Bill Lunsford has devoted his legal career to representing governmental officials in systemic, institutional reform litigation. He leads a team of attorneys and professional staff with a wide range of expertise in litigation pertaining to law enforcement agencies and correctional systems. This team of litigators routinely represent and advise law enforcement personnel and correctional staff, including executive-level officials, agencies, officers, medical and mental health, and probation and parole officials. During his career, Bill has litigated, managed, and/or resolved a multitude of class actions against correctional agencies and vendors across the United States. In addition to this litigation experience, Bill regularly advises clients on compliance and liability issues related to the standards and practices publicized by the American Correctional Association, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, and the National Institute of Corrections.
Overview
Bill Lunsford has devoted his legal career to representing governmental officials in systemic, institutional reform litigation. He leads a team of attorneys and professional staff with a wide range of expertise in litigation pertaining to law enforcement agencies and correctional systems. This team of litigators routinely represent and advise law enforcement personnel and correctional staff, including executive-level officials, agencies, officers, medical and mental health, and probation and parole officials. During his career, Bill has litigated, managed, and/or resolved a multitude of class actions against correctional agencies and vendors across the United States. In addition to this litigation experience, Bill regularly advises clients on compliance and liability issues related to the standards and practices publicized by the American Correctional Association, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, and the National Institute of Corrections.
Practice Areas
About
Bill also serves in the role of Associational Counsel to the Correctional Leaders Association (CLA) (formerly known as the “Association of State Correctional Administrators”). CLA’s membership includes all 50 executive-level appointees overseeing the operations of our nation’s major correctional systems, as well as all prisons under federal jurisdiction and local jails operated by Los Angeles County, the District of Columbia, New York City, and Philadelphia.
Beyond complex institutional reform litigation and class actions, Bill’s litigation background extends to a variety of other complex litigation matters. He was recognized as a leader in Construction Law in The Best Lawyers in America®. He historically has represented commercial developers, owners, general contractors in construction litigation involving commercial retail space, office space, mixed-use developments, and the like.
Experience
- Successfully obtained the dismissal of multiple state officials on immunity grounds in a variety of matters as a result of mandamus appeals, including Barnhart v. Ingalls and Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University et al. v. Dr. Jeanette Jones;
- Oversaw the termination of four (4) statewide consent decrees over a single state prison system;
- Obtained summary judgment over a putative class action filed against a single prison facility regarding the provision of medical care;
- Successfully prevented entry of preliminary injunctive relief claim against state prison system regarding the provision of hepatitis C;
- Represented multiple state agencies in a state-wide class action asserting claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding the housing assignment of certain confined individuals;
- Resolved a statewide class action pertaining to newly-released direct acting antiviral medications within a statewide prison system meeting the approval of both the executive and legislative branches;
- Served as lead trial counsel in a single federal court trial lasting more than ten (10) weeks regarding multiple different § 1983 claims as well as the remedial trial lasting approximately eight (8) weeks; and
- Represented and advised multiple jurisdictions with respect to investigations, threatened and pending claims brought by the United States Department of Justice under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1997 et seq.
Distinctions
- Charter Fellow, Construction Lawyers Society of America
- Founding Member, Alabama State Bar Construction Section
- Best Lawyers in America®
- Construction Law, 2018-2024
- Leadership Huntsville-Madison County, Connect Class I
Bar Admissions
- Alabama, 2000
- Missouri, 2019
- U.S. Court of Appeals
- 11th Circuit
Education
- University of Alabama School of Law, J.D., 2000
- George Peach Taylor Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy (1998, 1999)
- Stancil R. Starnes Trial Excellence Scholarship Recipient
- NACDL National Trial Competition
- ABA National Qualifying Competition Team
- Samford University, B.A., Public Administration, 1997
- Samford Ambassadors, President
- Campus Outreach, Beach Project
Associations
- Alabama State Bar
- Construction Industry Section
- Former Director, Secretary, Vice President
- Leadership Forum, Class III
- Inaugural Mentor Program
- Construction Industry Section
Papers, Presentations & Publications
- Bill regularly speaks to various law enforcement and corrections related associations and groups, including the Correctional Leaders Association, American Correctional Association, National Warden’s Association and other similar groups.
Civic Involvement
- Lincoln Village Ministries, Advisory Board
- Huntsville Symphony Ball, Advisor
- USA Swimming, Certified Official