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William W. Fagan III

Of Counsel

William "Will" Fagan is a trusted business lawyer who helps owners and executives navigate legal matters with confidence and clarity. He counsels clients across every stage of a company's life cycle, frequently serving as de facto in-house general counsel.

Professional Biography


Drawing on his background as a former in-house general counsel, commercial litigator, and corporate dealmaker, Will Fagan is a seasoned business attorney who helps companies move forward with confidence. He works with business owners, executives, and investors to provide clear and strategic legal guidance across every stage of a company's life cycle – from entity formation and governance to complex transactions such as mergers and acquisitions and key contractual arrangements.

Known for being responsive, business-minded, and easy to work with, Mr. Fagan is more than just a lawyer – he is a long term partner for his clients. He takes pride in understanding his client's business and strategic goals and implementing legal strategies that support their plans. His clients range from startups to established companies in a variety of industries, including energy, manufacturing, insurance, finance, and food and beverage.

Prior to joining Baker Donelson, Mr. Fagan served as general counsel and corporate secretary for the largest privately held risk management and insurance agency in the Southeast. His extensive in-house experience also includes his work as senior corporate counsel and claims counsel for the second-largest mutual medical professional liability insurer in the United States. Mr. Fagan's prior private practice experience included defending matters ranging from securities and shareholder derivative class actions to white collar criminal, real estate finance, and medical malpractice actions.

Mr. Fagan also previously served as a law clerk to Federal Judge Orinda D. Evans of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

  • Provides ongoing counsel to an emerging international wholesale insurance broker corporation, providing strategic and day-to-day legal support across a wide range of business operations. Frequently advises company executives to align legal strategy with company objectives, including advice regarding capital raises, key contract negotiation, employment concerns, and otherwise ensuring efficient risk management.

  • Serves as ongoing outside counsel to the legal department of a Fortune 50 corporation. Responsibilities include advising on commercial contract negotiations, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and M&A activity. Regularly collaborates with in-house counsel and business teams to align legal strategy with company objectives.

  • Co-led the defense of two Firm clients in connection with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigations into record-keeping violations in the municipal advisory industry; both Firm clients received the lowest penalties imposed by the SEC among a total group of 12 municipal advisory firms.

  • Advised companies in the oil field services, solar energy, and mining industries on tax-advantaged private placement securities offerings and mergers and acquisitions.

  • Carried out a secondment assignment in the in-house legal department of a global solar energy operations and maintenance (O&M) provider and client of the Firm. In this role, he focused on negotiating O&M agreements for solar utility power plants and large portfolios of commercial and industrial installations, as well as advising on insurance-related issues, managing incident response processes, and advising on disputes in the pre-litigation stage.

  • Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Atlanta
    • Corporate Connection Series, 2025 Event Partner
  • Atlanta Bar Association
    • Business and Finance Section
      • Vice Chair (2025 – present)
  • State Bar of Georgia
    • Insurance Committee (2018 – present)
    • Advisory Committee on Legislation (2019 – 2023)
  • Georgia State Senate "Cost of Doing Business in Georgia" Study Committee, Member (2019)
  • Association of Corporate Counsel, Georgia Chapter
    • Board of Directors (2016 – 2019)
  • First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta
    • Elder
    • Epiphany Initiative (Member) – a social entrepreneurship incubator

Education

  • Washington & Lee University School of Law, J.D., 2006
  • Duke University, B.A. in Economics and B.A. in History, 2003

Admissions

  • Georgia, 2008
  • Florida, 2007
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
  • Supreme Court of Georgia
  • Georgia Court of Appeals

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