Bill Holley’s clients depend on him when disputes get heated. Throughout his more than 30-year career, Bill has guided his clients to successful litigation outcomes. His creative and comprehensive approach to resolving business disputes builds client confidence and engenders respect and credibility with judges and opponents alike.
His clients and cases span a wide variety of industries and disciplines. Bill is well known for representing financial institutions, real estate companies, and Fortune 500 companies in complex business litigation. He is increasingly called upon to participate in national and international matters raising bet-the-company exposure, where he employs cutting-edge legal strategy across a broad business spectrum. His depth of trial experience in banking, finance, securities, real estate, product liability, class action defense, and appellate advocacy led to his 2015 induction as a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Since his early days as a USAF JAG captain, Bill has tried cases and/or argued appeals in 21 states. He is the trial lawyer clients call when they want to avoid trial or achieve success when trial is unavoidable.
Listed in Chambers USA, Litigation: General Commercial, 2009-2023 Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® “Lawyer of the Year,” Litigation - Banking & Finance, Atlanta, 2016 Commercial Litigation, 2010-2024 Litigation - Banking & Finance, 2011-2024 Litigation-Securities, 2024 Listed in Benchmark Litigation, “Local Litigation Star,” Commercial, Product Liability & Securities, 2021 "Litigation Star", 2024 Listed in Georgia Super Lawyers, 2004-2024 BTI Client Service All-Star, Complex Business Litigation, 2022 Listed in Georgia Trend magazine, “Legal Elite,” Business Litigation, 2006 American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow and Georgia State Committee member Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent Rated Successfully defended two major banks against putative class action claims in excess of $500 million as part of a nationwide checking account overdraft litigation MDL and obtained a complete dismissal after four years of litigation before federal district courts, the 11th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. Claims against both banks ultimately were dismissed. Represented a national bank in successfully vacating $950 million default judgment and obtained award of attorneys’ fees against plaintiff and their counsel. Served as lead counsel for a world-renowned landscape architect in a post-settlement JAMS arbitration between the client and his former business partners, a Chinese architect and a French urban planning professional, all of whom previously operated a very successful multidisciplinary commercial design firm in Shanghai, China. During a multi-day hearing before a London-based arbitrator, the arbitrator entered a substantial award in favor of the client, including broad injunctive relief and a seven-figure monetary judgment. The award was confirmed over objection, and the client prevailed in an appeal to the confirmation order. Served as lead counsel for a major regional bank in an AAA arbitration challenging the bank’s disposition of assets of a deceased account holder. The claimant pursued claims for alleged fraud, breach of contract, conspiracy and breach of fiduciary duty. After a litigated hearing during which fact and expert testimony was offered, the AAA arbitrator ruled in favor of the client on each claim. Defended national subprime lender in a series of class actions and attorney general enforcement action addressing novel loan issue requiring litigation and arguments in federal district court, federal circuit court, Georgie Superior Court and the Georgia Supreme Court. Matters resolved by comprehensive settlement. Favorably settled a hotly contested action involving complex securities derivative products for a national bank. Obtained a complete dismissal of a putative class action filed against a major national bank client related to alleged misrepresentations regarding vendor’s single interest (VSI) insurance for automobile loans. Resolved series of pending West Virginia class actions through an omnibus settlement class and guided client through class settlement approval and terms compliance. Represented national bank in insurance coverage dispute arising out of significant tort claim filed in Florida. Represented medical provider in insurance coverage dispute arising out of a data breach incident. Represented largest Canadian defaulted debt recovery company in cross-border dispute regarding investments in several hundred million dollars of consumer debt portfolios. Matter settled after client prevailed in litigated injunctive relief hearing. In multimillion-dollar case of first impression challenging banking transactions arising out of large-scale cattle auction, client prevailed in federal district court and then again before federal circuit court.
