Willard C. Shih

Practice Areas

Willard C. Shih is a Shareholder on the Business and Commercial Litigation team at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. He is also an officer of the firm, serving as its Treasurer, and is a member of the firm’s Management Committee.

Mr. Shih is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America. The American College of Trial Lawyers (https://www.actl.com) is an invitation-only fellowship of trial lawyers from the United States and Canada. See the membership criteria and requirements at: https://www.actl.com/about-actl. He is also designated by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Certified Civil Trial Attorney.

Mr. Shih does not hesitate to take disputes to trial when the situation warrants, and he has obtained recognition for his achievements as a trial lawyer including induction into the American College of Trial Lawyers. He also recognizes the wisdom of a speedy resolution and ably uses all forms of alternate dispute resolution to accomplish his clients’ goals. His litigation practice includes the representation of businesses and individuals in complex commercial disputes, including cases involving corporate and partnership disputes, unfair competition and consumer claims, trade secrets, restrictive covenants, and a variety of other matters. He also represents closely held corporations in cases in which the owners have disputes pending in family court and probate court, as well as family members involved in estate disputes. Clients include those in the public sector, Fortune 500 and smaller publicly-traded companies, and family-owned businesses across a variety of industries, including biotech, finance, and retail.

In addition, Mr. Shih represents national, regional, and local law firms in cases involving claims of professional negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and civil conspiracy, among others. The attorneys he defends practice in a variety of disciplines, yet Mr. Shih makes it a priority to understand their practice so that he can better mount their defense. To the extent the specialty is especially arcane - as in the case of “total return swaps” or “qualified domestic relations orders” to name a couple - there is a strong likelihood Wilentz has attorneys who practice in that area, allowing Mr. Shih to draw from that experience to better defend the claim.

Mr. Shih is committed to serving the legal profession. Appointed by the New Jersey Supreme Court, he has served on multiple panels and committees including its Civil Practice, Rules of Evidence, and the Dispute Resolution committees. Charged by the New Jersey Supreme Court with investigating and adjudicating wrongdoing by attorneys, Mr. Shih also served as the Chair of a District Ethics Committee and Panel Chair of a Fee Arbitration Committee.

Full bio: https://www.wilentz.com/attorneys/willard-c-shih

Professional Memberships

Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Asian Pacific American Lawyer’s Association of New Jersey