Will Skinner

Will Skinner is a trial lawyer and the Managing Partner of the Los Angeles Office of Fitzpatrick Hunt & Pagano. Will has over 40 weeks as lead trial counsel handling complex aviation product liability, commercial and employment cases. Will’s trial and litigation experience covers a broad range of areas, including product liability, aviation, employment (defending claims of discrimination, retaliation, whistleblower, wrongful termination, and harassment), commercial and contract disputes, intellectual property, unfair competition, personal injury and wrongful death. He has litigated and tried cases in state and federal courts throughout the United States. Lead trial counsel in a 2025 jury trial representing the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles and a Catholic School in a employment matter where Plaintiff was alleging wrongful termination and whistle blower claims. Plaintiff demand pretrial was $10 million. After an 8-week jury trial, the jury returned a defense verdict on Plaintiff’s wrongful termination claim and awarded only $760,000 damages on the whistle blower claim which is on appeal. During Phase 2 on punitive damages, the jury awarded zero damages. Lead trial counsel in a jury trial representing a general aviation manufacturer in a wrongful death case in the Miami-Dade Circuit Court, Miami, Florida. The case involved the crash of a Cessna 421C resulting in the death of a husband who was the heir to a restaurant franchise and had been recently married before the crash. Plaintiff sought damages in excess of $20 million. After a 4 plus week jury trial, the jury returned a verdict finding that the engine part at issue was not defective but then awarded nominal damages. Lead trial counsel in a jury trial representing a general aviation manufacturer in wrongful death jury trial in Tulsa County District Court in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The case involved the crash of a Beech Bonanza resulting in the deaths of 3 triplet teenagers and 2 adults. Plaintiffs sought damages more than $25 million. After more than five weeks of trial, the jury returned a defense verdict. Lead trial counsel in a jury trial representing a general aviation manufacturer in an 11 plus week trial in King County Superior Court, Seattle, Washington involving the crash of a Cessna U206F. Five people were on board. Plaintiffs sought more than $120 million. After a 11-plus week trial, the jury returned a verdict vindicating Will’s client of any liability and finding that the pilot ’s negligence was the sole cause of the fatal June 1, 2010 accident.