William E. Hoese - Shareholder

William E. Hoese

“We provide legal services to accomplish client goals, obtain compensation for those injured, or change conduct that harms people. This work benefits our clients and society at large and provides powerful motivation to get out of bed each day with a sense of purpose to resume the fight.”

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MATTERS

IN RE FACTOR VIII OR IX CONCENTRATE BLOOD PRODS. PROD. LIABILITY LITIGATION

Kohn Swift brought a class action lawsuit by and on behalf of persons with hemophilia who were infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from their use of contaminated factor concentrates, which were products made from human blood plasma to control internal bleeding.

The persons with hemophilia sued factor concentrate manufacturers, alleging that: 1) manufacturers’ testing of plasma used to make factor concentrates for the presence of HIV or other viruses was inadequate; 2) the manufacturers’ screening of high-risk plasma donors was faulty; and 3) the manufacturers failed to provide necessary warnings to hemophiliacs and their physicians of the dangers of HIV transmission through use of factor concentrates. The case was hard fought, with many ups and downs, and was ultimately successful.

AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ANTITRUST LITIGATION

Kohn Swift has served as co-lead counsel since 2012 in 28 direct purchaser cases alleging price fixing and bid rigging for numerous automotive parts. The criminal investigation has been described as the largest in Department of Justice history. To date, Kohn Swift and its co-counsel have obtained over $359.5 million in recoveries.

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FIRST IMPRESSIONS SALON, INC. V. NATIONAL MILK FOUNDATION

Direct purchasers of cheese and butter alleged that large dairy cooperatives and their trade association agreed to reduce the number of dairy cows, and thus the supply of milk, to drive up the price of cheese and butter, which, due to how wholesale milk prices are set, would increase milk prices. The case involved a number of complicated issues, such as whether the Capper-Volstead Act shielded the cooperatives’ conduct, and the implications of Federal Milk Marketing Orders. Lawyers from Kohn Swift worked on multiple aspects of the case, including briefing, depositions, arguing motions, class certification, and trial preparation, and with the class and damages experts. The case settled on the eve of trial for $220 million.

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IN RE AMINO ACID LYSINE ANTITRUST LITIGATION

In this class action, the court appointed Kohn Swift sole lead counsel in the first-of-its-kind sealed bid “auction” procedure in an antitrust case, concluding: “Although a small firm by today’s megafirm standards, it has amply demonstrated its ability to handle major litigation.” The case settled for more than $50 million.

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William A. Hoese’s practice focuses on suing to stop price-fixing, securities fraud, consumer fraud, and sales of defective or dangerous products, and to recover damages for those harmed by such conduct. He has been pursuing claims on behalf of injured parties for over 30 years.

Mr. Hoese believes the most important thing lawyers can do is understand the facts, what the clients’ needs are, and what they want to accomplish. He considers problems from different angles to quickly and accurately appreciate how the facts of a particular case fit into the law, and if they do not, to consider and propose an alternative course of action. He also believes that good judgment is critical, as is a reputation for integrity, legal expertise, and working well with other lawyers and the courts.

Prior to joining Kohn Swift, Mr. Hoese served as a senior trial counsel in the enforcement division at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Philadelphia regional office, where he investigated and brought appropriate actions for violations of the securities law.

Mr. Hoese received his Juris Doctor degree, magna cum laude, from the Syracuse University College of Law in 1984. He was inducted into the Order of the Coif and the Justinian Honor Society. He received a B.A. degree with honors in political science from The College of Wooster in 1980. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

ADMISSIONS

  • United States District Court
  • Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
  • United States Court of Appeal for the Third Circuit and Seventh Circuits
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

HONORS

Mr. Hoese has received an AV Preeminent® rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, has been selected to Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, and listed in the The Best Lawyers in America® and Philadelphia’s Best Lawyers in the area of antitrust law.

PRESENTER

  • Law Seminars International Second Annual Comprehensive Conference on Litigating Class Actions on the impact of the Supreme Court’s Smith v. Bayer decision on repetitive state court class actions.

REPRESENTATIVE CASES INCLUDE

  • Mr. Hoese served as co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs in: In re Skin-Cap Products Liability Litig., MDL 1243 (S.D. Fla.)
  • In re Automotive Parts Antitrust Litig., Master File No. 12-md-02311 and MDL No. 2311 (MDL No. 2311 includes In re Wire Harness Antitrust Litig.; In re Instrument Panel Cluster Antitrust Litig.; In re Heater Control Panels Antitrust Litig.; In re Occupant Safety Systems Antitrust Litig.; In re Bearings Antitrust Litig.; In re Alternators Antitrust Litig.; In re Washer Systems Antitrust Litig.; In re Wipers Antitrust Litigation; In re Starters Antitrust Litig.; In re Alternators Antitrust Litig.; In re Spark Plugs Antitrust Litig.; In re Oxygen Sensors Antitrust Litig.; In re Power Window Motors Antitrust Litig.; and  In re Ignition Coils Antitrust Litig.)
  • First Impressions Salon, Inc. v. National Milk Producers Federation, Case No. 3:13-cv-00454 (S.D. Ill..)
  • In re Parking Heaters Antitrust Litig., Case No. 1:15-mc-00940 (E.D.N.Y.)
  • In re Packaged Ice Antitrust Litig., Case No. 08-MD-01952 and MDL 1952 (E.D. Mich.)
  • In re Sulfuric Acid Antitrust Litig., MDL Docket No. 1536, Master File No. 03 CV 4576 (N.D. Ill.)
  • In re Plastics Additives Antitrust Litig., Master Docket No. 03-CV-2038 (E.D. Pa.)
  • In re Isostatic Graphite Antitrust Litig., Master File No. 00-CV-1857 (E.D. Pa)
  • In re Bulk [Extruded] Graphite Products Antitrust Litig., Master File No. 02 CV 06030 (D.N.J.)
  • In re Graphite Electrodes Antitrust Litig., Master File No. 97-CV-4182 and MDL No. 1244 (E.D. Pa.)
  • In re Commercial Explosives Antitrust Litig., MDL No. 1093S (D. Utah)
  • In re Amino Acid Lysine Antitrust Litig., Civil Action No. 95 C 7679 and MDL No. 1083 (N.D. Ill.)
  • In re Metal Building Insulation Antitrust Litig., Civil Action No. H-96-3490 (S.D. Texas)
  • In re Commercial Tissue Antitrust Litig., MDL No. 1189 (N.D. Fla.)
  • Sorbate Prices Cases, J.C.C.P. No. 4073 (Superior Court for the City and County of San Francisco)
  • In re IndyMac Mortgage Backed Securities Litig., Master Docket 09-civ-04583 (S.D.N.Y.)
  • The Police and Fire Retirement System of the City of Detroit v. Goldman Sachs & Co., et al., Case No. 1:10-cv-04429 (S.D.N.Y.)
  • In re Marvell Technology Group Ltd. Securities Litig., Master File No. C-06-06286 RMW (N.D. Cal.)
  • In re KLA-Tencor Corp. Securities Litig., Master File No. 06-cv-04065-MJJ (N.D. Cal.)
  • In re Calpine Corporation Securities Litig., Master File No. C-02-1200 (N.D. Cal.)
  • In re Dollar General Corporation Securities Litig., Civil Action No. 3:01-0388 (M.D. Tenn.)
  • In re SmithKline Beckman Corp. Securities Litig., 751 F.Supp. 525 (E.D. Pa. 1990)
  • In re SmithKline/Beecham Shareholders Litig., Phila. Ct. Common Pleas No. 2303
  • In re Northwest, Court File No. 89-5506 (Hennepin County Dist. Court, 4th Dist.)
  • In re First Bank Systems, Court File No. 88-22227 (Hennepin County Dist. Court, 4th Dist.)
  • Pacific Gas and Electric Securities Litig., Master File No. 893849 (Cal. Super. Ct.)
  • In re Domestic Air Transportation Antitrust Litig., Master File No. 1:90-CV-2485-MHS and MDL No. 861 (N.D. Ga.)
  • Alvord-Polk, Inc., et al. v. F. Schumacher & Co., et al., Civil Action No. 90-3617 (E.D. Pa.)
  • Fulton, Mehring & Hauser Co., Inc. v. The Stanley Works, et al., Civil Action No. 90-0987 C(5) (E.D. Mo.)
  • In re Factor VIII or Factor IX Concentrate Blood Products Litig., Civil Action No. 93-5969 and MDL No. 986 (N.D. Ill.)
  • In re Silicone Gel Breast Implants Products Liability Litig., MDL-926, Master File No. CV 92-P-1000-S (N.D. Ala.)
  • In re Pennsylvania Diet Drugs Litig., Master Docket No. 9709-3162 (Common Pleas Court, Philadelphia County)
  • In re TMJ Implant Products Liability Litig., MDL 1001 and 94-MD-1001 (D. Minn.)
  • In re Copley Pharmaceutical, Inc. “Albuterol” Products Liability Litig., MDL-1013 (D. Wy.)
  • In re General Motors Corporation Pickup Truck Fuel Tank Products Liability Litig., Master File No. 92-6450 and MDL No. 961 (E.D. Pa.)
  • In re Chrysler Motors Corporation Overnight Evaluation Program Litig., MDL 740 (E.D. Mo.)
  • In re Norelco Clean Water Machine Litig., Master File 88-8423 (E.D. Pa.)
  • Barron v. Bolar Pharmaceutical Company, Inc., Civil Action No. 90-0536 (E.D. Pa.)