William B. Wahlheim

Chair of Litigation Section & Leader of ERISA, Managed Care & Group Insurance Litigation at Maynard Cooper & Gale, P.C.

He brings over 25 years of experience to his clients; focusing his practice on managed healthcare, ERISA disputes and bad faith litigation. In his managed care practice, William represents payors in disputes brought by a wide spectrum of providers and participants. In his ERISA litigation practice, he represents insurers, sponsoring employers, plan administrators and third party administrators in federal and appellate courts across the country. He regularly defends benefit claims disputes brought by plan participants and beneficiaries involving life, health, disability, accidental death and dismemberment, property and casualty, ESOP, pension and retirement plans, fiduciary breach claims and COBRA continuation coverage disputes. William has handled matters in more than 20 states and litigation in the Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Ninth and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeal. In addition, William represents insurers in bad faith, fraud and class actions and employers in ERISA 401(k) stock drop, fiduciary class actions and "church plan" litigation.

His extensive experience in the area of ERISA Litigation has been widely recognized by his peers in the industry. William was listed Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” in Litigation – ERISA for 2021 and 2015 in Birmingham. He frequently speaks on topics related to ERISA litigation at industry and client conferences. He has also been listed in The Best Lawyers in America© for Health Care Law, Insurance Law, Commercial Litigation, Class Actions and Litigation: ERISA. He is listed in the Mid-South Super Lawyers for Employee Benefit Litigation.

William was named in 2015 Who's Who Legal Directory in Pensions & Benefits. He is the only Alabama attorney included in the listing.

William received his J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Alabama School of Law and holds a B.S. from Davidson College.

Org chart

Timeline

  • Chair of Litigation Section & Leader of ERISA, Managed Care & Group Insurance Litigation

    Current role

View in org chart