Bill Zook graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering. He entered the U.S. Army as a Second Lieutenant, eventually gaining the rank of Captain by the time of his honorable discharge from the Army in 1974. While in the Army, Bill attended Air Defense Artillery School and was assigned as a missile control platoon leader at Nike Hercules Missile Companies in Buffalo, New York and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Bill attended and graduated from helicopter flight school, and was assigned to the Republic of Vietnam. A helicopter platoon leader, Bill's helicopter was shot down in Cambodia, 30 miles behind enemy lines. Eighteen of the twenty-two soldiers on board perished. Although wounded, Bill rounded up the survivors, and escaped and evaded a pursuing enemy company for three days, before being rescued by American forces, still behind enemy lines. For heroism, Bill was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star, the Nation's third highest medal for heroism. He completed his tour in Vietnam with 13 Air Medals and the Bronze Star, and served the remainder of his commitment at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

After serving his country, Bill came to Texas and worked for a year as a field engineer for a construction company building the Sammons Cancer Center at Baylor Medical Center of Dallas. Accepted to the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, Bill completed his studies in 1976 and was licensed by the Texas Supreme Court in 1977.

Bill has spent his entire legal career representing people injured and killed by the negligence of others or unreasonably dangerous products or premises. Bill has tried over 100 jury trials involving negligence, products liability, construction accidents and medical malpractice, with tremendous success. Through trials and settlements, Bill has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for the clients of Ted B. Lyon & Associates.

Through his dedication to the causes of our clients, exceptional organizational skills, legal and procedural knowledge and trial presence, Bill has succeeded against some of the most renowned defense lawyers in the State. Bill has been Board Certified in the Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board for Legal Specialization for the past ten years and is an Advocate in the American Board of Trial Advocates, a National organization of highly experienced and skilled Plaintiffs and defense lawyers in the United States. Bill is also a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, and several local and state bar associations.