William J. Smith

GOES BY: "Bill" or "B.J."

Attorney Bill Smith represents clients in a wide range of matters involving personal injury, employment law, and civil rights violations (typically involving individuals who have been the victims of excessive force by police or detention officers). Bill has also represented clients in business-related matters, defamation litigation, tax whistleblower proceedings, qui tam claims, landlord-tenant litigation, and foreclosure litigation.

Bill has successfully litigated cases in state and federal trial and appellate courts throughout the state of Georgia. For example, in 2016, Bill successfully represented a homeowner in the Georgia Court of Appeals and obtained a reversal of the trial court's order dismissing the homeowner's claim for wrongful foreclosure and for violation of Georgia's RICO statute. See Mbigi v. Wells Fargo Home Mortg., 336 Ga. App. 316 (2016). The Georgia Real Property Law Institute described that case as one that "everyone will know by one name." Bill has also obtained numerous settlements and judgments for his clients, including several millions of dollars in a wrongful death action that at least a dozen law firms had turned down.

Bill is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Membership is limited to those attorneys who have won million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements.

Bill received his Juris Doctor from Mercer University's Walter F. George School of Law. Bill also received a Master of Business Administration from Mercer University's Stetson School of Business. Bill received his undergraduate degree from Duke University, where he was a member of the football team.

Bill is married to Louise. They are the proud parents of two children, Alana and William Smith. Bill enjoys spending time with his family and playing with the family dog. Bill and Louise attend 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Memberships

• American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, Labor and Employment Law Committee
• Atlanta Bar Association
• National Employment Lawyers Association (Georgia Chapter)
• Georgia Trial Lawyers Association
• Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Lifetime Member

Education

• J.D., Walter F. George School of Law, Mercer University
  • ABA Award for Excellence in Labor & Employment Law
  • Robert F. Wagner National Labor & Employment Law Moot Court Competition (participant and coach)
• M.B.A. (magna cum laude), Stetson School of Business, Mercer University
• B.A., History and Religion, Duke University

Admitted

• All Magistrate, State, and Superior courts in the State of Georgia
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
• United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia
• Court of Appeals of Georgia
• Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals