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Judge William H. “Billy” Murphy, Jr. is an American trial lawyer and former judge on the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. He is also the founder and a senior partner of Murphy, Falcon & Murphy in Baltimore.

Background

The Murphy family has had a strong influence in the Baltimore political and legislative arenas. Murphy, Jr.’s father, William H. Murphy, Sr. was a civil rights leader and one of the first African-American judges to preside in the state of Maryland. His mother, Madeline Wheeler Murphy, was a prominent well known community activist. His sister, Laura W. Murphy, is the Director of the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office. Arthur W. Murphy, his brother, was an election consultant and campaign manager.

Education

Murphy studied electrical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Murphy then attended the University of Maryland School of Law. After clerking for Court of Special Appeals Chief Judge Robert C. Murphy, he launched his criminal law practice.

Notable Cases

In his first courtroom victory, Judge Murphy, Jr. successfully represented the Black Panther Party in a First Amendment-rights case, removing an injunction on the distribution of a newspaper featuring controversial Party-related content. In 1973, Judge Murphy, Jr. successfully represented two accused in the largest bank robbery in United States history at the time (a staggering $545,000).

Microsoft

From 2002 to 2004, Mr. Murphy successfully defended Microsoft in federal court in Seattle against two employment class actions brought by the legendary Johnnie Cochran and famed attorney Willie Gary, who sued it for a combined $8.5 billion.

Johnson & Johnson

Mr. Murphy obtained a defense verdict in federal court for Johnson & Johnson in New Orleans, which saved it billions of dollars after it pulled its blockbuster drug Propulsid from the market because of cardiac side effects. From 2006 to 2011, Mr. Murphy successfully defended Scottsdale Insurance Company in state court in New Orleans where it was sued for $4 billion in a lead paint class action.

Don King

In 1998, Judge Murphy successfully defended fight promoter Don King and Don King Productions, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in United States v. Don King and Don King Productions, Inc.; and he currently represents Mr. King and his corporation in other matters, including Mike Tyson v. Don King and Don King Productions, a multi-million dollar lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

In more than 350 state court jury trials, Murphy averaged 91% acquittals; and in the federal courts, Mr. Murphy has won approximately 45% of his jury trials — four times the national average of 11%.

His victories for plaintiffs in civil cases include a $276 million verdict against First Union National Bank; a $185 million settlement against Ernst & Young for negligent business advice to national clothing chain MerryGoRound; a $55 million settlement against Constellation Energy on behalf of Maryland homeowners whose water system had been contaminated with coal ash; a $44 million verdict in a police brutality case that left his client a paraplegic; and a $34 million verdict for 20 restaurant workers poisoned by carbon monoxide.

Murphy also successfully argued and won a “not guilty by reason of insanity” verdict for Charles Hopkins, who was charged with murdering a member of the Baltimore City Council while attempting to assassinate the Mayor of Baltimore City.

Other clients include Sony, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Merck & Co., Allied Signal, Kaiser Gypsum, W.R. Grace & Co., Cargill and Carnegie International (represented by Murphy and Willie Gary in a pending multibillion-dollar suit against accounting giant Grant Thornton).

Media Appearances Judge Murphy has also had prominent roles in the media, playing himself in the season 5 episode "Took" of The Wire. Murphy played a role as himself again in "10 Rules for Dealing With Police," an educational film produced by the non-profit organization Flex Your Rights.

Awards & Recognition

Clarence Darrow Award, Mass Torts Made Perfect Conference, 2012

AV-Rated 20 years, Martindale-Hubbell

100 Top Trial Lawyers in the U.S., American Trial Lawyers Association, 2011

The Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, 2011

Whitney M. Young, Jr. Memorial Award, Urban League of Greater Baltimore, 2010

Legal Elite Readers’ Poll, Top Baltimore Lawyer, Baltimore Smart CEO, 2010

Circle of Excellence, Merchant Circle, 2010

Top Attorney in Maryland, Baltimore Magazine Super Lawyers, 2009, 2010

Trailblazer Award, Minority Business Summit, 2009

Influential Marylander, The Daily Record, 2008

Lifetime Award, Black CEO Summit Trailblazer Award, 2007

Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award, 2003

Lifetime Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2002

Top Ten Criminal Lawyers in Maryland, Baltimore Magazine, 1996

Charles Hamilton Houston Award for Lifetime Achievement in Litigation, 2004

Board of Governors, Maryland Trial Lawyers Association

25 Smartest People in Baltimore, Baltimore Magazine