Overview
Bill Wahrer is an associate in Fisher Phillips’ Portland, Maine office. He defends businesses against claims of employment discrimination and harassment and represents them in cases involving disability accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), whistleblower and retaliation claims, and wage and hour issues. He also regularly provides advice and counsel to help clients comply with varying federal, state and local employment laws and regulations.
Bill’s litigation and advisory experience spans a wide range of industries, but he has a particular practice focus representing and advising institutions of higher education. His work with colleges and universities has frequently involved litigating and advising on issues relating to Title IX and student discrimination. Bill’s Title IX work has included advising higher education clients to help them navigate Title IX’s everchanging requirements as applied to athletic departments and student-athlete participation opportunities.
Bill pairs analytical skills with a practical approach, allowing him to help employers manage and resolve complex legal issues. In Bill’s active litigation practice, he has successfully defended employers in various forums, including the Maine Human Rights Commission, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, the United States District Court for the District of Maine, and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. He has successfully defended dismissals on appeals to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court and the First Circuit Court of Appeals, including oral argument on appeal. He has been lead counsel defending multiple university clients on claims involving Section 1983, negligence, defamation, and claims under Title IX for discrimination, harassment, and “reverse discrimination.”
Earlier in his career, Bill served as Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable John A. Woodcock, Jr., of the United States District Court for the District of Maine. Following his clerkship, Bill was a labor and employment litigator for more than five years with the Portland office of one of Maine’s largest law firms.
During law school, Bill served as Executive Editor of the Maine Law Review and Head Teaching Fellow of the University of Maine School of Law’s Academic Success Program.