William Purnell
Partner
Scottsdale Office
14350 N. 87th Street, Suite 265
Scotttsdale, Arizona 85260
E-mail: william.purnell@qpwblaw.com
Columbia Office
1501 Main St Ste. 501
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
Mississippi Office
232 Market Street Building K
Flowood, Mississippi 39292
Richmond Office
William Purnell is a Partner in the Scottsdale, Columbia, Jackson, Richmond, and Charlotte offices of Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A., where he serves as Leader of the National Products Liability & Toxic Tort Practice Group. He represents national and international manufacturers, insurers, and commercial enterprises in high-exposure litigation throughout the United States, providing strategic legal counsel that protects business interests while effectively managing enterprise-level risk.
A nationally recognized litigation strategist, William frequently serves as national coordinating counsel for complex, multi-jurisdictional litigation involving products liability, toxic tort, environmental, and commercial disputes. He develops and executes unified national defense strategies, directs litigation teams across multiple jurisdictions, manages local counsel, coordinates expert development and discovery, oversees trial strategy, and advises corporate executives, general counsel, insurers, and claims professionals on litigation management, regulatory issues, settlement strategy, and long-term risk mitigation.
William's practice is informed by significant in-house legal experience, providing him with a practical understanding of the legal, operational, and business challenges facing manufacturers and commercial enterprises. He regularly partners with clients to align litigation strategy with broader corporate objectives, helping businesses efficiently navigate complex legal issues while minimizing operational and financial risk.
His industry experience spans a wide range of sectors, including heavy construction and industrial equipment, consumer products, HVAC systems, mechanical equipment, water filtration and fluid handling systems, valves and pumps, building materials, chemical manufacturing, environmental services, oil and gas, mining, transportation, infrastructure, commercial construction, and insurance risk management. He has extensive experience advising companies on legacy liability issues, successor liability, corporate restructuring, receiverships, and other matters involving historical operations and long-tail exposure.
William's practice encompasses products liability, toxic tort and asbestos litigation, environmental litigation, fire and explosion litigation, commercial and business litigation, construction defect litigation, regulatory and compliance counseling, enterprise risk management, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, receiverships, and mediation and alternative dispute resolution. He has successfully defended clients in state and federal courts nationwide and is recognized for developing practical, business-focused solutions to some of the country's most complex litigation challenges.
Mr. Purnell serves as national coordinating counsel for manufacturers defending complex product liability, toxic tort, asbestos, construction, environmental, and commercial litigation throughout the United States. He routinely manages nationwide litigation portfolios involving hundreds of active matters across multiple jurisdictions, coordinating the efforts of local counsel, trial teams, expert witnesses, insurers, and corporate legal departments to ensure consistency in legal strategy, discovery, trial preparation, and case resolution.
His practice encompasses virtually every aspect of complex civil litigation. He represents manufacturers in product liability, toxic tort, asbestos, construction defect, catastrophic property damage, environmental, and commercial litigation arising from industrial operations, consumer products, heavy equipment, building products, and infrastructure projects. He has significant experience defending manufacturers and suppliers in complex construction litigation involving commercial developments, educational institutions, industrial facilities, and large-scale construction projects nationwide.
In addition to active litigation, Mr. Purnell advises clients regarding legacy liabilities, successor liability, corporate restructurings, receiverships, and historical operations. His work frequently involves conducting comprehensive legal due diligence, reconstructing decades of corporate history, analyzing insurance coverage, evaluating historical manufacturing operations, and assessing long-tail litigation risks associated with acquisitions, discontinued product lines, and legacy business operations. Clients regularly rely on his ability to translate complex historical and legal issues into practical strategies that reduce exposure and support informed business decisions.
He is also recognized for his ability to manage litigation at an enterprise level. He develops national litigation management protocols, oversees coordinated discovery initiatives, directs expert witness programs, manages litigation budgets, and implements reporting systems that provide corporate clients and insurers with meaningful insight into litigation trends, financial exposure, and resolution opportunities. His experience enables clients to efficiently manage complex litigation portfolios while maintaining consistency across jurisdictions and controlling legal spend.
Working closely with general counsel, risk managers, insurers, receivers, and executive leadership, Mr. Purnell regularly advises clients on enterprise risk management, claims administration, regulatory compliance, litigation budgeting, reserve evaluations, and strategic settlement initiatives. He has successfully coordinated national settlement efforts involving manufacturers, insurers, and multiple stakeholders, developing practical solutions that balance litigation risk with long-term business objectives.
Mr. Purnell serves as a strategic advisor to corporate insurers and C-suite executives on global risk mitigation and institutional legal spending. He is highly adept at helping clients define, evaluate, and minimize liability exposure before claims arise. Additionally, he brings an analytical approach to asset acquisition, utilizing historical industry risk profiles and data forecasting to guide corporate clients through the assessment of legacy tort liabilities.
Before entering private practice, Mr. Purnell served in-house with global manufacturers, experience that continues to shape his practical and business-oriented approach to litigation. Understanding that legal decisions often have significant operational and financial implications, he partners with clients to develop strategies that extend beyond the courtroom and support broader corporate goals.
Clients value Mr. Purnell for his ability to simplify highly complex litigation, build consensus among diverse stakeholders, and develop creative solutions to challenging legal issues. Whether directing a nationwide litigation portfolio, advising on corporate acquisitions involving historical liabilities, defending catastrophic product liability and construction claims, or coordinating trial strategy across multiple jurisdictions, he remains committed to delivering thoughtful, efficient, and results-driven representation.
Mr. Purnell earned his Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt University Law School and his Bachelor of Arts from Tougaloo College.
He is licensed to practice law in Arizona and Mississippi and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Arizona and the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi.
Memberships & Affiliations
International Association of Defense Counsel
Defense Research Institute
Product Liability Advisory Council
The National Black Lawyers Association
