William F. Ahern Jr.

William F. Ahern, Jr., is the Managing Partner, head of the Litigation Department, and founder of Gregg, Hunt, Ahern, and Embry. Mr. Ahern has been a civil trial attorney for over 30 years. He specializes in the litigation of high value, complex cases. That he represents both plaintiffs and defendants provides him with a unique perspective providing an advantage in understanding how best to represent each.

For the first ten years of his career, Mr. Ahern focused exclusively on defense litigation at a well-regarded Boston insurance defense law firm, Mahoney, Kiley, Szulkin & Steward (formerly Linehan, Gallagher & Mahoney). He defended every type of personal injury case from simple automobile accidents through catastrophic construction cases. He had success in not only defending the medical and liability issues in cases but also learned the value of aggressively enforcing contractual and insurance obligations by pursuing risk transfer when appropriate. He tried cases at every level of the Massachusetts state court system as well as the U.S District Court of Massachusetts. He became well versed in alternative dispute resolution by participating in arbitrations and mediations. In addition, he began to hone his appellate advocacy skills when he prevailed before the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts in Rhodes v. Beacon Sales, 416 Mass. 14 (1993), a seminal case protecting a workers’ compensation insurer’s right to full statutory recovery rather than by a judge’s determination of an equitable allocation.

In 1995, when Mr. Ahern was asked to join what has become Gregg, Hunt, Ahern & Embry he began diversifying his practice. In addition to insurance defense work, he began representing personal injury plaintiffs. He was also one of the prevailing trial counsel in Guckenberger v. Boston University, 974 F. Supp. 106 (USDC MA 1997)which upheld students’ rights against a private university under the Americans with Disabilities Act. As a result of its efforts in this case, Gregg, Hunt, Ahern & Embry received the inaugural LD Access Foundation “Justice Award.” He broadened his practice further to include commercial and real estate litigation. His construction law practice grew to include representing clients in non-litigation matters including drafting and reviewing construction documents for projects of all sizes as well as other related construction services. He counsels the firm’s business clients in a full range of areas including preemptive strategies to limit the exposure to litigation.

Mr. Ahern is an experienced, successful litigator. He continues to specialize in catastrophic personal injury litigation representing both plaintiffs and defendants in the state and federal courts of Massachusetts. He has litigated wrongful death, disfigurement, traumatic brain injury, burns, amputations, paraplegic and quadriplegic cases. He continues to defend cases at the request of self insured clients as well as major insurance companies. His personal injury clients have recovered millions of dollars through his efforts.

Mr. Ahern has continued to develop his advocacy skills beyond the trial court. In addition to his success before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, since joining his firm, he has briefed and argued before the First Circuit Court of Appeals, the Rhode Island Supreme Court and Massachusetts Court of Appeals.

Mr. Ahern’s legal abilities have been recognized by his peers. He has received the Martindale-Hubbell “AV” preeminent rating (“highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards”). He has been selected as a New England Super Lawyer (only 5% of the attorneys in the region are selected Super Lawyers). He is a lifetime member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum as well as the Million Dollar Advocates Forum in recognition of his successful efforts in obtaining multi-million dollar recoveries for injured personal injury clients.

Mr. Ahern received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University and Juris Doctor degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Representative Cases

• Rhodes v. Beacon Sales, 416 Mass. 14 (Supreme Judicial Court of Ma 1993)
• Guckenberger v. Boston University, 974 F. Supp. 106 (USDC MA 1997)

Representative Clients

• Travelers Insurance Company
• RLI / Mt. Hawley Insurance Company
• The Hartford Insurance Company

Honors and Awards

• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating
• Super Lawyer
• Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum

Past Employment Positions

• Boston law firm of Mahoney, Kiley, Szulkin and Steward, formerly Linehan, Gallagher and Mahoney, Counsel, 1985 – 1995
• Travelers Insurance Company, Claims , 1983 – 1985

Fraternities/Sororities

• Delta Kappa Epsilon