William D. Riley

William D. Riley is a Director at Paul Frank + Collins whose practice focuses on Captive Insurance. He advises numerous captive insurance companies, including captives affiliated with Fortune 500 companies across a wide range of industries. His work covers legal and regulatory issues involving entity structures, governance, insurance programs, policy drafting, reinsurance, and alternative risk transactions. He also handles insurance coverage matters for captive and traditional insurers, including coverage opinions and litigation involving commercial and personal insurance policies.

William earned a J.D., cum laude, from Vermont Law School in 1992, where he served as Managing Editor of the Vermont Law Review. He received an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan, Ross School of Businessin 1986 and a B.S. from the University of Vermont in 1984. His combined legal and business education supports a practice involving insurance regulation, corporate governance, financial structures, and complex transactions. That background helps him connect legal requirements with the operational and risk-management objectives of insurance organizations.

William advises clients on loss portfolio transfers, contract novations, mergers, redomestications, policy drafting, and other insurance and reinsurance transactions. His captive clients include pure, group, and protected cell captives, and he has developed particular experience with the use of captives to insure terrorism risk. In coverage work, he has handled declaratory judgment actions involving commercial general liability, property, automobile, workers’ compensation, uninsured motorist, homeowners, professional liability, and excess policies. He also participates in legislative initiatives affecting the captive insurance industry.

William D. Riley has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Vermont Captive Insurance Association and completed two full board terms from 2009 through 2015. He is admitted in Vermont and before the US District Court for the District of Vermont and the US Tax Court. His practice combines industry leadership, regulatory knowledge, transaction experience, and coverage litigation, helping captive and traditional insurers structure programs, address governance issues, manage regulatory obligations, and respond to disputes across a wide range of insurance arrangements.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Paul Frank + Collins
• Member, Vermont Bar Association
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Chittenden County Bar Association
• Diplomate, Trial Advocacy Program of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy
• Chair, Vermont Captive Insurance Association (2013 – 2014)
• Member of the Board of Trustees, Lake Champlain Land Trust
• Leadership Champlain Alumni, Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Member, Defense Research Institute
• Youth Hockey Coach, Burlington Amateur Hockey Association
• Member, Leadership Champlain Alumni Association

Licensed State

• Vermont

Education

• Vermont Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD) (Cum Laude)
• University of Michigan, Ross School of Business
  Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• University of Vermont
  Bachelor of Science (BS)

Awards & Badges