Practice Groups
Corporate
Litigation
Real Estate
Contact Information
wdgilbride@abbottnicholson.com
TEL: 313.234.6212
William D. Gilbride, Jr. is the Chief Operating Officer and managing shareholder of Abbott, Nicholson, Quilter, Esshaki & Youngblood, P.C., former chairman of the Litigation Section, and an active member of the Firm’s Corporate and Real Estate Sections.
Bill is a business lawyer with 24 years of experience whose primary areas of practice include representing business interests in the areas of contracts, business and corporate law, dispute resolution, real estate, zoning and land use law.
Bill has handled a broad range of business disputes. He has tried numerous jury and bench trials in Federal and State courts and conducted arbitrations and facilitations with the American Arbitration Association. Bill’s trial experiences encompass a broad range of business, contract and real estate disputes including: Breach of contract actions; sales representation cases; real estate development disputes; land contract foreclosures and forfeitures; claims against cities and townships arising out of land use disputes; break ups of medical and other professional organizations; representing the rights of creditors in bankruptcy proceedings; and, sales and distribution agreement disputes. These cases typically include business tort claims such as fraud and tortious interference claims.
Bill has also served as general business and legal counsel to many for profit and several not for profit organizations, counseling on business, contract and real estate matters. This work has encompassed a broad array of experiences in mergers, acquisitions and stock and asset sales and purchases. Over the years, Bill has served as secretary and general counsel for two non-public corporate clients with in excess of 100 shareholders each. This experience is invaluable to larger organizations requiring counsel and experience in handling the many issues affecting closely held corporations and minority shareholder rights, including such matters as non-compete agreements, stock purchase agreements, puts, minority shareholder rights and corporate compliance matters.
Bill has also represented some of the Detroit area’s leading custom home builders assisting in their contracts, lien work and lien foreclosures; and contract disputes with suppliers and customers.
Bill received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan in 1980 and his law degree (J.D.) from the University of Detroit in 1984.
Bill was a Director of Delta Theta Phi law fraternity from 1987 to 1992 and served as Secretary, Treasurer and President of the Catholic Lawyers Society between 1988 and 1994. Bill has served since 1996 as a Mediator on the Commercial Panel of the Wayne County Mediation Tribunal Association. He also served as a director for seven years (1998-2005) and as Chairman for two years (2003-2005) of the Board of Directors of the Grosse Pointe War Memorial Association.
Bill is a Fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation. Bill holds an "AV" rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating awarded attorneys by their peers. He was honored as a Michigan Super Lawyer 2008 and 2009 in the area of alternative dispute resolution. In 2009, Bill was also recognized as a Top Lawyer in Metro Detroit – 2010 by DBusiness Magazine.
Bill and his wife, Susan, have three daughters and live in Grosse Pointe Park. In his free time, Bill enjoys spending time with his family and enjoys a variety of recreational activities including senior men’s ice hockey and sailboat racing.
