William M. Shernoff

Attorney William M. Shernoff, a founding partner of the law firm Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP located in Beverly Hills, California, is widely recognized as a trailblazer in the field of bad faith insurance law. He offers legal assistance to clients across Los Angeles, Southern California, San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange County.

With a legal career spanning several decades since his admission to the bar in 1966, Mr. Shernoff has dedicated himself to representing individuals and businesses who have been mistreated by insurance companies. Renowned as a staunch advocate for consumers, he has successfully secured billions of dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients.

Mr. Shernoff's proficiency and accomplishments have garnered significant attention from reputable media outlets, including The New York Times and 60 Minutes. Notably, his pivotal role in a 1979 case before the Supreme Court of California set a precedent that permits individuals to pursue compensatory and punitive damages in certain bad faith claims. In addition to his legal contributions, he has authored over 50 articles on bad faith insurance and co-authored the authoritative legal textbook, “Insurance Bad Faith Litigation.”

Having obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Mr. Shernoff is admitted to practice law in all California state courts, as well as before the U.S. District Courts for the Central and Southern Districts of California, the U.S. Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. 

In recognition of his exceptional contributions to the legal field, Mr. Shernoff has received various prestigious accolades. He has been honored as one of the Loyola Law School Champions of Justice and has been included in The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 list. Consumer Watchdog has bestowed upon him the Lifetime Achievement Award, highlighting his tireless dedication to safeguarding the rights and interests of insurance consumers. His other accolades include:

• Charles Althouse Lifetime Achievement Award – Western San Bernardino County Bar Association
• 2017 Excellency in Advocacy Award – Beverly Hills Bar Association
• Top 100 Lawyers – American Association for Justice
• Top Health Care Attorneys in California – Daily Journal Corporation
• Trial Lawyer of the Year – Consumers Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
• Trial Lawyers of the Year – Consumer Attorneys of California
• Trial Lawyer of the Year – Consumer Attorneys of Inland Empire

Furthermore, Mr. Shernoff has been peer-reviewed as AV Preeminent* through Martindale-Hubbell and holds a “Superb” rating on Avvo. 

Throughout his career, Mr. Shernoff has held active memberships and leadership positions in numerous professional associations, including the American Bar Association, the Beverly Hills Bar Association, the Eastern Bar Association of Los Angeles County and the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, among others.

*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.