William J. Dreyer

William J. Dreyer has been practicing law for over 40 years. His primary areas of practice are criminal and civil litigation.

Education & Military Service

Mr. Dreyer is a graduate of Bowdoin College (1966) and New York Law School (1969). After graduation from law school, Mr. Dreyer served as a Captain, JAGC, in the United States Army and in 1974 became an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York and served as Chief Assistant from 1976 to 1980.

Legal Honors & Experience

He has been in private practice since 1980. Mr. Dreyer is widely considered by his peers as an authority in the area of federal practice and trials. He is listed in the first and all subsequent editions of The Best Lawyers in America and has received the highest possible peer review rating in legal ability and ethical standards from Martindale-Hubbell.

He is a past winner of the Judge Duane Award issued by the Northern District of New York Federal Bar Association as well as the Lifetime Advocate Award given by the New York State Trial Lawyers Association.

Courts Admitted to Practice

He is admitted to practice before all New York State courts:

• United States District Court for the Northern, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
• District of Vermont;
• District of Connecticut
• United States Court of Military Appeals
• United States Tax Court
• Second Circuit Court of Appeals
• and the United States Supreme Court.

Bar Admissions

• New York, 1969
• U.S. District Court Northern District of New York, 1974
• U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 1974
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1994
• U.S. Tax Court, 1984
• U.S. District Court District of Vermont
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, 1970
• U.S. District Court District of Connecticut

Education

• New York Law School, New York, New York – J.D.
• Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine

Professional Associations and Memberships

• CJA Committee, Member, 2001 – Present
• NDNY Federal Court Bar Association, Past President and Trustee
• NDNY Federal Public Defenders Association, Committee Member
• CJA Advisory, 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, Panel Member, 2007 – Present
• Breyer Committee, 2009 – Present
• New York State Bar Association, Member
• Albany County Bar Association, Member
• Federal Bar Council, Member

Honors and Awards

• The Best Lawyers in America (first and all subsequent editions)
• A.V. Preeminent® rating, Martindale Hubbell
• Super Lawyers, Hudson Valley Top 25 & Upstate New York Top 50, 2007 – 2023

Classes/Seminars

• Criminal Law Update, Albany County Bar Association, Ethics & Civility CLE, 2008

Associations & Memberships

Mr. Dreyer is a member of the Northern District of New York Federal Bar Association (and past President); Albany County Bar Association; New York State Bar Association (Executive Committee, Commercial and Federal Litigation Section); and Federal Bar Council.

He is a charter member of Albany Law School American Inns of Court; and has served on various merit selection panels for the appointment of United States magistrates and bankruptcy judges.

Seminars & Speaking Engagements

Mr. Dreyer is a frequent lecturer at seminars and CLE programs for the New York State Bar Association and other organizations in the area of federal and state civil and criminal practice, and ethics and civility. In 2006, he was invited by the American Bar Association to address the Judiciary of Thailand in Bangkok on Public Corruption and White Collar Prosecutions in the United States.

Year Joined Firm

• 1987

Past Employment Positions

• U.S. JAG Corps, U.S. Army, Captain, 1969 – 1973
• Assistant United States Attorneys Office, Chief Assistant, 1976 – 1980

Areas of Practice

• Civil Litigation
• Criminal Litigation