William

M. Toles

Shareholder
500 N. Akard Street, Suite 4000
Dallas, TX 75201-6605

Overview

As a seasoned and highly regarded trial attorney, William has successfully tried more than 70 civil jury trials to verdict. In addition, his trial experience throughout Texas includes tort litigation, ranging from negligence and transportation matters to more complex premises liability, Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA), commercial and contractual dispute litigation. He has been selected by D Magazine as one of the “Best Lawyers in Dallas” since 2016.

On top of his thriving legal practice, William is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) National Executive Committee. He is also a member of the International Society of Barristers (ISOB). Memberships for ABOTA and ISOB are both by invitation only, and involve a rigorous screening process that takes into consideration each lawyer’s ability, experience, accomplishments and ethical standards as assessed by trial lawyers and judges.

William also serves on the Board of Directors for the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association and is a member of the Salesmanship Club of Dallas and the State Fair of Texas Chairman’s Task Force. Actively involved in his church, he has been a member of the Steward Board for more than 15 years.

Having earned both his J.D. and B.A. from Washington & Lee University, William remains active within the school. Currently, he serves as a member of the Washington & Lee University Board of Trustees and as a class agent for his law school class. He is a former member of the Washington & Lee Alumni Board, former President of the Law Council and former Chair of the Washington & Lee Law Annual Fund.

Education

Admissions

Achievements

  • American Bar Foundation (Fellow)
  • American Board of Trial Advocates – (Advocate; Dallas Chapter President, 2022)
  • American College of Trial Lawyers 
  • D Magazine – The Best Lawyers in Dallas (Tort, Product and Medical Liability Litigation, 2016-2023)
  • Dallas Bar Foundation (Fellow)
  • International Society of Barristers
  • Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (Fellow – 2014)
  • Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent®, Peer Review Rated™ 
  • Texas Bar Foundation (Life Fellow)
  • The Dallas Assembly 
  • Thomson Reuters – Texas Super Lawyers (2012-2023); Texas Rising Stars (2008-2011); Top 100: Dallas/Fort Worth Super Lawyers (2012-2023)
  • Woodward/White, Inc. – Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation (2023-2024); Best Lawyers in America, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants (2024)
  • Memberships

    • Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
    • Association of Defense Trial Attorneys
    • Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit
    • The Black In-House Counsel Network
    • Catch Up & Read (Board of Directors)
    • College of The State Bar of Texas
    • Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Foundation (Life Fellow)
    • Defense Research Institute
    • Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel 
    • International Association of Defense Counsel
    • J.L. Turner Legal Association
    • Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
    • National Bar Association
    • National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association
    • Salesmanship Club of Dallas
    • State Fair of Texas Chairman's Task Force
    • The Supreme Court Historical Society
    • Texas Association of Defense Counsel
    • Transportation Lawyers Association
    • Washington and Lee University Board of Trustees (May 2016 – Present)

Overview

As a seasoned and highly regarded trial attorney, William has successfully tried more than 70 civil jury trials to verdict. In addition, his trial experience throughout Texas includes tort litigation, ranging from negligence and transportation matters to more complex premises liability, Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA), commercial and contractual dispute litigation. He has been selected by D Magazine as one of the “Best Lawyers in Dallas” since 2016.

On top of his thriving legal practice, William is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) National Executive Committee. He is also a member of the International Society of Barristers (ISOB). Memberships for ABOTA and ISOB are both by invitation only, and involve a rigorous screening process that takes into consideration each lawyer’s ability, experience, accomplishments and ethical standards as assessed by trial lawyers and judges.

William also serves on the Board of Directors for the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association and is a member of the Salesmanship Club of Dallas and the State Fair of Texas Chairman’s Task Force. Actively involved in his church, he has been a member of the Steward Board for more than 15 years.

Having earned both his J.D. and B.A. from Washington & Lee University, William remains active within the school. Currently, he serves as a member of the Washington & Lee University Board of Trustees and as a class agent for his law school class. He is a former member of the Washington & Lee Alumni Board, former President of the Law Council and former Chair of the Washington & Lee Law Annual Fund.

Experience

  • Wrongful Death

    Represented defendant in a four day civil jury trial resulting from the generator-related death of two individuals due to carbon monoxide toxicity. Verdict of $1.39 MM;

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  • Personal Injury

    Represented a defendant in a three and a half week jury trial in which a minor plaintiff sustained a traumatic brain injury and was rendered a quadriplegic as a result of a

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  • Breach of Contract

    Obtained unanimous defense verdict in a jury trial involving first-party, bad faith allegations, as well as allegations of breach of contract and Texas Insurance Code Violations. Verdict

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