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Bill Duffin is a member of the Firm's Litigation Practice Group and is located in our Milwaukee office. Since joining the Firm in 1988, he has represented businesses and individuals in a wide variety of disputes, including intellectual property, distributor relations, labor and employment, unfair competition, business fraud, and shareholder disputes. Bill has appeared in Federal and State courts throughout the United States, as well as before a number of arbitral tribunals.
Before joining Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., Mr. Duffin was a law clerk to Justice K. David Harris of the Iowa Supreme Court. He graduated with distinction from the University of Iowa Law School in 1987, and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism in 1984 from the University of Illinois. He is a member of the Wisconsin and Milwaukee Bar Associations, as well as the bar associations of the Seventh and Federal Circuits and the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He was the General Chair of the Committee on the Annual Meeting for the 2003 Seventh Circuit Bar Association and Judicial Conference of the Seventh Circuit, and is a member of the Board of Governors for the Seventh Circuit Bar Association.
Representative Matters
Intellectual Property
OrthoArm, Inc. v. American Orthodontics Corp. Represented manufacturer of orthodontic brackets in defense of patent infringement lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. (Case No. 02-C-0181.)
Vent-Matic Company Incorporated v. Perlick Corporation, et al. Lead counsel in defense of lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin against a manufacturer of beverage dispensing equipment alleging infringement of a patent relating to a keg valve (Case No. 03-C-0307). AgBullet, Inc. v. Micro Focus, Ltd. Lead counsel on behalf of claimant in American Arbitration Association arbitration alleging breach of license agreement relating to computer software used to identify Year 2000 problems in computer source code. Ransomes, Inc. v. Great Dane Power Equipment, Inc. Lead counsel in defense of lawsuit brought against a manufacturer of commercial law mowers in the Western District of Wisconsin alleging infringement of a patent relating to a hand control for a hydraulically-driven commercial lawn mower. (Case No. 97-C-612-S). Berrios, et al. v. Ransomes, Inc. (Case No. 95-C-0504-S; Western District of Wisconsin); Berrios, et al. v. Exmark Mfg. Co., Inc. (Case No. 96-C-0239-S; Western District of Wisconsin); Berrios, et al. v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Case No. 96-C-424-S; Western District of Wisconsin); Berrios, et al. v. Bunton Co. (Case No. 96-C-642-C; Western District of Wisconsin); Berrios, et al. v. Commercial Turf Products, Ltd. (Case No. 98-C-0468-S; Western District of Wisconsin). Represented holder of patent relating to the hydraulic operation of walk-behind commercial lawn mowers against a series of lawn mower manufacturers. Revolutionary patent resulted in licenses obtained with industry of lawn mower manufacturers.
Wright Manufacturing, Inc. v. Great Dane Power Equipment. Represented lawn mower manufacturer in two patent infringement lawsuits in the Untied States District Court for the District of Maryland relating to patents for a platform on which an operator of commercial riding lawn mowers stood. (Case No. 97-2128 and 98-638.)
Distributor/Franchise Relations
Manpower, Inc., et al. v. Jonathan P. Mason, et al. Represented temporary help franchisor in lawsuit attempting to terminate its relationship with Ohio-based franchisee. (United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Case No. 05-C-0276.) Franchisee's motion for a preliminary injunction, seeking to enjoin the termination, was denied as to the largest of the franchisee's operations, leading to a settlement of entire case and severance of the franchise relationship. General Beverage Sales v. Diageo North America, et al. Represented World's leading supplier of premium drinks in defense of claim that termination of relationship was in violation of Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law. (Dane County Circuit Court Case No. 05-CV-0905.) Favorable decision on plaintiff's motion for a temporary injunction, denying the motion, led to an early settlement of the dispute. Aztek Communications, Inc. v. SBC Global Services, Inc. Lead counsel in defense of claim against SBC that termination of the relationship with plaintiff was in violation of the Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law. (United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Case No. 04-C-0341.) Obtained summary judgment on behalf of SBC. Beer Capitol Distributing, Inc. v. Guinness Bass Import Co. Counsel for beer supplier in defense of action by beer distributor alleging that the supplier's termination of the distributor violated the Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law. Defeated distributor's attempt to obtain preliminary injunction enjoining the termination and ultimately obtained summary judgment in supplier's favor on all claims. Decision was affirmed on appeal by the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Edison Liquor Corp. v. UDV North America, Inc. Counsel for liquor supplier in defense of action by liquor distributor alleging that the supplier's termination of the parties' relationship violated the Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law. Succeeded in getting ex parte temporary restraining order obtained by plaintiff distributor vacated, allowing termination to go forward. Obtained summary judgment on all claims, which judgment was affirmed on appeal. CCH Bus. Fr. Guide 12, 155 (E.D. Wis. Aug. 27, 2001). Domanik Sales Co., Inc. v. Unadulterated Food Products, Inc. Counsel for defendant supplier of Snapple beverages against claims by Wisconsin-based distributors. Snapple supplier had changed method of distribution nationwide; Wisconsin-based distributors brought action in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, claiming that the change violated the Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law. Distributors obtained an ex parte temporary restraining order and sought a preliminary injunction, enjoining the supplier's termination of their relationship. Successfully defeated preliminary injunction motion, causing the case to settle shortly thereafter. North Shore Canine, Inc. v. Kaytee Products, Inc. Lead counsel in defense of claim brought by pet food distributor, alleging that bird seed supplier's termination of their relationship violated the Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law. Successfully defeated motion for temporary injunction, allowing termination to go forward and resulting in a quick settlement of the case. Dieterle v. Biomet, Inc. Counsel for plaintiff in an action alleging violation of the Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law. Obtained preliminary injunction enjoining defendant manufacturer from terminating its agreements with plaintiff dealer. Case settled prior to trial, with the manufacturer buying out the plaintiff's dealership. (United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Case No. 95-C-0969.)
Labor and Employment
Phillips v. Quebecor World RAI, Inc. Lead counsel in defense of claim that termination of employment was in violation of plaintiff's rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act. (United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Case No. 04-C-0330.) Obtained summary judgment from district court, which was affirmed on appeal to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Podolak v. Chr. Hansen, Inc. Lead counsel for manufacturer of natural ingredient solutions for food, pharmaceutical, nutritional and agricultural industries in defense of claim of national origin discrimination. (United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Case No. 02-C-1201) Case settled before trial. Potos v. Lakeshore Family Medical Clinic. Counsel for defendant medical clinic against claim brought by former physician member of clinic alleging, among other things, that his termination violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. At trial, jury returned verdict for defense, finding no liability on any of the plaintiff's claims.
Warner-Jenkinson Co. v. Chr. Hansen, Inc. Defense of action alleging that defendant hired employee away from plaintiff in order to obtain proprietary trade secret information. Case ultimately dismissed by plaintiff.
Admitted to Practice
Wisconsin - 1988
Professional Association Memberships
Milwaukee Bar Association
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Bar Association
Wisconsin State Bar Association
Court Admissions
United States District Courts for the Eastern & Western Districts of Wisconsin, and various other District Courts
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Education
Juris Doctor, University of Iowa College of Law, 1987, with distinction
Bachelor of Science, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, 1984, Journalism.
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