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By Any Other Name: Rules Limiting Alternative Pleading in Professional Liability Actions
Q2 2025 - Professionally Speaking
William McDevitt centers his practice on professional liability defense, primarily focusing on attorneys, physicians, medical service corporations, architects, engineers, insurance brokers and accountants. Bill’s professional liability cases arise from both basic services and complex undertakings. Bill also has extensive litigation experience in invasion of privacy claims; libel and slander claims; premises liability; toxic tort (individual and class action); creditors’ rights (FDCPA, RESPA, FCEUA); consumer protection statutes (individual and class action); and employment disputes. Bill practices before administrative boards as well as state and federal courts.
Bill regularly mediates cases for Philadelphia County’s Eviction Diversion Program and acts as an arbitrator for Philadelphia County’s Complex Litigation Center. He is a past lecturer for the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Professional Liability Committee and actively participates on education initiatives through the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
Areas of Focus
Lawyers
Bill prides himself on delivering high-quality legal services to the most demanding clients – other lawyers. He defends attorneys in professional liability claims in Pennsylvania’s state and federal courts. Cases involve professional negligence, breach of contract, wrongful use of civil proceedings, abuse of process, libel, slander, invasion of privacy, RICO, bankruptcy, trusts and estates disputes, banking issues and regulatory suits, including claims brought under the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, Fair Credit Extension Uniformity Act and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act.
Banking & Financial
Bill supports Wilson Elser’s broad spectrum of banking and financial services, primarily through representing attorneys, officers and directors, and corporate clients in commercial litigation arising from judgment enforcement, securities issuance, bankruptcy representation, and creditors’ rights. Bill has extensive experience handling cases involving FDCPA, FCEUA, RESPA, and consumer credit claims. The firm draws on a multidisciplinary team of attorneys to approach complex financial issues from many angles, including professional liability, commercial transactions, bankruptcy, real estate and commercial litigation, to provide the best results for clients.
- Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law (J.D., 1997)
- Temple International and Comparative Law Journal, articles editor
- Radford University (B.A. in Criminal Justice, magna cum laude, 1993)
- Middlesex University (Exchange Student)
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- Supreme Court of New Jersey
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
- Pennsylvania Bar Association Professional Liability Committee; Animal Law Committee; Cannabis Law Committee
- Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Arbitration Program: Arbitrator
- Philadelphia County Eviction Diversion Program: Mediator
- New Jersey Bar Association
- Stagecrafters Community Theatre, Philadelphia: Stage Manager/Volunteer/Performer
- Germantown Jewish Center, Member, Board of Directors
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America®, 2026
- Selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, 2015, 2016
- Selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Rising Stars, Professional Liability Defense, General Litigation, 2006, 2007, 2011
- Panel Counsel for carriers endorsed by the Pennsylvania Bar Association