About William Michael
William Michael Slaughter is a licensed attorney admitted to practice law in the State of California. He was admitted to the California State Bar in 1982. His license is currently in active status. Mr. Slaughter is the founding partner of Slaughter, Reagan & Cole, LLP, a law firm located at 625 East Santa Clara Street, Suite 101, Ventura, California 93001. He has been practicing law for over 40 years, serving clients throughout Ventura County and Southern California.
Mr. Slaughter earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Political Science from Humboldt State University in 1979. He then attended the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor degree in 1982. During his time at McGeorge, he was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award in Criminal Law and served as a member of the Law Review and Associate Articles Editor for the Pacific Law Journal.
Mr. Slaughter concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial and real estate litigation, complex insurance defense cases—including insurance bad faith, personal injury, habitability, and mold cases—and business disputes. He represents individuals and businesses in matters involving contract disputes, personal injury claims, and real estate transactions. His practice encompasses all stages of litigation, including initial case evaluation, discovery, mediation, settlement negotiations, and trial proceedings in both state and federal courts.
Throughout his career, Mr. Slaughter has handled cases in the Superior Court of California for the County of Ventura, the United States District Court for the Central District of California, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He has also appeared before the California Court of Appeal on multiple occasions. Prior to founding his own firm, he worked as an associate at a mid-size litigation firm in Ventura for several years.
Mr. Slaughter is an active member of the Ventura County Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association, and the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel. He has been recognized with an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating, for over 25 years. He has been named a "Super Lawyer" every year from 2009 through 2017 and was named as one of the "Best Lawyers in America." In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Slaughter serves as a judge pro tem and provides mediation services on a private basis. He is also a life member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, The Top Trial Lawyers in America. Mr. Slaughter is fluent in English and Spanish, allowing him to serve the diverse communities of Ventura County effectively.
