Leach, a partner with Tulsa-based Rhodes Hieronymus Jones Tucker & Gable, and a partner with Texas-based Gibson, Ochsner & Adkins.

Bill earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Oklahoma State University in 1979 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1982.

He is admitted to practice all state and federal courts in Texas and Oklahoma, the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Fifth and Tenth Circuits, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Company Firm

McAfee & Taft
Website

Firm Mailing

2 W 2nd St Ste 1100
Tulsa
Oklahoma
74103-3125
United States of America

Fellow Since

September 12, 2014

Practice Areas

  • Commercial Litigation
  • Insurance-Defense
  • Personal Injury-Defense
  • Product Liability-Defense
  • Professional Malpractice-Defense

Chapter

  • Oklahoma

Committee(s)