Commercial Finance Law Commercial Litigation Land Use and Zoning Law Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs Litigation - Land Use and Zoning Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
William R. "Bill" Scherer Jr.
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2018 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
William “Bill” R. Scherer cofounded the firm in 1974 with his late partner Rex Conrad. Over the past five decades, Mr. Scherer has grown Conrad & Scherer into one of Florida’s leading law firms and has expanded the firm’s presence with offices in New York, New York, Brevard, North Carolina, and Quito, Ecuador.
AV® Preeminent™ Peer Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® since 1987, Mr. Scherer is a seasoned trial attorney. He has litigated over 100 trials in both jury and non-jury cases before state, appellate, and federal courts. Mr. Scherer’s cases and legal accomplishments have received coverage by major television networks such as CNN, CNBC, MSNBC and FNN and national and local newspapers such as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, South Florida Business Journal, the Daily Business Review, the Sun-Sentinel and the Miami Herald.
Mr. Scherer was lead counsel for victims of the infamous multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme orchestrated by Scott Rothstein. Notably, Mr. Scherer led his complex litigation team and achieved an historic settlement returning to investors what is said to be the highest percentages of recovery for victims of a Ponzi scheme. News outlets described the settlement as a “huge victory” and a “landmark” lawsuit.In 2005, Mr. Scherer served as plaintiff’s counsel in a high-profile commercial lawsuit involving the sale of a health insurance company and obtained, by jury verdict, one of the largest damage awards in Broward County history.
During the historical 2000 Presidential Election Litigation in Florida, Mr. Scherer led a team of attorneys representing President George W. Bush and personally represented the President in the Broward County recount.
In addition to his litigation practice, Mr. Scherer has also served as counsel to various government entities. From 1988 to 2005, Mr. Scherer served as General Counsel to the North Broward Hospital District, one of the largest public health care providers in the nation, with four hospitals and nine specialized treatment centers. As General Counsel for the Hospital District, he supervised teams of legal experts in healthcare and malpractice law, and was responsible for all trials and legal actions taken by or against the Hospital District.
Mr. Scherer began his legal career as a law clerk to the Indiana Supreme Court and the Honorable Charles Fulton, Former Chief of the United States District Court for the South District of Florida.
Overview
- English
- Indiana University Bloomington, Juris Doctor, magna cum laude , graduated 1973
- Franklin College, Bachelor of Science, graduated 1969
- Florida, 1973
- Indiana, 1973
- District of Columbia, 2010
- United States District Court for the District of Colorado, 2014
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, 1974
- English
- Florida, 1973
- Indiana, 1973
- District of Columbia, 2010
- Indiana University Bloomington, Juris Doctor, magna cum laude , graduated 1973
- Franklin College, Bachelor of Science, graduated 1969
- United States District Court for the District of Colorado, 2014
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, 1974
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs, Fort Lauderdale (2025)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Commercial Finance Law
- Commercial Litigation
- Land Use and Zoning Law
- Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
- Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Litigation - Banking and Finance
- Litigation - Securities
- Professional Malpractice Law
Awards:
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, since 1987
- Recognized as a Best Lawyer in Commercial Litigation for The Best Lawyers in America©, 2018 to 2021
- Listed in South Florida Legal Guide, “Top Lawyers”, 2006-2021
- Listed in Super Lawyers® “Super Lawyer”, 2006-2018, 2020-2021
- Listed in Florida Trend’s Legal Elite, “Florida Legal Elite”, 2004, 2010, 2014 and 2020
- Recognized as an “Apogee Award Honoree” by South Florida Business & Wealth, 2020
- Listed in Fort Lauderdale Illustrated Magazine, “Top Lawyer”, 2020
- Recognized as an “Ultimate CEO” by the South Florida Business Journal, 2013
- Listed as one of the “FACES of Fort Lauderdale” by Fort Lauderdale Illustrated Magazine, 2019-2020
- Recognized as “Most Effective Lawyer” by the Daily Business Review, 2005 and 2012
- Listed in VerdictSearch’s, “Top 100 Verdicts of 2005”, 2005
- Profiled as a “Power Broker” by the Sun-Sentinel Newspaper, 2002
- Listed as one of “The 50 Most Powerful People in Broward County” by Gold Coast Magazine, May/June 2002
- Profiled as a “Political Power Broker” by Gold Coast Magazine, April 2002
News & Media
Additional Information
Case History
Cases
- Lori Parrish, Broward County Property Appraiser v. Board of County Commissioners, Broward County, Florida, Case No.: 13-023090
Successfully obtained a writ of mandamus on behalf of Broward County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish after the Broward County Board of Commissioners failed to comply with its statutorily mandated duty to fully fund the first quarter payment of the Property Appraiser’s Fiscal Year 2014 Budget as approved by the Department of Revenue.
- Recovery of over $225 million in investor losses resulting from a multi-billion dollar structured settlement Ponzi scheme
Mr. Scherer led his team of attorneys and para-professionals in the representation of a diverse group of plaintiffs seeking recovery of over $225 million in investor losses resulting from a multi-billion dollar structured settlement Ponzi scheme. This nationally publicized case focused on Toronto Dominion Bank’s (TD Bank) role in facilitating this criminal enterprise asserting novel claims that the Bank willfully aided and abetted the Ponzi fraud. After months of litigation, the matter was resolved through settlement resulting in the highest percentage recovery for victims entangled in a Ponzi scheme.
- Served as Chairman of the Creditors’ Committee in Rothstein’s law firm’s bankruptcy proceeding
In conjunction with the Rothstein Ponzi scheme civil litigation, Mr. Scherer served as Chairman of the Creditors’ Committee in Rothstein’s law firm’s bankruptcy proceeding from December 2009 through December 2012.
- Co-represented a doctor and health care entrepreneur who had purchased HIP of Florida—now Vista Health Plans of Florida—from HIP of New York
In 2005, Mr. Scherer co-represented a doctor and health care entrepreneur who had purchased HIP of Florida—now Vista Health Plans of Florida—from HIP of New York. Scherer filed a suit on behalf of his client against HIP of New York alleging that HIP hid financial information from his client who had purchased the company for $40 million. Following a 14 week trial, and despite HIP of New York’s countersuit for breach of contract, a jury awarded one of the largest individual verdicts in Broward Circuit Court history. That award included an award of compensatory damages for fraud and the cancellation of a multi-million dollar note to the defendant. Jurors had found liability for punitive and compensatory damages, but before they could determine an award on punitive damages, the case was settled out of court.
- Represented President George W. Bush during the historical 2000 vote recount and personally represented the President in the high stakes Broward County recount
Mr. Scherer led his team of attorneys representing President George W. Bush during the historical 2000 vote recount and personally represented the President in the high stakes Broward County recount. Conrad & Scherer’s responsibilities as counsel to President Bush included advising the President on his legal strategy in Broward County and also acting as a key contributor in Bush’s distinguished statewide Florida legal team. In fact, President Bush has praised Conrad & Scherer’s attorneys for their important legal contributions to his success in Florida. The firm’s contribution has also been implicitly recognized in the United States Supreme Court decision of Bush v. Gore, 531 U.S. 98 (2000), where the high court freed Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris’s certification of George W. Bush as the winner of Florida’s electoral votes in the 2000 presidential election.
- Defended a client against a third-party government agency’s interference with Broward County’s public bid process
Mr. Scherer led his team of attorneys in defending a client against a third-party government agency’s interference with Broward County’s public bid process, which put at risk an existing five year janitorial services contract for the Fort-Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport totaling approximately $69 million. The firm successfully asserted constitutional due process violations challenging the third-party agency’s involvement in the process and deviation from the County Code and Charter. The firm prepared to file a bid protest and to seek judicial relief for the constitutional violations if a successful political resolution was not reached.
- Defended one of the largest mega-yacht marina and shipyards in the US from being over-regulated by a local fire marshal
Mr. Scherer led his team of attorneys defending one of the largest mega-yacht marina and shipyards in the US from being over-regulated by a local fire marshal and was able to resolve the matter favorably through the political process and without litigation. The fire marshal had attempted to regulate the shipyard’s spray painting of mega-yachts/large vessels within temporary enclosures – an industry-wide practice already regulated under OSHA. Resolution required multi-government lobbying of the Florida CFO in his capacity as the State Fire Marshal, Broward County Commission, the Broward Board of Rules and Appeals (“BORA”), the City of Fort Lauderdale, and the local Fire Prevention Bureau. If the fire marshal was successful, the impacts to the Tri-County’s multi-billion dollar marine industry would have been devastating. In addition to the government relations aspect of this matter, the firm prepared to seek judicial relief for the constitutional violations if a successful political resolution was not reached.
- Successfully enforced a $41 million judgment against a prominent real estate developer by attacking an offshore Nevis trust
Successfully enforced a $41 million judgment against a prominent real estate developer by attacking an offshore Nevis trust. Pursued multiple court actions in domestic and international jurisdictions, including the Cayman Islands. This was one of the first instances in the U.S. where a U.S. creditor was able to successfully attack a Nevis trust. The case resulted in a settlement of over $44 million for the client.
- Represented a municipality and prevailed at trial in a $100 million dollar lawsuit
Represented a municipality and prevailed at trial in a $100 million dollar lawsuit brought by a large developer against the municipality for breach of an alleged contract to develop 11 acres of Florida oceanfront property.
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