William Martin Gwire

William Martin Gwire

5.0
Rating: 9.0

Licensed for 51 years

Ethics and professional responsibility Lawyer at Emeryville, CA
Practice Areas: Ethics & Professional Responsibility

1250 45th Street, Suite 310, Emeryville, CA

About William

Biography

Practice Areas

1

Practice Area

Ethics and Professional Responsibility 100%

We are 100% devoted to representing plaintiffs (clients only) in the legal malpractice field which includes malpractice, overbilling and breach of fiduciary duty. We are a litigation oriented practice, but also provide review and analysis of cases.

47 years | 1,000 cases

100%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Contingency

25%-40%


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Licenses

Licensed in California for 51 years

State: California

Acquired: 1974

Not Eligible to Practice Law (Not Entitled)

No misconduct found

Location

Gwire Law Offices

1250 45th Street, Suite 310, Emeryville, CA, 94608

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William Martin Gwire's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

20 Client Reviews

Showing 11 - 15 of 17 reviews | Lawsuits & Disputes

Posted by Ann | April 17, 2012 | Lawsuits & Disputes

My Gratitude To GLO

In the past three years, GLO helped me overcome obstacles in the three courts I went through all resulted from my discharging of a divorce attorney. My former divorce attorney charged me close to $750,000 in 26 months. The divorce court said numerous times that my lawyer was over-litigious. Fina...lly, I discharged him out. Four weeks later, I filed a complaint with San Francisco Bar Association (SFBA) with a request for a binding arbitration on fees. At that point, according to my former divorce attorney, I owed him over $250,000, plus interest. I eventually paid substantial penalties in family court for his over-litigiousness. In August 2009, SFBA gave me a favorable ruling. Instead of owing him $250,000, I was told to pay him around $51,000. I thought things could finally wrap up, and with the help from my new divorce attorney, the divorce proceeding was moving swiftly to its closure, and I could finally move on. Little did I know, an egregious journey was just about to start. My former divorce attorney rejected the SFBA ruling and refused to accept the ruling as binding to SFBA. My former divorce attorney started a series of brutal ‘debt’ collections. He obtained a default judgment and my bank assets were frozen without any warning. My former divorce attorney also put forth a family lien against me. He also filed charges against me for criminal contempt. I turned to Gwire Law Offices for help. Mr. William Gwire is a smart-headed man. He is very quick, very insightful, very eloquent, very experienced, and he has the best staffing I have ever seen in my contact with various law offices. Individually, his staffs are all prolific professionals; working together, they demonstrate the best teamwork as a group. I have been benefited not just through each of them, but also by the synergy from their seamless teamwork. GLO helped me set aside the ‘phony’ default in the civil court, cleared for me the lien put forth my former divorce attorney; represented me to negotiate with my former divorce attorney off court; and when all settlement proposals were turned down, defended me at a jury trial in the civil court. Even after the jury trial, they continued warding off my former divorce attorney’s never-seizing charge, back to the family court long after my divorce was long finalized, against me for criminal contempt. When I finally filed for bankruptcy, GLO still did not turn their back on me. They helped me clear the adversary charge against me by my former divorce attorney at the bankruptcy court. GLO not only did not turn their back on me. They have been successful in deflecting basically all the vicious attacks thrown on me by my former divorce attorney. GLO has been the solid light-house to us throughout three tumultuous, stormy years. My life was almost ruined because I met a bad lawyer; however, I was not fallen because I have met good lawyers at GLO – good lawyers that are not just fluent with laws; lawyers that also have ethics, good morals; good lawyers that also have hearts. I don’t know how to express my gratitude to GLO attorneys. I am indebted to GLO in a very big way. When anyone approaches me for advises and referrals on lawyers, I always conclude with an analogy that de-retaining a bad attorney could be like asking a guest to leave who, in return of your hospitality, responds by burning your house; GLO would be the right ‘block buster’ to handle the kinds of the likes of bad attorneys.

Posted by richard and leslie fredericks | April 11, 2012 | Lawsuits & Disputes

EXCEPTIONAL

William Gwire is one of the very few attorney's we consider a "great lawyer." Trust me, I have four decades of experience, utilizing the services of multiple law firms and attorneys, both personally and in conjunction with smaller companies I have owned and operated. In all these years I have never... encountered a more incisive legal mind, nor another lawyer possessing Bill Gwire's empathy and ability to understand the client's frustration, anger, fear and frustration that is caused by actual litigation. In early 2000, we found ourselves embroiled in a litigation mess, over a dispute that we thought had been legally resolved twelve years earlier. We had been represented by and were then represented by one of the largest law firms on the west coast. After over four years of frustrating and horrid litigation, I contacted Bill Gwire, in 2005, sent him reams of paper and begged for help. He totally understood our anger and despair, and was kind enough to meet me in Los Angeles. He referred us to another brilliant lawyer, accompanied us to our consultation and along with the other lawyer helped shepherd us through the litigation mess that had engulfed us. After Gwire's intervention and help, the underlying case was streamlined and resolved beyond any reasonable expectation. During this time, Bill Gwire did not charge us a dime! Thereafter, we retained Bill Gwire formally, and it was during his representation that the best of both worlds coincided for our benefit --A BRILLIANT LEGAL MIND COMBINED WITH THE ABILITY OF A TREMENDOUS TRIAL LAWYER. Because of Bill Gwire, and thanks to him, we were fully compensated for a legal nightmare that could easily have been prevented. I have taken the time to write this review because I know how fortunate and yes, "lucky" we were and are to have been represented by Bill Gwire. He is truly one of the very few "GREAT LAWYERS." I

Posted by anonymous | April 09, 2012 | Lawsuits & Disputes

Absolute Top Legal Malpractice Attorney.

I am a well-respected physician in San Francisco, and lost an arbitration dispute with a practice management firm -- due to faulty legal representation. After consulting with several top business attorneys in the city -- all of whom agreed that the outcome was due to legal misrepresentation -- I was... referred to Mr. Gwire. After a thorough review of my case, he provided brilliant representation for me -- both at the depostions and the mandatory pre-trial settlement. Though he felt strongly that we were likely to double or triple our "return" if we proceeded to a jury trial, he was extremely respectful in aggreeing to my wishes to accept the high 6-figure settlement that the opposing side offered at this pre-trial meeting -- acknowledging my desire to be done with the matter and not be involved in a knock down-trag out court proceeding. His preparation with consultants and audio-visual aids was impeccable. Every thing that he said would happen, did happen. He restored my faith in the legal profession! This was a case of legal malpractice, and that category is not included in the choices for "type of cases" below.

Posted by Michael | April 06, 2012 | Lawsuits & Disputes

Compassionate, Experienced and Professional

As an attorney myself, I have high expectations and standards. My case was very difficult against a well heeled law firm. Mr. Gwire did a superb job handling this matter. My expectations were met. I have a great deal of respect for this attorney and I highly recommend him to my clients.

Posted by Dave and Gale | April 06, 2012 | Lawsuits & Disputes

Gwire Law Helped Iraq Veteran and Family

Gwire Law Offices came to our rescue when we, having no prior experience with lawyers, had been taken to the cleaners by our attorney. We had already gone to fee arbitration in Sonoma County, which we won. Then the attorney sued us the day before the arbitration award would have been final, which com...pletely absolved him from paying us. We were shocked that a lawyer would stoop to this level, especially since a panel of three arbitrators had already found him to be in the wrong. One phone call to Gwire Law, during which a junior attorney actually listened compassionately to our ordeal and asked pertinent questions, led us to believe that this firm actually cared about justice, not about money. Bill Gwire stepped in a few days later, telling us with dismay that this was the worst case of fee gouging he'd encountered in his entire career. Then Gwire Law got us the settlement we had deserved all along, but not without a fight, because the attorney we were going after was used to intimidating people and avoiding malpractice suits completely. He fought like a mad-dog, but we finally prevailed. From day one we felt that we were treated fairly and honestly by Gwire Law, which restored our faith in the legal profession. We highly recommend this firm to anyone who has been treated unjustly by the one person who is supposed to always be on your side, your attorney.

See All Client Reviews

William Martin Gwire's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse William
Jerome Fishkin headshot
Jerome Fishkin

Ethics and professional responsibility lawyer | Nov 29

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have been an ethics expert witness, who Mr. Gwire has employed for his client's litigation. I have also been employed as an adverse expert in cases of Mr. Gwire's. I have always appreciated his casework, his professionalism, and the thorough preparation he does in his cases."

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This attorney hasn't created any attorney endorsements recently on Avvo.

Experience

Rating:  9.0 (Superb)

Honors

2013

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

2013

Northern California Super Lawyers, California Super Lawyers

2012

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

2012

Northern California Super Lawyers, California Super Lawyers

2011

Northern California Super Lawyers, California Super Lawyers

2010

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

2010

Northern California Super Lawyers, California Super Lawyers

2009

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

2009

Northern California Super Lawyers, California Super Lawyers

2008

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

2008

Northern California Super Lawyers, California Super Lawyers

2007

Top 100 Attorneys in United States, Worth Magazine

2007

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

2007

Northern California SuperLawyer, California Super Lawyers

2006

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

2006

Top 100 Attorneys in the United States, Worth Magazine

2006

Northern California SuperLawyer, California Super Lawyers

2005

Top 100 Attorneys, Worth Magazine

2005

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

2005

Northern California SuperLawyer, California Super Lawyers

2004

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

2004

Voted one of California's "Go To" Legal Malpractice Lawyers,

2003

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

2002

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

2001

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

2000

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

1999

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

1998

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

1997

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

1996

AV rated; Martindale Hubbell,

Associations

1977 - Present

San Francisco County Bar Association

Sample of Legal Cases

Atallah vs. Equilon Enterprises (Shell Oil Co.)

$50,000,000 plaintiff verdict by LA jury

See More Legal Cases

Education

N/A

Golden Gate University School of Law

N/A

Boise St Univ

Speaking Engagements

2013

The Attorneys Fee Conference - 2013

How to Navigate a Legal Fee Dispute

2013

Roundtable Discussion Alternative Fee Arrangements

1995

London, England Seminar

Controlling Your Outside Legal Costs

1995

Hong Kong Legal Seminar

Controlling Your Outside Legal Costs

1995

California Seminar

Controlling Your Outside Legal Costs

1993

Wells Fargo Legal Seminar

Legal Fees

Publications

2005

Worth Magazine Rise of the Independents
Avvo Rating

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Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution