William E. von Behren is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Meserve, Mumper & Hughes LLP and a member of the Firm’s Management Committee. He specializes in litigation with an emphasis on health care, life and disability insurance and business matters. He has more than 30 years of litigation and trial experience arising out of insurance coverage, contract and commercial disputes, fraud and RICO litigation, and class action matters. Particular areas of expertise include the representation of managed care companies in bad faith, ERISA and provider disputes, and the representation of life and disability insurers in bad faith and related claims.

Mr. von Behren is one of the Firm’s most experienced trial attorneys. In 2010, Bill served as lead trial counsel in defense of WellPoint, Inc. and Anthem Blue Cross in a health insurance bad faith action tried in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Plaintiff asserted bad faith and unfair business practice claims against the Defendants, and sought punitive damages. Plaintiff made a pre-trial demand of $10,000,000. After a four week trial, the jury returned a verdict awarding Plaintiff $206,000. In a complex business dispute tried a few years ago in the United States District Court for the District of Idaho, Mr. von Behren obtained a $3.1 million dollar jury verdict for his client, which at the time was the second highest jury award in Idaho.

He also has significant experience in arbitration matters pending before the American Arbitration Association and private judicial arbitrators.Mr. von Behren regularly defends managed care companies in disputes with hospitals and other providers, including matters involving thousands of claims with tens of millions of dollars in dispute. He also has argued matters before the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Mr. von Behren represents more than thirty (30) Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans in litigation in California and other jurisdictions on a regular basis, including the defense of class action claims. He frequently serves as lead counsel in the joint representation of multiple parties in large, complex multi-party cases. He served as Special Counsel to the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and more than forty (40) Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans for the purpose of coordinating their joint defense in national managed care class actions. In the late 1990’s, Mr. von Behren was retained in a similar capacity by forty-four (44) BCBS Plans in the prosecution of the Plans' claims against the tobacco industry in three separate federal cases.

He has served as a speaker on health care and disability insurance litigation panels addressing bad faith claim issues, managing multi-party litigation, ERISA issues, managed care class actions, health care fraud and abuse matters and joint defense issues. Mr. von Behren has authored articles published in defense industry materials addressing managed care litigation, ERISA disputes and privilege and immunity issues arising out of the joint prosecution and defense of claims.

Bill has been recognized as one of California’s Super Lawyers in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Mr. von Behren was born and raised in Illinois. He is a 1980 graduate of St. Louis University School of Law. He received his undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1977. He commenced practicing law in Missouri in 1980, and has been with Meserve, Mumper & Hughes LLP since 1983.

Mr. von Behren is a member of the California, Missouri and Illinois State Bars, and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and all of the federal and state courts within the State of California. He is also licensed to practice before federal courts in Illinois and Missouri.

Bill is married with two daughters. He is very active in his community and a supporter of youth sports programs. Bill is a past President of Manhattan Beach Little League, one of the largest little league organizations in the country, and served as a member of the League’s Board of Directors for nine years. Bill coached youth baseball before having his own children, and has coached recreation league and travel fastpitch softball for more than 10 years. He is also a past member of the Region 18 AYSO Board of Directors and coached both youth soccer and basketball teams. Bill is currently the Vice-President of the Mira Costa High School Softball Boosters organization.