William R. O'Bryan, Jr.
Office Information
- Practice Group Leader, Commercial Litigation Group
Bill serves as Practice Group Leader for the Commercial Litigation Group. His practice is focused on the resolution of business disputes, commercial litigation, creditor rights, bankruptcy and restructuring matters.
Biography – View PDF Bio
- Associations
- Bar Admissions
- Distinctions
- Education & Honors
- Experience
- In the News
- Papers, Presentations, & Publications
- Recent Blogs
Bar Admissions
- Tennessee, 1977
- U.S. District Courts
- Tennessee: Eastern, Middle, Western
- Colorado: District of Colorado
- U.S. Court of Appeals
- 6th Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Tax Court
Distinctions
- Martindale-Hubbell®
- AV® – Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated, 1998-2017
- Super Lawyers®
- Mid-South Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2006, 2008-2013, 2015-2017
- Best Lawyers in America®
- Commercial Litigation, 2006-2018
- Litigation – Bankruptcy, 2011-2018
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 1993-1994
Education & Honors
- Vanderbilt University Law School, J.D., 1977
- Wabash College, A.B., magna cum laude, 1974
- Phi Beta Kappa
Experience
- Successfully defended $16.8 million avoidance action in Rocin Liquidation Estate v. Comdata Network, Inc. d/b/a Comdata Corporation, Adv. Proc. No. 04-12-1244, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.
- Represented Comdata in appellate litigation resulting in seminal decision on attorney-client and work-product privileges. Boyd v. Comdata Network, Inc., 88 S.W.3d 203 (Tenn. App. 2002).
- Successfully pursued jury trial to $1.5 million verdict piercing corporate veil and imposing judgment debt on sole shareholder.
- Successfully represented automotive dealer against manufacturer concerning manufacturer’s efforts to reduce size of dealer network.
- Successfully represented commodity supplier in enforcing long-term supply contract.
- Successfully represented large fundraising company in litigation involving contract, securities and employment issues.
- Successfully represented large behavioral health provider against MCO.
- Represented lead bank in workout, potential foreclosure and receivership proceedings.
- Successfully represented will beneficiaries against surviving spouse on claim of undue influence. More...
- Served as mediator in business litigation, creditors’ rights and bankruptcy cases.
In the News
- 106 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2017 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- 147 Butler Snow Attorneys Named in Best Lawyers®, 18 Named “Lawyer of the Year”
- 102 Butler Snow Attorneys List in 2015 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- 117 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers®
- Epilogue Class Notes '77
- Two Local Butler Snow Lawyers to Lead Groups
Papers, Presentations, & Publications
- Moderator, “Valuation in Bankruptcy: Theory and Practice – Who? What? When? Why?” Mid-South Commercial Law Institute, 2016.
- Co-Presenter, "Ethics for In-House Counsel, Adapting to a Changing World: A CLE for In-House Counsel (November 2014).
- Presenter, "Recording Time, Billing & Writing Bills Clients Will Pay," Tennessee Bar Association, 2010.
- Presenter, "Business Torts in Tennessee," Duties of Officers and Directors and Deepening Insolvency, Lorman Education Services, 2005.
- Presenter, "Trial Practice," Observations and Tips Regarding Jury Issues, Focus: Commercial Issue Tried to a Jury, Nashville Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, 2005.
- Presenter, "Basic Bankruptcy Litigation in Tennessee," National Business Institute, 1989, 1990, 2001, 2003, 2004.
- Presenter, "Advanced Real Estate Remedies," Law Seminars International, 2003.
Recent Blogs
- How do you litigate with the "lawyerless?"
- Sports Torts and Courts
- What’s Mine is Mine, and What’s Ours is Now Mine
- Tennessee Business Court Awards Big Bucks against Violator of Tennessee Consumer Protection Act
- Demanding that a person “take it or leave it” in negotiations does not impose economic duress
- Tennessee Business Court Requires Arbitration of Franchise Agreement Disputes Notwithstanding Provision for Application of Tennessee Law
- What’s Mine is Mine, and What’s Yours is (Not) Mine . . .
- Joint Tenancy/Survivorship Property Now Severable by Unilateral Acts of Co-Owner
- Tennessee Business Court Provides Further Guidance on Jurisdictional Challenges More...
- Word Games Aside … an agreement to settle is an agreement to settle
- Secured Creditor’s Obligations to Dispose of Collateral in Commercially Reasonable Manner Triggered Only Upon Possession
- Recent Child Pornography Conviction May Not Be Used to Impeach Injured Truck Driver
- The Business Court Tackles Jurisdiction and Forum Non Conveniens Issues
- Tennessee Business Court Decides "Who Goes First" In Discovery In Trade Secrets Case - IP Frontline
- Tennessee Business Court Decides “who goes first” in Discovery in Trade Secrets Case
- Tennessee Business Court Accepts “Bad Faith Defense” to Dissolution of Dysfunctional LLCs
- The Tennessee Business Court Further Defines LLC Law
- The Tennessee Business Court Tackles Privilege Claims
- The Tennessee Business Court Clarifies Fiduciary Duties of LLC Members
- Becoming a Creditor in a Bankruptcy Case Triggers a Duty to Preserve Documents
- The Golf Channel Needs a Mulligan
- Do we lawyers really know it all? What about the "focus group"?
- Fee Shifting in Trade Secrets Cases
- Competitor’s Privilege a Competitive Advantage? Only if there’s not improper means!
- Arbitration is not just for those who have agreed…
- Avoidance Powers of a Federal Court Receiver - Redux
- Avoidance Powers of a Federal Court Receiver a la Bankruptcy Trustee
- ADR: What If There Are No Rules?