--- title: Who is Bill Marler and Marler Clark? date: 2026-07-05T09:59:00-07:00 author: Bill Marler canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/who-is-bill-marler-and-marler-clark" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Firm News](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/firm-news) / # Who is Bill Marler and Marler Clark? ***William “Bill” Marler*** [William “Bill” Marler](https://billmarler.com/) has spent more than thirty years as a food safety lawyer and advocate—work that began with the 1993 Jack in the Box *E. coli* outbreak and has never really stopped since. In the years that followed, he has represented victims in nearly every major foodborne illness outbreak in the United States. That case, and the movement it launched, is the subject of the book [“Poisoned”](https://www.amazon.com/Poisoned-Deadly-Outbreak-Changed-Americans/dp/098495435X) and the Emmy Award–winning [Netflix documentary](https://www.netflix.com/title/81460481) of the same name. Bill’s work has been profiled in The New Yorker ([“A Bug in the System”](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/02/bug-system)), the Seattle Times ([“30 years after the deadly *E. coli* outbreak, a Seattle attorney still fights for food safety”](https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/30-years-after-the-deadly-e-coli-outbreak-a-seattle-attorney-still-fights-for-food-safety/)), the Washington Post ([“He helped make burgers safer. Now he’s fighting food poisoning again”](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/he-helped-make-burgers-safer-now-hes-fighting-food-poisoning-again/2020/01/18/5b979cf8-38ad-11ea-9541-9107303481a4_story.html)), and [many others](https://billmarler.com/about). Dozens of times a year, Bill speaks to industry, regulators, and universities across the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, China, and Australia about a simple idea: outbreaks are preventable. He has testified before Congress on the Food Safety Modernization Act and teaches food safety at institutions including the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He writes regularly about food litigation and food safety at [Marler Blog](https://www.marlerblog.com/), and in 2009 he founded [Food Safety News](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/), which he continues to publish. ***Working with Marler Clark*** Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, represents victims of foodborne illness nationwide. Here are answers to the questions people ask us most often. **FAQ** **How much does it cost to hire a food poisoning lawyer?** Marler Clark handles food poisoning cases on a contingency-fee basis. There is no charge for the initial consultation, and no attorney’s fees unless we obtain a recovery for you through a settlement or verdict. When your case concludes, you receive a full written accounting of all fees and expenses for your approval before any money is disbursed. **Do I have a food poisoning case?** The strongest cases share three things: a laboratory-confirmed infection, usually from a stool sample; a documented link between your illness and a specific food, restaurant, or product, often through a public health investigation or a genetic match to an outbreak strain; and real damages such as hospitalization, lasting injury, or lost income. A free case evaluation is the fastest way to learn where you stand. **How much is a food poisoning lawsuit worth?** Every case is different. Value depends on the severity and permanence of the injury, medical expenses, lost wages, and how strongly the illness can be tied to a contaminated food. Cases range from short, self-resolving illnesses to catastrophic injuries such as kidney failure or paralysis. We can offer a realistic assessment after reviewing your medical records and the outbreak evidence. **How long do I have to file a claim?** Statutes of limitation set the deadline for filing a lawsuit, and they vary by state and by the type of injury—sometimes as little as one year. Because evidence like receipts, leftover product, and medical samples can disappear quickly, it is best to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible. **Does Marler Clark handle cases nationwide?** Yes. We represent clients across the country and have litigated food poisoning cases in more than 35 states. Claims are often referred to us by attorneys elsewhere, and we work with local counsel where needed, so you do not have to live in Washington to work with us. ### Lawsuit updates about foodborne illnesses [Reactive Arthritis Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=reactive-arthritis&year=all) [E. coli Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=e-coli&year=all) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=guillain-barre-syndrome&year=all) [Salmonella Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=salmonella&year=all) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hemolytic-uremic-syndrome&year=all) [Listeria Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=listeria&year=all) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=irritable-bowel-syndrome&year=all) [Hepatitis A Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hepatitis-a&year=all) [Norovirus Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=norovirus&year=all) [Botulism Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=botulism&year=all) [Campylobacter Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=campylobacter&year=all) [Shigella Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=shigella&year=all) [Cyclospora Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=cyclospora&year=all) ### Lawsuits updates by year [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 1998](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=1998) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 1999](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=1999) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2000](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2000) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2001](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2001) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2002](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2002) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2003](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2003) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2004](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2004) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2005](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2005) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2006](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2006) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2007](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2007) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2008](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2008) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2009](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2009) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2010](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2010) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2011](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2011) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2012](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2012) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2013](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2013) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2014](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2014) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2015](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2015) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2016](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2016) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2017](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2017) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2018](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2018) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2019](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2019) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2020](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2020) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2021](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2021) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2022](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2022) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2023](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2023) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2024](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2024) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2025](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2025) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2026](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2026) ##### Get Help #### Affected by an outbreak or recall? The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ Get a free consultation ](https://marlerclark.com/contact) ##### Outbreak Database #### Looking for a comprehensive list of outbreaks? The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ View Outbreak Database ](https://outbreakdatabase.com)