William Dorsey, a partner in the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice, specializes in creditors’ rights, real estate and complex commercial litigation.
Representative Experience
Mr. Dorsey has represented many of the nation’s leading lenders in cases involving, among other things, claims for breach of credit agreements and conversion of lenders’ collateral; enforcement of guaranties and post-judgment remedies; and defense of lender liability and securities claims asserted by borrowers, equity holders and investors.
In addition, he represents commercial lenders in bankruptcy litigation matters, including Chapter 7 conversion, trustee appointment, cash collateral, preliminary injunction and lift stay contested hearings in bankruptcy courts throughout the nation. Mr. Dorsey has also served as the court-appointed attorney to bankruptcy examiners and prosecuted multiple preferential transfer and post-petition transfer actions under Sections 547 and 549 of the Bankruptcy Code.
Mr. Dorsey’s real estate litigation experience spans real estate finance, construction, and commercial leasing. Mr. Dorsey has handled foreclosures of retail, hotel, single family home development, condominium and condo-hotel projects in various states, including coordination of multi-state foreclosures; negotiated and prepared forbearance agreements and deeds in lieu of foreclosure; litigated construction defect and mechanics lien claims on behalf of lenders, title insurance companies and property owners; and prosecuted and defended complex commercial lease disputes on behalf of large institutional lenders and commercial landlords and tenants. Representative matters include foreclosures of the iconic Ilikai Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii; condominium projects in Miami, Florida; and office buildings and hotel projects in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Dorsey is also a contributor to the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education’s publication
Commercial Landlord-Tenant Practice, Tenant Defaults and Landlord Remedies.
In the field of intellectual property litigation, Mr. Dorsey has prosecuted trade secret misappropriation and breach of fiduciary duty claims against a former executive of a Europe-based temporary structure manufacturer and his co-conspirators charged with usurping corporate opportunities involving the PGA Tour, as well as similar claims against former employees of a national shipping company who sought to solicit customers for a competing business using proprietary customer lists. Mr. Dorsey has also obtained injunctive relief against a clothing manufacturer that sought to unfairly compete using the mark of an internationally known clothier.
Mr. Dorsey was recognized by
Illinois Super Lawyers in 2012.
Representative, Reported Matters
Mr. Dorsey’s representative, reported matters include:
- Capital Source Finance LLC v. Delco Oil, Inc. et al., 520 F. Supp. 2d 684 (D. Md. 2007). Granting lender’s motion for rule to show cause against borrower and borrower’s law firm based on diversion of funds from blocked account in violation of loan agreement and previously entered temporary restraining order and further finding that borrower’s bankruptcy filing did not terminate temporary restraining order.
- In re Delco Oil, Inc., 365 B.R. 246 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2007). Granting secured lender’s motion to lift stay and finding that debtor’s funds, which had been diverted from account over which lender held deposit account control agreement, were identifiable as cash collateral or proceeds of lender’s collateral and thus subject to lift stay.
- DeBoer Structures (U.S.A.), Inc. v. Shaffer Tent and Awning Co. et al., 187 F. Supp. 2d 910 (S.D. Ohio 2001). Entering preliminary injunction and imposing constructive trust arising out of breach of fiduciary duties and trade secret misappropriation related to diverted $40 million contract.
Education and Bar Admissions
Mr. Dorsey received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Claremont McKenna College in 1995 and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1998. He is admitted to practice in Illinois, Missouri and Kansas, as well as before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the U.S. District Courts for the Western District of Missouri and the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois.