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William R. Scherer - Fort Lauderdale, FL
633 South Federal HighwayEighth Floor Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Conrad & Scherer, L.L.P.
Fort Lauderdale Commercial Litigation Lawyer
Overview
AV® PreeminentTM Peer Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® since 1987, Mr. Scherer is a seasoned trial attorney. He has litigated over 100 trials in both jury and non-jury cases before state, appellate, and federal courts. Mr. Scherer's cases and legal accomplishments have received coverage by major television networks such as CNN, CNBC, MSNBC and FNN and national and local newspapers such as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, South Florida Business Journal, the Daily Business Review, the Sun-Sentinel and the Miami Herald.
Mr. Scherer was lead counsel for victims of the infamous multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme orchestrated by Scott Rothstein. Notably, Mr. Scherer led his complex litigation team and achieved an historic settlement returning to investors what is said to be the highest percentages of recovery for victims of a Ponzi scheme. News outlets described the settlement as a "huge victory" and a "landmark" lawsuit.
In 2005, Mr. Scherer served as plaintiff's counsel in a high-profile commercial lawsuit involving the sale of a health insurance company and obtained, by jury verdict, one of the largest damage awards in Broward County history.
During the historical 2000 Presidential Election Litigation in Florida, Mr. Scherer led a team of attorneys representing President George W. Bush and personally represented the President in the Broward County recount.
In addition to his litigation practice, Mr. Scherer has also served as counsel to various government entities. From 1988 to 2005, Mr. Scherer served as General Counsel to the North Broward Hospital District, one of the largest public health care providers in the nation, with four hospitals and nine specialized treatment centers. As General Counsel for the Hospital District, he supervised teams of legal experts in healthcare and malpractice law, and was responsible for all trials and legal actions taken by or against the Hospital District.
Mr. Scherer began his legal career as a law clerk to the Indiana Supreme Court and the Honorable Charles Fulton, Former Chief of the United States District Court for the South District of Florida.
About William R. Scherer
Practice Areas
- Commercial Litigation
- Commercial Fraud Litigation
- Land Use Litigation
- Personal Injury/Wrongful Death
- Professional Negligence & Malpractice
- Class Actions
- Land Use
- Ponzi Scheme Litigation
Litigation
- 70%
Current Employment Position(s)
- Founder & Managing Partner , since 1974
Languages
- English (Primary)
Qualifications
Bar Admissions
- Indiana, 1973
- Florida, 1973
- District of Columbia, 2010
- U.S. District Court District of Colorado, 2014
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 1974
Other Affiliations
- American Board of Trial Advocates, 1989 - Present (Member/Advocate)
- Broward Workshop, 2002 - 2012 (Board Member)
- Broward County Ethics Commission, 2009 - 2010
- City of Fort. Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority (Board Member, 1989 to 1996 and 2003 to 2010)
- Franklin College Board of Trustees, 2000 - 2008
- Judicial Nominating Commission for the Seventeenth Circuit (Gubernatorial Appointee, 1987 to 1999, 2001 to 2003, 2003 to 2007 (Chair in 2006), 2011 to 2012)
- Judicial Nominating Commission for the Fourth District Court of Appeal, 1999 - 2003 (Gubernatorial Appointee)
- Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, 2000 - Present (Interim General Counsel, Gubernatorial Appointee)
- Florida Lawyers for Bush, 1998 - 2000 (Statewide Co-Chair)
- Florida Lawyers for Bush, 1998 - 2000 (Broward and Palm Beach County Chair)
- Federal Bar, Grievance Panel for the Southern District of Florida, 1995 - 1997
- Federal Bar Association, Broward County Chapter, 1982 - 1983 (Past President)
- United States District Court for the South District of Florida (Former Chief)
Education
- Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1973
J.D.
Honors: magna cum laude - Franklin College, Franklin, Indiana, 1969
B.S.
Past Positions
- North Broward Hospital District, General Counsel, 1988 - 2005
- Supreme Court of Indiana, Clerk
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Clerk
- City of Miramar, City Attorney, 1997 - 1999
- Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Interim General Counsel/Special Counsel, 2000 - Present
- President George W. Bush, Lead
- Indiana Supreme Court, Law Clerk
- Honorable Charles Fulton, Law Clerk
Pro Bono Activities
- Florida Patient Compensation Fund, Board of Directors, 1992 - Present
Classes and Seminars
- Speaker, “Miami Vice—Unraveling the $1.2 Billion Rothstein Ponzi Scheme”, C5’s 3rd Forum “Fraud, Asset Tracing and Recovery,” Miami Beach, Florida, 2012 - Present
- Speaker, “Masters In Opening Statements and Closing Arguments”, American Board of Trial Advocates and the Fort Lauderdale Chapter of ABOTA, 2011 - Present
- Speaker, “Unraveling a Ponzi Scheme”, BankAtlantic Attorney Seminar, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 2010 - Present
- Featured Speaker, “The Ponzi in its Aftermath”, Boys and Girls Club of Broward County Men’s Luncheon, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 2010 - Present
- William R. Scherer Jr., Directors and Officers Face Liability – Check Your D&O Insurance Now, Smart Business – Broward/Palm Beach, April 2005 at 14
- William R. Scherer Jr., Vital Reforms – Why Everyone Needs to Pay Attention to Proposed Medicaid Reforms, Smart Business – Broward/Palm Beach, March 2005, at 24
- William R. Scherer, Jr., Medicaid Reform – A Call to Action, South Florida Hospital News, March 2005
- William R. Scherer Jr., Editorial, Recommended Reforms Must Pass in Session, South Fla. Sun Sentinel, June 16, 2003, at 21A
- William R. Scherer Jr., Sovereign Immunity in Indiana- Requiem 6 Ind. L. Rev. 92 (1972)
Achievements
Other Sources of Feedback About William R. Scherer
Included on the 2024 Florida Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2023 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2022 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2021 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2016 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2015 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2014 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2013 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2012 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2011 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2010 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2009 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2008 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2007 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2006 Florida Super Lawyers list
Honors
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, 1987 - 2021
- Recognized as a Best Lawyer by Best Lawyers in Commercial Litigation, 2018-2021
- Listed in Super Lawyers® “Top Lawyers”, 2006-2018, 2020-2021
- Listed in South Florida Legal Guide, “Top Lawyers”, 2006-2021
- Listed in Florida Trend’s Legal Elite, “Florida Legal Elite”, 2004, 2010, 2014 and 2020
- Recognized as an “Apogee Award Honoree” by South Florida Business & Wealth, 2020
- Listed in Fort Lauderdale Illustrated Magazine, “Top Lawyer”, 2020
- Listed as one of the “FACES of Fort Lauderdale” In Complex Commercial Litigation by Fort Lauderdale Illustrated, April 2020
- Listed as one of the “FACES of Fort Lauderdale” in Complex Commercial Litigation by Gold Coast Magazine, April 2019
- Recognized as an “Ultimate CEO” by the South Florida Business Journal, 2013
- Recognized as “Most Effective Lawyer” by the Daily Business Review, 2005 and 2012
- Listed in VerdictSearch’s, “Top 100 Verdicts of 2005”, 2005
- Profiled as a “Power Broker” by the Sun-Sentinel Newspaper, 2002
- Listed as one of “The 50 Most Powerful People in Broward County” by Gold Coast Magazine, May/June 2002
- Profiled as a “Political Power Broker” by Gold Coast Magazine, April 2002
Office Information
Address
633 South Federal HighwayEighth Floor Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone
Fax
- (954) 463-9244
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Office Hours
Monday - Friday from 8:30am - 5:30pm
Websites
Publication
Articles
- William R. Scherer Jr., Sovereign Immunity in Indiana- Requiem?, 6 Ind. L. Rev. 92, 1972
Representative Cases
- Lori Parrish, Broward County Property Appraiser v. Board of County Commissioners, Broward County, Florida
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