Biography
Monté Williams often tells clients, “I’m here to help eliminate your worry.” Monté puts all his skills to work to protect his clients, whether he’s defending them at trial, managing litigation, negotiating settlements, conducting investigations, or partnering with them to find ways to avoid future problems. His experience as a former West Virginia State Trooper means he can investigate and evaluate situations quickly and strategically. Additionally, his law enforcement training allows him to remain calm and focused in high-stress situations.
As the head of the firm’s Oil & Gas Emergency Response Team and a member of the Workplace Safety Team focusing on OSHA issues, Monté uses this level-headed approach to help clients manage rapidly evolving situations as the right people, administrative, legal, and regulatory resources are coordinated. Monté collaborates with his clients to protect them and fight for the best possible outcome long before litigation is a reality. His efforts have proven successful in cases of energy disputes; police liability; state, county, or municipal liability; contract disputes; medical malpractice; first and third-party bad faith; personal injury; products liability; and premises liability.
Monté is the General Litigation Practice Group Leader, head of the firm’s Oil & Gas Emergency Response Team, a member of the firm’s Coal Emergency Response Team, the Chair of the Diversity Committee, and is the Office Managing Member of the firm’s The Woodlands, Texas office. Monté is a member of the Environment, Social, Governance (“ESG”) group, a group of attorneys with experience and knowledge about how ESG impacts all aspects of a business.
Representative Experience
- Assisted national wine distributor in avoiding lawsuit through settlement in allegations of unfair pricing
- Defended international retailer against claims of premises liability resulting in injury
- Emergency Response Team – Assisted oil and gas client with investigation and management of incident involving fatalities including on site interaction with regulatory agencies
- Drafted successful appeal to state supreme court of circuit court decision that deferred ruling on qualified immunity until completion of discovery, resulting in vicarious liability and negligent hiring and training claims against law enforcement client being dismissed before the commencement of discovery
- Successfully argued a civil rights case before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Litigated claims of negligent installation during construction for home improvement retailer
- Arbitration counsel for national retailer for matters related to negligent installation during construction
- Negotiated settlement for national wine distributor in lawsuit involving unfair pricing
- Jury trial for claims of complete destruction of commercial property resulting from fire
- Defended international restaurant chain in lawsuit alleging permanent personal injury due to booth collapse
- Defended insurers in claims for underinsured motorist benefits
- Defended insurers against claims of unfair trade practices and common law bad faith
- Assisted insurer in defense of $400,000 property damage subrogation claim
- Coordinated and attended on-site investigations and employee/contractor interviews by MSHA and state investigators following underground accident involving employee fatality and injuries
Licensed In
- Colorado
- Pennsylvania
- Texas
- West Virginia
Education
- J.D. West Virginia University College of Law
- M.A. West Virginia University
- B.A. West Virginia University
Memberships
- The Order of the Barristers, WVU College of Law
- Treasurer, Association of Defense Trial Attorneys
- Fellow, West Virginia Bar Foundation
- Vice Chair, DRI, Young Lawyers State & Local Defense Organizations Subcommittee
- Past Chair, DRI, Young Lawyers Activities Subcommittee
- Past Member, Board of Governors, West Virginia State Bar
- Charter Member/Chairperson, West Virginia Black Lawyers Alumni Association
- Past Member, Visiting Committee, West Virginia University College of Law
- Board of Governors, Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia
- Past Chair, Defense Research Institute, Young Lawyers Public Service Subcommittee (2008)
- Past Chair, Defense Research Institute, Young Lawyers Diversity Subcommittee (2010)
- Young Lawyers Liaison, Trial Tactics Committee, Defense Research Institute
- Monongalia/Marion Counties District Representative, Young Lawyers Section, West Virginia State Bar 2006-2009
- Former Citizen Member, West Virginia Ethics Commission
- Automobile Association of America East Central
- Board of Directors, Habitat for Humanity
- Board of Directors, Leadership West Virginia
- FBI Citizen’s Academy
- Leadership Monongalia
- Leadership West Virginia 2010
- Board of Directors, West Virginia University Alumni Association
Achievements
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation (2018-Present), Construction Law (2021-Present), Litigation – Insurance (2018-Present), Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants (2021-Present), Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (2013-Present), Privacy and Data Security Law (2020-Present), Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (2021-Present)
- Best Lawyers® 2021 Morgantown, WV Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Lawyer of the Year
- Best Lawyers® 2020 Morgantown, WV Personal Injury – Defendants, Lawyer of the Year
- Best Lawyers® 2018 Morgantown, WV Litigation – Insurance, Law Lawyer of the Year
- Best Lawyers® 2016 Morgantown, WV Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants, Lawyer of the Year
- Super Lawyers®, General Litigation Law, Energy & Natural Resources Law, Insurance Coverage Law, Morgantown, WV (2014-2020)
- Super Lawyers Rising Stars®, General Litigation Law, Energy & Natural Resources Law, Insurance Coverage Law, Morgantown, WV (2009-2013)
- Selected to the Department of the Justice’s Honors Program
- Winner of the Baker Cup Competition
- CALI Award for Appellate Advocacy
Speaking Engagements
- Emergency Response Presentation: “Crisis Management in the Energy Industry” (Presentation with Monté Williams), Houston Bar Association – Energy Law Section, Houston, TX, September 28, 2023
- “DE&I Efforts as an Invaluable Strategy Within the Legal Industry” Podcast, Employment Law Alliance (ELA), 2023
- “1983 Liability and Law Enforcement Best Practices,” Martinsburg City Police Department, 2021
- “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Being Curious and Doing the Right Thing,” Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, 2021
- “To Serve and Protect: Racial Inequality, Policing, and Accountability”
Press Release
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