Wilhelm Dingler

Overview

Wilhelm Dingler devotes his practice to defending professionals faced with serious lawsuits across the country. Among his clients are accountants, attorneys, real estate and insurance professionals, and architects and engineers, among others. An active trial advocate for more than four decades, Wilhelm has litigated hundreds of high stakes and even potentially career-ending claims in state and federal courts in the Pacific Northwest, the Eastern Seaboard, and Alaska. His exceptional breadth of experience has established Wilhelm as a trusted advisor who delivers both the technical skill and practical wisdom that professionals require when facing their most significant legal challenges.

Having provided legal counsel to thousands of professionals on thorny issues that need veteran analysis and unwinding, Wilhelm continues to offer advice to attorneys, architects, engineers, and CPAs doing business from coast to coast. He brings a highly cultivated and rock-solid understanding of what these professionals face personally, putting himself in his client’s shoes to tackle the problem with the utmost level of care, discretion, diplomacy, and formidable advocacy. Professionals turn to Wilhelm to talk through the issues they face so that together, realistic objectives and cost-efficient and cost-effective solutions can be achieved.

Prior to joining O'Hagan Meyer, Wilhelm was a shareholder at a former West Coast-based insurance defense firm. He also held a senior role at a prominent East Coast insurance defense firm and served as Senior Vice President of West Coast Operations for TPA, C.R. Vince & Associates, Inc. As SVP, Wilhelm led the Seattle office focusing expressly on the resolution of professional liability claims, coverage issues, and risk management for accountants, architects, and engineers. Notably, he spent nearly a decade in-house at Safeco overseeing liability programs for accountants and attorneys.

At the onset of his career, Wilhelm served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Washington, providing counsel to the state's industrial insurance agency. He worked as a prosecutor for the Medical Disciplinary Board and, upon his move to private practice, the state appointed him as Special Assistant Attorney General prosecutor for three years following his departure. His diverse background spanning government service, in-house counsel, and private practice gives Wilhelm a multifaceted perspective on professional liability matters that few attorneys can match.

Experience

• Defended a prominent accounting firm in New Jersey Federal Court in one of the first lawsuits involving credit default swap litigation
• Defended a Texas accounting firm in Federal Court in Virginia concerning an alleged audit fraud
• Defended a prominent PNW accounting firm in a matter involving audits of fraudulent charities
• Defended a PNW law firm in an intricate phishing scam
• Obtained a favorable outcome for a large real estate brokerage related to the use of text messages to generate client leads
• Obtained a favorable outcome for a PNW architect related to design compatibility with local noise ordinances

Honors, Publications, & Speeches

Honors

• Distinguished Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell, 2024
• Best Lawyer, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants, The Best Lawyers in America, 2024-2026

Publications

• Author, “Mediation: A Better Solution Than You May Have Thought,” Pennsylvania CPA Journal, Vol. 92 No.3 pp: 14-15, Fall 2021
• Co-author, “CPA ‘Comfort Letters’ to Lenders and Third Parties May Be Traps for Violating Professional Standards and Creates Litigation Risk for Accountants,” Travelers Insurance Co. Advisory Bulletin, 2018
• Co-author, “Tax Preparation Red Flags: Investigate Red Flags When Preparing Tax Returns for Multiple Related Entities to Prevent Possible Loss Litigation,” Pearl Insurance Risk Management Blog, 2018
• Author, “Comfort Letters – What to Do?” Pearl Insurance Risk Management Blog, 2017
• Author, “Outsmarting the Identity Thief,” Pearl Insurance Risk Management Blog, 2017

Speeches

• Co-presenter, “From Expert to Effective: Preparing Witnesses for Deposition and Trial Testimony,” DRI Professional Liability Seminar, New York, NY, December 2025
• Co-presenter, “Come One, Come All. Inviting Others to the Party – Sharing the Blame,” DRI Professional Liability Symposium, New York, NY, December 2021
• Speaker, “Breakfast Q&A with the IRS,” Greater Philadelphia Society of CPAs Tax Seminar, 2017
• Speaker, “Use of Expert Testimony in Professional Liability,” International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) Professional Liability Roundtable, 2017
• Panelist, “Top 10 Trouble Spots for Accountants and How to Defend Against Them,” Defense Research Institute (DRI) Professional Liability Seminar, 2016
• Speaker, “Dos and Don’ts of Engagement Letters,” Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants, 2016
• Speaker, “The Top Ten Trouble Spots for Accountants,” North American Professional Liability Insurance Agency (NAPLIA), 2016
• Speaker, “Risk Management – Practical Lessons from the Trenches,” Bucks and Montgomery County Chapters of the Pennsylvania Society of Tax & Accounting Professionals, 2016
• Speaker, “Perception vs. Reality of Engagement Letters,” Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants Annual Conference, 2015
• Speaker, “Buying & Selling Accounting Law and Other Non-Medical Professional Practices,” Montgomery County Bar Association, 2014
• Speaker, “Ethical Considerations When Dealing with Distressed Property,” National Business Institute (NBI), 2014
• Speaker, “What’s New for Accountants and Lawyers PLI?” Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS) International Conference, 2014
• Speaker, “Risk Management and Loss Prevention for Accountants,” Kansas City and Kansas Society of CPAs, 2014
• Panelist, “I Think My Bookkeeper Is Stealing from Me,” PICPA Cooperates with the Bar and Other Professionals, 2013
• Speaker, “Accountant’s Professional Liability,” Travelers Insurance Co., 2013
• Speaker, “Accountants Professional Liability – Claims Training and Current Issues Discussion,” GenStar and Markel Corp./AllRisks, 2013
• Speaker, “Forensic Reports: The Federal and State Rules of Evidence – Kovel Letters,” Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs Forensic and Litigation Divorce Conference, 2013
• Speaker, “Handling the Accountant Embezzlement Claim – A Case Study,” Travelers Insurance Co., 2013
• Speaker, “Handling the Accountant Embezzlement Claim – A Case Study,” Institute of CPAs Joint Committee on Cooperation with the Bar and Other Professionals, 2013
• Speaker, “Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Accountants Professional Liability Claims Handling, Litigation and Underwriting,” GenStar (a Berkshire Hathaway Company) and Markel Corp. Midwest Region, 2013

Professional

• Member, Professional Liability Committee, Invited Speaker, Defense Research Institute (DRI), 2006-2025

• Member, International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC), 2007-2024
• Member, Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS), 1983 to Present
• Member, Washington Defense Trial Attorneys (WDTL), 2017 to Present

Community

Wilhelm is an active volunteer with Northwest Harvest, a non-profit organization supporting food banks in Washington state.