Bill Taaffe is the Managing Partner of Smith Freed Eberhard, where he leads a team of 35 attorneys in Oregon & Washington, specializing in third-party defense work, including the defense of high-exposure and catastrophic injury claims. In addition to his deep legal expertise, he oversees the strategic and operational direction of the firm, ensuring both exceptional client outcomes and a strong internal culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability.

With many years of litigation experience, Bill is regularly called upon to defend complex claims involving premises liability, fire loss, products liability, liquor liability (Dram Shop), commercial auto, defamation, and general negligence. His practice focuses on large-loss litigation—often in the tens of millions of dollars—where he consistently delivers outstanding results for national and international clients.

Bill also brings a unique global perspective to his work, having spent years working in multiple countries before entering the law practice. His international business experience continues to inform his approach to litigation, allowing him to develop creative, multi-faceted strategies that are both practical and effective.

Recognized for his relentless work ethic and hands-on approach, Bill is known as the attorney who will jump on a plane at a moment’s notice, work around the clock, and do whatever it takes to protect his clients’ interests. He has successfully resolved a wide range of high-stakes cases, including multimillion-dollar wrongful death, products liability, fire loss and liquor liability matters; exceeding client expectations in complex, high-pressure environments.

With a career spanning over 30 years, successfully representing a wide range of clients in complex and high profile cases, Founding Partner Jeff Eberhard is a recognizable and reputable force within the industry.

Jeff’s practice focuses on civil litigation throughout Oregon and Washington with an emphasis on the defense of complex liability claims, most notably, in dram shop/liquor liability. By successfully defending hundreds of cases, Jeff’s expert knowledge of Oregon’s Dram Shop Act, and how to defend against it, is unparalleled.

Kyle Riley manages the firm’s Seattle, Washington, office. He has profound expertise in Washington bad faith law, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury claims. Kyle also has significant experience defending fire losses, trucking companies, banking institutions, and self-insured rental car companies.

Prior to joining Smith Freed Eberhard, Kyle worked with the Oregon Department of Justice where he gained significant litigation experience specializing in the recovery of self-insured losses. He joined Smith Freed Eberhard in 2003.