Will is a native son of Kentucky – born in Louisville-Jefferson county but raised and hailing from Wax, Grayson county – and started his legal career working as attorney Mike Breen and judge Kerry Morgan’s law clerk at the age of 18 immediately after high school.
He later joined the United States Army, serving in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps as a non-commissioned officer (Staff Sergeant / E-6) for two enlistments; was a paratrooper in the 82d Airborne Division, Joint Special Operations Command, and 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne); and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) where he was awarded the combat action badge.
While in uniform, he was also awarded the North Atlantic Treaty Organization International Security Assistance Force Medal Ribbon (NATO ISAF), the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Army Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Ribbon with bronze star device, the National Defense Service Ribbon, the Army Good Conduct Medal with two knot device, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with double bronze oak leaf cluster, the Joint Service Commendation Medal Ribbon, parachutist badge, Chilean foreign parachutist wings, and the Army Meritorious Unit Citation with double bronze oak leaf cluster.
Attentive to veteran issues, Will is a Department of Veterans Affairs accredited attorney, a Paid Up For Life Member (PUFL) of the American Legion, an American Veterans Life Member (AMVETS), a Disabled American Veterans Life Member (DAV), and a Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Legacy Life Gold Member. While attending Western Kentucky University, Will was inducted as a charter member into the WKU Chapter of SALUTE, the only national honor society recognizing and honoring the service and scholastic achievements of student veterans. To qualify for SALUTE membership, a student must be an active duty military member, guardsmen, reservist, or veteran with a minimum GPA of 3.0 for undergraduates or 3.5 for graduate students.
As part of his Tennessee Bar Exam requirements, Will interned with the Montgomery County, Tennessee Veterans Treatment Court (MCVTC). The MCVTC serves those who willingly sacrificed for our country & find themselves involved in the criminal justice system by providing needed treatment & services under judicial supervision in order to restore the veteran to their honored status within our community. Due to its proximity to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the MCVTC is the busiest in the United States. Will is also a volunteer for Hospice of Southern Kentucky in the Veteran to Veteran program and has proudly served on the Kentucky Bar Association Military and Veterans Law Committee since 2024 when he was appointed by the KBA President.
A three-time graduate of Western Kentucky University, Will holds a B.A. in Political Science and a B.A. & M.A. in English; he received his J.D. from Nashville School of Law. In 2024, Will also graduated from the Keenan Trial Institute, a trial college that prepares and trains plaintiff lawyers nationwide in cutting edge litigation tacticc and techniques.
Will was a member and Vice President of his law school Honor Council, a keynote speaker (Benedictarian) at his law school graduation, and was voted by his graduate program English professors to receive The Outstanding Master of Arts Student Award.
A staunch supporter of students, starting in 2022, Will has volunteered his time acting as advisor and judge of the Logan County High School Law Club where he counsels and coaches the student members in their mock trial competitions.
In 2024, Will partnered with Western Kentucky University’s English Department and Western Kentucky University’s Philantropy and Alumni Engagement Department to create the Barbara Ann Williford Memorial High School Writing Contest to honor his Grandma. The goal for this contest is to reinforce the importance of reading and writing for Kentucky high school children and help ease the financial burden of associated with higher education.
Eager to teach, Will also volunteers his time as an annual instructor for the Society for Lifelong Learning at Western Kentucky University. His classes always have a military emphasis and have included topics such as the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Paratroopers, and Cadence Calling. He also has a rank II Kentucky teaching license issued by the Kentucky Department of Education (EPSB ID No.: 201237927).
Will is a licensed attorney in both Kentucky (Member Id: 99844) and Tennessee (BPR No.: 039888). He is also a member of the American Bar Association (Member Id: 05785789), the Tennessee Bar Association, the Bowling Green – Warren County Bar Association, the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, the Kentucky Justice Association, the Melvin M. Belli Society, and is a Kentucky Bar Foundation Life Fellow.