William C. “Bill ” Trosch

B.A. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
J.D. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Practice Areas

Wrongful Death
Personal Injury
Workers Compensation
Wills and Trusts
Trust and Estate Disputes
General Litigation
Negotiation
Insurance Disputes
General Practice
Business Planning
Mediation/Arbitration
Conflict Resolution

Meet Bill

When I was younger, I would debate for sport. In high school, I would find someone expressing their viewpoint on a subject just so I could jump in and argue the other side. This tended to annoy people. As I matured, I learned that I could actually help other people by arguing for them in a court of law. I could do what I loved and help people at the same time – it doesn’t get any better than that.

I am Managing Partner and head of the litigation department at Conrad Trosch & Kemmy. I purposely choose to maintain a broad practice. As a litigator, my experience dealing with a wide variety of factual scenarios helps me find creative solutions to problems that a “cookie cutter” approach to only one area of law may miss. My ability to think both creatively and logically is perhaps my greatest strength as an attorney.

If there is one thing that my clients should know about me, then it’s the fact that I call it like I see it. Clients come to me with a legal problem or question. By the time my work is done, I hope that our legal team has a) sufficiently educated them to understand the risks and benefits of the various roads they may go down, and b) provided them with the tools and assistance to safely travel down that road.

I am happily married and am the father of three wonderful children. My wife Lisa and I strive to show our children the tools they may need to overcome life’s struggles. One of my favorite quotes is from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus tells his daughter, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…Until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” It is impossible to effectively deal with others (friend or foe) until you understand where they are coming from. First, I must understand what is important to my client. Next, I have to evaluate what is important to the opposing party so that I can effectively negotiate with them. If negotiation fails, I must know what motivates the other side so that I can anticipate the strategies that may be used against us. When I look at my client in front of me, I think of my wife and kids. Though my client’s family may not look just like mine, behind every client are others that need and love them.

Experience

Bill Trosch heads the Litigation Department and is the Managing Partner of Conrad Trosch & Kemmy. He is a published legal author. He also has taught graduate level negotiation courses to MBA students, as well as seminars and presentations to other attorneys. Bill concentrates much of his effort on resolving disputes for clients either through negotiation or through the courts. Bill also maintains a general practice, either helping clients himself, if he can, or placing them in the care of another attorney who is more suited for the particular challenge facing the client.

Experience

Bill’s cases have counted among the largest reported settlements and verdicts in the State of North Carolina in the years they were resolved.
Obtained a cash settlement of more than $2.5 million for defendants who, prior to Bill’s representation, “owed” a judgment more than $2 million to the plaintiff.
Handled lawsuits against powerful entities, including the city of Charlotte.
Has negotiated with the NCAA, leading to a star basketball player’s restoration of eligibility.
Successfully defended to a defense verdict an attorney executor and trustee in a multimillion dollar Will Caveat and Trust dispute.

Education

University of North Carolina School of Law, J.D., with Honors, 1993
University of North Carolina School of Law, Clinical Program in Litigation, 1993
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., Economics, with Honors, 1990
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., Mathematics, 1990
University of Bristol, Bristol, England, one-year program with emphasis in Economics, 1989
West Charlotte High School, Class of 1986

Presentations

Co-Author, Divorce in North Carolina – Answers to Your Legal Questions. Book answering over two hundred common questions asked throughout the divorce process.
The Third Generation of Loitering Laws Goes to Court: Do Laws That Criminalize “Loitering With the Intent to Sell Drugs” Pass Constitutional Muster? 71 N.C.L. Rev. 513, 1993
The Consumption Tax Alternative: Should North Carolina Replace Its Income Tax with a System Based on Consumption? University of North Carolina, North Carolina Collections, 1990

Publications & Manuscripts

Presentations and Manuscripts

Fiduciary Litigation Strategies, 22nd Annual Elder & Special Needs Symposium, North Carolina Bar Association, Elder & Special Needs Law Section, 2018
Liability/Litigation Issues in Elder Law, National Business Institute, 2018
Wrongful Death Litigation: Start-to-Finish, National Business Institute, 2017
Auto Injury Litigation: The Ultimate Guide, National Business Institute, 2017
Getting the Most Out of Doctor Depositions, Medical Records and More, National Business Institute, 2016
The Auto Injury Trial, National Business Institute, 2016
Ethics in Auto Injury Litigation, National Business Institute, 2016
Negotiations and Mediation: Principles of Negotiation, Mecklenburg County Bar Continuing Legal Education (manuscript author), 2013
Advanced Trial Tactics: Cross Examination and Redirect: Focus on Experts and Evidence, National Business Institute, 2013
Advanced Trial Tactics: Effective Exhibits and Courtroom Technology, National Business Institute (manuscript author), 2013
Negotiation Skills and Effective Advocacy During Mediations and Arbitrations, Panel Presentation, Mecklenburg County Bar Continuing Legal Education, 2013
Negotiation Before Mediation, Mecklenburg County Bar Continuing Legal Education, 2013
Insurance Coverage Research and Negotiations with the Claims Representatives, National Business Institute (manuscript author), 2013
Insurance Coverage Research and Negotiations with the Claims Representatives, National Business Institute (manuscript author), 2012
Mediation Preparation Tips and Strategies, National Business Institute, 2012
What To Do When You Receive a Subpoena, presented to Charlotte-Dilworth Psychologists, 2011
What To Do When You Receive a Subpoena, presented to Charlotte-Cotswold Psychologists, 2010
Settling the Bodily Injury Case, National Business Institute, 2008
Preparing the Plaintiff’s Bodily Injury Case, National Business Institute, 2008
Mediation of Tort Damages, Lorman Educational Services, 2007
Mediation of Auto Insurance Cases, Lorman Educational Services, 2007
Litigation: A to Z at Superior Court Rules professional seminar, 2003
Civil Superior Court Practice at professional seminar for new lawyers, 2002
Effective Use of Legal Assistants and Paralegals, North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, 2000

Awards & Recognitions

Awards and Recognitions

Named to Top 100 Litigation Lawyers in the State of North Carolina by the American Society of Legal Advocates, 2014
Publication cited and followed by the Supreme Court of Ohio, City of Akron v. Rowiland, 67 Ohio St 374, 1993
North Carolina Law Review, 1991-1993
Honorary Doctor of Public Welfare, Carolina Christian Bible College: Given in recognition of efforts in the community for those less fortunate and for commitment to public welfare, 2009
Recognized by the Association of Trial Lawyers of America as an “Advocate of Trial Advocacy”
Martindell Hubbell Rating: Distinguished, having high to very high legal ability and very high ethical standards—as established by a survey of confidential opinions from area judges and attorneys