LAWYERS

William P. Butterfield

1700 K Street, NW Suite 650
Washington, DC 20006
202.540.7200 ph
202.540.7201 fax
wbutterfield@hausfeldllp.com
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A partner at Hausfeld LLP, Mr. Butterfield concentrates on antitrust litigation and is an internationally recognized authority on electronic discovery. Mr. Butterfield’s recent achievements include settlements of over $120 million in a lawsuit alleging output restrictions in the wood products industry (In Re OSB Antitrust Litigation, (E.D. Pa.)), and almost $100 million in an antitrust case involving the chemical industry (In Re Hydrogen Peroxide Antitrust Litigation, (E.D. Pa.)).   

Previously, Mr. Butterfield was one of the principal attorneys involved in nationwide litigation challenging lending practices conducted by one of the nation’s largest sub-prime lenders. In that case, Mr. Butterfield worked extensively with the FTC and was responsible for bringing nationwide media and Congressional attention to lending practices conducted by Associates Finance. The plaintiffs and FTC eventually settled with Citigroup (which had acquired Associates Finance) for $240 million (In Re Citigroup Loan Cases, J.C.C.P. 4197).

Mr. Butterfield was also a principal attorney for the plaintiff classes in In re Prudential Securities Limited Partnerships Litigation, which settled for $137 million, and In re PaineWebber Securities Litigation, which settled for $200 million.

Mr. Butterfield has been a leader in the field of e-discovery since the early 1990s, when he helped design and implement an electronic document repository to manage more than 15 million pages of documents produced in a complex securities case.  In 2005, Mr. Butterfield testified before the U.S. Judicial Conference Rules Committee regarding proposed electronic discovery amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.  Mr. Butterfield is on the Steering Committee of The Sedona Conference^® Working Group on Electronic Document Retention and Production.  He is also a member of the Sedona Conference^® Working Group on International Electronic Information Management, Discovery and Disclosure.  Mr. Butterfield serves on the faculty of Georgetown University Law Center’s Advanced E-Discovery Institute and the Masters Conference Advisory Board.  Mr. Butterfield has testified as an expert witness on e-discovery issues, and speaks frequently on that topic domestically and abroad.  Recently, he served as co-chair for the 12th Annual Sedona Conference^® on Complex Litigation, and as a participant at the Duke University School of Law: 2010 Advisory Committee Conference on Civil Rules.

Mr. Butterfield began his legal career as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Montgomery County, Ohio. In private practice, he has served as outside counsel for federal banking agencies, where he investigated and litigated claims in connection with failed financial institutions. He has also defended individuals and companies in federal courts and administrative tribunals in matters involving securities and commodities fraud, insider trading, takeover litigation, broker-dealer violations and registration issues.