William H. Davis
Bill Davis is a trial and appellate lawyer practicing criminal defense (adult and juvenile) and civil litigation (professional, business, and personal damages and liability). He also handles administrative licensure prosecutions and disputes, including Florida Bar admissions; and he has handled a wide variety of appeals, in every level of appellate court and both State and Federal.
As such, and for over 20 years, Bill has enjoyed the highest possible peer-review rating, in both legal ability and ethical standards, as confidentially determined and published by Martindale-Hubbell and LexisNexis.
He is a Member of The Florida Bar's Board of Governors (2010- ) and is on the Board's Disciplinary Review Committee and its Review Committee on Professional Ethics. Prior to joining the Board of Governors, Bill was a member of The Florida Bar's Civil Rules Committee (2008-10); and he remains a member of the Bar's Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services.
Bill is former President of the Florida Bar Foundation (2005-06) and former Chair of the Foundation's Endowment Trust (2009-11). He has served on The Florida Supreme Court's Commission on Professionalism and also as a Trustee of the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society (Executive Committee) (2006-10).
Locally, Bill has served as President of Tallahassee Bar Association (1986-87) and he chairs its Judicial Poll Committee (2008- ). He has served as Chair of the Bar's Second Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee and as a Member of the Circuit’s Judicial Nominating Commission.
Based in Tallahassee, Florida, Bill graduated with high honors from the Florida State University College of Law, where he was legal writing instructor, Notes & Comments Editor of the Law Review, and Chief Justice of the University-wide Student Supreme Court. While in undergraduate school (University of South Florida, 1974), Bill served as President of Student Government and as Chair of the University System's State Council of Student Body Presidents, graduating with academic honors.
Bill is a member of a variety of professional organizations, including the American Bar Association (White Collar Crime Committee, Juvenile Justice Committee) and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. In support of his civil practice, he also is a member of the ABA's Section on Litigation.
Apart from his professional activities, Bill is certified in SCUBA Lifesaving and Accident Management; he is an active participant in the Gulf Winds Track Club; and he is an avid cook, hiker, fisherman and music buff. He has three young-adult children.
Year Joined Firm
- 2006
Areas of Practice
- 100% Criminal, Civil, and Administrative Litigation and Appeals
Litigation Percentage
- 80% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions
- Florida, 1977
- Supreme Court of the United States of America, 1993
- U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1988
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida, 1977
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 1986
Education
- Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, Florida
- J.D. - 1977
- Honors: High Honors
Representative Cases
- Vagner v. Wainwright, 398 So.2d 448 (Fla. 1981) (Florida Supreme Court 1981)
- Bialek v. Lensen, 421 So.2d 654 (Fla. 1st DCA 1982) (Florida First District Court of Appeal 1982)
- State v. Jenkins, 469 So.2d 733 (Fla.1985) (Florida Supreme Court 1985)
- Gorday v. Faris, 523 So.2d 1215 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988) (Florida First District Court of Appeal 1988)
- W.E.B. v. State, 553 So.2d 323 (Fla. 1st DCA 1989) (Florida First District Court of Appeal 1989)
- In re Grand Jury Investigation of Fla Dept. of HRS, 659 So.2d 347 (Fla. 1st DCA 1995) (Florida First District Court of Appeal 1995)
Honors and Awards
- Avvo Professional Rating 10.0 ("Superb"), 2010 - Present
- Thirty Years of Outstanding Leadership, Tallahassee Bar Association, 2007
- Av Preeminent (Highest Rating) Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review, 1991 - Present
Professional Associations and Memberships
- The Board of Governors of The Florida Bar, 2010 - Present
- American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section Juvenile Justice Committee, 2010 - Present
- The Florida Bar Civil Rules Committee, 2008 - 2010
- American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section White Collar Crime Committee, 2007 - Present
- Florida Bar Foundation Endowment, Board of Trustees, Chair, 2007 - Present
- Florida Bar Standing Committee on Pro Bono, 2007 - Present
- Judicial Poll Committee, Chair, 2007 - Present
- The Florida Bar Foundation, Board of Directors, President, 2005--06, 1997 - 2006
- The Florida Supreme Court Historical Society, Board of Trustees, Exec. Committee 2010--, 2006 - Present
- The Florida Supreme Court Commission On Professionalism, 2004 - Present
- Florida Statewide Planning Committee on Legal Service to the Poor, Chair, 2004
- Judicial Nominating Commission, Second Judicial Circuit, 1986 - 1990
- Florida Bar, Grievance Committee, Chair, 1988 - 1989
- Tallahassee Bar Association, President, 1986--87, 1977 - Present
- William Stafford American Inn of Court, Member Emeritus, Master of The Bench
- Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Past Employment Positions
- Messer, Caparello & Self, Lawyer (0f Counsel), 2003 - 2005
- Wadsworth & Davis, PA, Lawyer (Partner), 1980 - 2003
- Thompson, Wadsworth, Messer, Turner & Rhodes, Lawyer (Associate), 1977 - 1980
- Florida State University College of Law, Legal Writing Instructor, 1976 - 1977
