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William Pinilis is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney (www.CertifiedCivilTrialAttorney.com), a prestigious recognition held by fewer than 3% of New Jersey lawyers. His practice focuses on consumer claims, complex commercial litigation, class actions, and personal injury cases involving severe injuries. Mr. Pinilis is widely known for his expertise in consumer class action lawsuits (www.ConsumerFraudLawyer.com).

An adjunct professor at Seton Hall School of Law since 1995, Mr. Pinilis teaches Consumer Law and New Jersey Practice. He has appeared on Tru TV (formerly Court TV) and is a respected lecturer with the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, delivering courses on Consumer Law and Civil Trial Preparation. He was also a frequent guest on the Troubleshooter Show, a nationally syndicated consumer advocacy radio program.

William J. Pinilis Has been a Municipal Court Judge since 2020.

Mr. Pinilis is a highly regarded seminar speaker, presenting on various topics related to consumer law. Visit our seminar page for more details. He is also a founding member and active contributor to the Consumer Fraud Forum, a leading platform for consumer protection and advocacy.

 Mr. Pinilis has authored numerous legal articles, including:

• "The Lampf Decision: Setting an Appropriate Limitation Period?" (New Jersey Trial Lawyer, May 1992)
• "Private Enforcement under the Consumer Fraud Act" (New Jersey Law Journal, Aug. 23, 1993)
• "Sanctioning Lawyer-Politicians for Disrespecting Judges" (New Jersey Law Journal, July 1, 1996)
• "Whistleblower Suits and Complaint Requirements" (New Jersey Law Journal, Sept. 16, 1996)
• "Clarifying Work-Product Privilege Doctrine" (New Jersey Lawyer, Aug. 2, 1999)

New Jersey Courthouses Paperback – November 24, 2018

Some of the most famous trials in American history have taken place in New Jersey’s State Courthouses. The Lindbergh baby kidnapping case was called the “Trial of the Century” and the “greatest story since the Resurrection.” While more famous, the Lindbergh case is no more compelling than the Ruben “Hurricane” Carter triple murder trials, the Arron Burr conviction (from Burr’s fatal duel with Alexander Hamilton), the Kelley Anne Michaels trial, the John List murder of his family in Westfield, the landmark Karen Anne Quinlan right to die case, the Hall-Mills murder trial (from which the phrase “media circus” was coined), the trial of the nation’s first mass-murder shooting spree (the “Father of Mass-Murder,” Howard Unruh’s, famous “Walk of Death”), and even a witch trial. A New Jersey courthouse was also the venue for the first vote cast in an election by an African-American, the first vote to ratify the Bill of Rights, many public executions, the Battle of Monmouth (and the legend of Molly Pitcher), and even a critically important demonstration that the tomato was not poisonous. Many of the buildings were designed and/or decorated by famous architects and artists. These include Louis Comfort Tiffany, Cass Gilbert (the architect for the first skyscraper), Gutzon Borglum (the sculptor of Mount Rushmore), and muralists Edwin Howland Blashfield, Frank Millet, Howard Pyle, Will Hicok Low, Charles Yardley Turner, Kenyon Cox, Henry Oliver Walker, and George Willard Maynard. Perhaps most compelling are stories of hauntings and paranormal activities in many courthouses. These stories relate to public hangings, Revolutionary War battles, and famous murder trials. This book chronicles the history of the New Jersey Courthouse buildings, recounts famous trials, and tells the often creepy and frightening stories of those whom are said to haunt the halls of justice.

• B. A. from Hobart College (1989)
• J. D. from Benjamin Cardozo School of Law (1992)

• Admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York
• Licensed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• Licensed in U.S. District Courts: District of New Jersey, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York

• Member, Morris County Bar Association
• Member, New Jersey State Bar Association
• Member, National Association of Consumer Advocates
• Member, Association of Trial Lawyers of America
• Graduate, Brennan Inn of Court
• Member, Class Action Section and Consumer Law Section, New Jersey State Bar Association

• Thiedemann v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, 183 N.J. 234 (2005)
• Miller v. American Family Publishers, 284 N.J. Super 67 (Ch. Div. 1995)
• Union Ink Co., Inc. v. AT&T Corp., 352 N.J. Super 617 (2002)
• Muhammad v. County Bank of Rehoboth Beach, 379 N.J. Super 222 (App. Div. 2005)
• Smerling v. Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., 389 N.J. Super 181 (App. Div. 2006)
• Weiss v. Regal Collections, 385 F.3d 337 (3d Cir. 2004)