Tel: (208) 336-4440
walter@bithelllaw.com
Business Disputes
Catastrophic Injuries
Crop Damage
Defective Products
Insurance Bad Faith/Fraud
Mediator Of Legal Disputes
Professional Negligence
Wrongful Death
For more than 40 years Walt has been helping clients recover damages as a result of the wrongful acts of others. Walt knows how to navigate the complexities of litigation. He represents clients seeking recoveries for business and commercial damages, personal injury damages, construction damages, crop damages, product liability damages, professional liability damages and general litigation damages.
Walt was a Senior Partner and Lead Litigation Attorney with Holland & Hart for over 30 years before he established Bithell Law PLLC. Walt’s prior experience includes partnerships at Holland & Hart and Langroise, Sullivan & Smylie as well as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Idaho where he served as general counsel for the Idaho State Department of Insurance and the Idaho State Tax Commission. He has published and lectured extensively on trial-related subjects. He is a trained mediator and is on the approved list of mediators for both the Idaho Supreme Court and the Idaho Federal Court. He has participated in numerous mediations.
Mr. Bithell is admitted to practice in the following courts: Idaho Supreme Court (1968), United States District Court, District of Idaho (1968), United States Court of Federal Claims (1991) United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit (1992), and the United States Supreme Court (1995).
Peer Recognition
Walter H. Bithell Professionalism Award. In 2010 the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA ) instituted an annual award called The Walter H. Bithell Professionalism Award. ITLA describes the award in the following words: “The Professionalism Award, named after highly esteemed Idaho plaintiff’s lawyer Walter H. Bithell, of Boise, recognizes commitment to integrity, excellence and professionalism as a lawyer for all clients, colleagues, judges and staff with whom he/she comes in contact with in the representation of Idaho citizens.”
The award is given to an Idaho lawyer at the annual meeting of the ITLA. The inscription on the award reads: “in recognition of outstanding professionalism in the practice of law – for his (her) integrity, fairness, love for the law, and the exemplary courtesy he steadfastly extends to all – clients, colleagues, judges and staff.”
Honors & Awards
Memberships & Affiliations
Publications
President’s Column: Thanks
The Advocate
Author(s): Walter Bithell
President’s Column: Service
The Advocate
Author(s): Walter Bithell
President’s Column: The California Experience: A Valuable Lesson
The Advocate
Author(s): Walter Bithell
President’s Column: Thinking in the Future Tense
The Advocate
Author(s): Walter Bithell
President’s Column: Successful Lawyers Are Not Rude and Unprofessional
The Advocate
Author(s): Walter Bithell
President’s Column: Thinking, A Neglected Art
The Advocate
Author(s): Walter Bithell
Weekly Column Addressing Legal Issues from readers
The Idaho Statesman
Author(s): Walter Bithell
Speaking Engagements
January 2013 Civil Perspective of Idaho Evidentiary Issues Idaho Law Foundation
April 2010 A Delicate Balance: Judges, Juries, Lawyers and Journalists Panelist, Andrus Center for public Policy and the Idaho Press Club, in cooperation with the Idaho State Bar Association and University of Idaho College of Law Seminar
June 2007 Voir Dire ITLA
April 2007 Lawyering Process – Settlement Risk Evaluation University of Idaho
March 2007 Voir Dire Idaho State Bar, Trial Skills Academy
February 2007 Anatomy of a Civil Trial Panelist, ITLA
November 2006 Judges Panel, National Moot Court Region 13 Competition University of Idaho
September 2006 Holland & Hart Trial Advocacy Institute
July 2006 Non-Economic Damages – Real, Substantial, and Provable ITLA
October 2001 Evidence Issues Idaho State Bar
July 2001 Representing Clients in Mediation Moderator, Idaho State Bar Annual Meeting
June 2001 Living With, and Loving the Law ITLA
November 2000, May 2001, and November 2001 Torts Idaho State Bar, Citizens Law Academy
May 2000 Presenting an Effective Closing Argument Idaho Law Foundation
February 2000 Building a Plaintiff’s Practice Young Lawyers Section, Idaho State Bar
July 1999 Expert Witness Reports Federal Practice Program
February 1999 Anatomy of a Civil Trial – Mock Trial Presentation (Plaintiff’s Opening Statement) ITLA
November 1998 – January 1999 Magistrate Judges’ Conference District Judges’ Conference and Civil Law Update Speaker, Idaho Law Foundation
September 1998 Admissions Ceremony Speaker, Idaho State Bar
August 1998 Convocation University of Idaho School of Law, Class of 2001
July 1998 Chicken Soup for the Motion Practitioner Panelist, Federal District Conference, District of Idaho
November 1997 Applied technology in the Courtroom: — Winning Techniques ITLA
April 1997 Judging Panel: Mock Trial Competition Idaho Law Foundation
January 1997 Tort Law Developments District Judges’ Seminar
December 1996 Annual Law Update 1996 – Tort Law Idaho State Bar
November 1996 Cases You didn’t Know About That Will Make You Money: Representing People Who Get Sick/Die from Eating at a Restaurant. ITLA
November 1995 Judging Panel: National Moot Court Regional Competition University of Idaho College of Law
July 1994 Settlement Conferences Panelist, Federal District Conference
July 1994 Evidence Panelist, Idaho Judicial Conference
February 1992 Update ’92: Questions You Need to Know But Haven’t Thought To Ask ITLA
November 1991 Fall Seminar: Ethics in Litigation ITLA
October 1991 Multidistrict & Complex Litigation: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Mechanics of the Use of Computers in The Courtroom Idaho Law Foundation
October 1991 Topics in the History of Medicine Boise State University
September 1991 Idaho Practical Skills Course: Insurance Law Idaho Law Foundation