William F. Ford

Bill Ford has more than 30 years of litigation experience in complex dispute resolution including environmental, general business litigation, and products liability. He successfully represents clients throughout the country.

In the environmental area, Bill represents several multinational clients as both plaintiffs and defendants in environmental cost recovery litigation, negotiations with government agencies, allocation proceedings, PRP searches and remediation coordination. Bill has extensive experience in underground storage tank litigation and administrative proceedings with governmental remediation funds. He has experience with both hazardous and non-hazardous waste and water treatment issues, Clean Water Act Section 404, dredge and fill permits, RCRA, Supplemental Environmental Projects and alleged Oil Pollution Act violations. 

In general business litigation, Bill has represented business interests of both plaintiffs and defendants in numerous multimillion-dollar lawsuits, including defense of multidistrict class action litigation alleging billions of dollars in damages. Bill has substantial experience representing clients in the agribusiness and defense industries.

• Panelist, "Right-Sizing & Streamlining Allocation Procedures (There Must Be a Better Way, Right?)" Environmental Health Symposium Sediment and PRP Summit, September 22, 2022
• Presenter, "Environmental Justice: The Federal and State Governments’ Renewed Focus and the Regulated Industries’ Perspective.,” Illinois State Bar Association, June 23, 2021
• Panelist, “Federal vs. State Liability Protections and Due Care Obligations During Property Acquisitions: How 'Certain' is Certain?” American Bar Association, Master Class on Complex Environmental Liability Resolution: State of the Art Strategies from Superfunds to Brownfields in Atlanta, June 12, 2019
• Speaker, Superfund Back in the Limelight, 2018 Midwest Environmental Compliance Conference, Kansas City, Missouri, April 2018
• Speaker, EPA Enforcement and Regulatory Update, Conference on Worker Safety, Human Resources and the Environment, American Meat Institute Foundation, April 9, 2014

• Author, Worse Can Be Better For Nonjudicial CERCLA Allocation, Law360, August 6, 2021
• Author, Every Ship a PRP? The Working River Sediment Site, American Bar Association, Natural Resources & Environment, Volume 31, Number 4, Spring 2017
• Author, Kansas Environmental Law Handbook, Solid Waste Chapter, Government Institutes, 1990
• Author, Alcohol Suppliers Liability in Missouri, 45 J.Mo. Bar No. 3, 193 (1989)
• Author, State and Federal Regulations of Hidden Camera and Microphone Reporting in the States of Kansas and Missouri, Media and the Law Seminar, 1989, University of Missouri—Kansas City, School of Law

• Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City, 2015-2018; Board Member, 2019
• Central Missouri State University, Adjunct Professor, 2003
• University of Kansas, Adjunct Professor, 1990-1993

• The Don Bosco Centers, English as a Second Language Teaching Assistant, 2016 – Present
• The Nature Conservancy of Missouri, Trustee, 1998-2003; Chair, 1999-2002
• Lawyers Encouraging Academic Performance, Mentor, 1997-2001
• Cradles & Crayons® Daycare Center for Special Needs Children, General Counsel, 1993-1995
• Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Centurions Leadership, 1988-1989

• Missouri Lawyers Media, Top Legal Innovations Award, Emerging Practice Areas, PFAS
• Selected among The Best Lawyers in America^®, 2008-2024
  • “Lawyer of the Year,” 2014, 2019-2020
• Selected for Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition, 2008
• Selected as a Finalist for Lawdragon 500 Better Than The Best, 2008
• Selected for Missouri/Kansas Super Lawyers, 2006-2020
• Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Missouri Environmental, 2006-2023
• Martindale-Hubbell^® “AV” Rating