WILLIAM B. SAILER is Senior Vice President & Legal Counsel for Qualcomm Incorporated, where he represents the company in legal matters relating to employment law, business and intellectual property litigation and other ethics and compliance matters. Prior to joining Qualcomm, Mr. Sailer was a partner at Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich, where he represented employers in all areas of employment and labor law, with emphasis on employment law counseling and wrongful termination litigation. Mr. Sailer was recently elected as a Fellow of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers.
Mr. Sailer has served in leadership positions in numerous business and charitable organizations, including as a Director of the Association of Corporate Counsel, President of the San Diego Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, President of the California Employment Law Council, Executive Committee Member of the State Bar of California Labor & Employment Law Section, President of the San Diego Chapter of the Industrial Relations Research Association, Chair of the San Diego County Bar Association Labor & Employment Law Section and General Counsel to the San Diego Convention & Visitor's Bureau. Mr. Sailer also serves as an Advisory Board Member of the American Bar Association Immigration Justice Project. Mr. Sailer was also a founding Master and Executive Committee Member of the J. Clifford Wallace Inn of Court. Mr. Sailer has served as President of the Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Society of San Diego, a Director and Executive Committee Member of the San Diego County Bar Foundation, a Trustee and Executive Committee Member of the Rady Children's Hospital Foundation of San Diego, a Director and Executive Committee Member of Kids Included Together, Inc., a Board member of the Junior Seau Foundation, and has been thrice awarded the Wiley E. Manual Award by the State Bar of California for his pro bono work, as well as thrice receiving the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program's Distinguished Service Award. He was also recognized as the "Corporate Lawyer of the Year" by the San Diego Chapter of the Corporate Counsel Association.
Mr. Sailer has spoken and written widely on employment law issues. He has authored many publications including the treatise California Employment Litigation: Strategies and Tactics for Lexis Law Publishing. He serves on the Editorial Review Board for the Matthew Bender Periodical California Employment Law Bulletin. He is also contributing author and consultant to the CEB treatises, Advising California Employers and Employment Law Compliance for New Business. In addition, Mr. Sailer has served as a guest lecturer for the University of San Diego Law School, UCSD Extension, San Diego State University and the San Diego State University College of Extended Studies.
Mr. Sailer graduated from Swarthmore College with Honors in Economics. He received his J.D., cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School.