team-member

William Wright

Ridgeland, MS

N/A

Law Degree

Awards

Primary Practice Area

Divorce and separation

Language

English

About

William was born in Jackson, Mississippi, educated in the Jackson Public Schools and graduated from Murrah High School. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1968 and a Master of Business Administration in 1970 from the University of Southern Mississippi. William served in the United States Army as a lieutenant with the 1st Infantry Division from 1970 to 1972. He earned his law degree from the University of Mississippi in 1974, and served as business manager of the Mississippi Law Journal.William practices with Heidelberg Patterson Welch Wright LLC in Ridgeland.  William has developed a statewide practice limited to the family law area, which includes divorce, child custody, property division, adoption, marital contracts and international child abduction cases. He also mediates family law cases. His former firm, Wright Gregg & Proctor, has been selected several times as one of the Best Firms for family law in America by U.S. News & World Report.William has been listed in Best Lawyers in America in family law since 2001 and was named Lawyer of the Year in Family Law for 2013, 2017 and 2020. He also has been listed in the Mid-South edition of SuperLawyers in family law since its inception. In 2008, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017, William was named one of the top 50 lawyers in Mississippi in all categories by SuperLawyers. In 2010, The Mississippi Business Journal included him as one of 50 Mississippi lawyers in that publication’s initial Leadership in Law Class. William is rated "AV" by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.William has served on the Taxation Committee of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association. He has been active with the Mississippi Bar and has served on numerous committees. William served two terms as Chairman of the Family Law Section of the Mississippi Bar and served on the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. William served as a Mississippi Bar Commissioner from 2006 to 2009 served from 2010 to 2013 on the Committee on Professional Responsibility. He is Past President of the Capital Area Bar Association and served on its Legal Economics Committee and People's Law School Committee for several years. William received the CABA "Professionalism Award" for 2015.William is a fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the state’s only fellow in the International Academy of Family Lawyers. William is one of only 100 family lawyers in America elected as diplomats in the American College of Family Trial Lawyers. He served for several years on the editorial board of The Matrimonial Strategist where many of William’s articles have been published nationally. William is a frequent speaker on family law topics, and in 2004 was asked by the University of Texas School of Law to be Moderator for the School's Symposium on The Civil Aspects of Internatioinal Child Abduction (Hague Convention).William is a past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Metropolitan Jackson, past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Downtown YMCA, and is a member of the Leadership Jackson Alumni Association. He is a member of the USM Alumni Association, the USM M-Club Alumni Association, and the University of Mississippi Alumni Association. William is a member of the Lamar Order, and has served on the Board of Directors of the USM Foundation. He has served two terms on the Board of Directors of The Shepherd's Staff Counseling Center and formerly served as President and board member of the Neighborhood Christian Center and board member of Covenant Presbyterian Preschool. William has been a member of the Mississippi Museum of Art, Craftsman’s Guild of Mississippi, Madison County Foundation, Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership and Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce.William and his wife, DeAnn, have two daughters; Julia, a marriage and family therapist in Jackson with the Turning Point; and Anna, a pharmacist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.  All are members of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson. 

Practices Areas

Divorce and separation

Family

Language

English

Contact

Heidelberg Patterson Welch Wright LLC368 Highland Colony ParkwayRidgeland, MS, 39157368 Highland Colony ParkwayRidgeland, MS, 39157

Office: N/A

Website: N/A

Reviews

anonymous
October 22, 2016

If you need someone to stand up for you and fight for you, William is the one to hire. After a long time of feeling like there was no justice, William and his crew prepared an incredible case and brought the truth to light. As uneasy as going through litigation is, his staff at the office are great to work with. No one is more calming on the phone than Julie! William is always kind when you call or email him and never seems inconvenienced even though he has dozens of other cases he's working on. He paid full attention to my case and brought an incredible victory. He is a fighter but he's also a true Christian man. He doesn't just talk the talk (like other certain attorneys); he walks the walk. It IS possible to have a great attorney, who is also a good man/husband/father, and a real Christian. Oh Victory in Jesus!

Avery
October 17, 2016

After working with William for two years on my case, I feel like I could write a novel about how great he was and how thankful I am of his services. I will simplify it with this. William made us feel like family, I know he is a busy man, but I always felt as though I was a priority. I felt that he genuinely believed in me and wanted what was best for my daughter as much as I did. Through the lengthy custody trial experience we dealt with a lot of dishonesty, it was a breath of fresh air to work with such a honest, passionate, and ethical person. He achieved the ultimate goal of getting my daughter what she deserved. We could not be happier.

anonymous
October 15, 2015

William Wright saved my life. I cannot say too much about his representation of me in my child custody case. When I hired him, he made it a point to not promise me the moon and the stars. That concerned me at first, but I learned that there are no guarantees in chancery court. Anyway, everything worked out, I am as happy and pleased more than I ever expected. Mr. Wright is tough in court, but he is just a very nice and ethical man our of court. Oh, and by the way, he is the most accessible professional I have ever dealt with. My doctors need to take lesson from him on how you treat patients/clients. I would recommend him to anybody in need of a family law lawyer.

anonymous
March 29, 2014

My impression of lawyers was pretty negative at the time I had to hire a lawyer to handle my divorce and custody case. I had heard that divorce lawyers were arrogant and inaccessible. That impression changed dramatically after I retained William Wright of Wright Law Firm for my case upon the recommendation of my father's corporate attorney. Mr. Wright was great! At our first meeting he asked me to tell me what my goals and expectations were for my case. He then gave me a very honest opinion about what he though would be the result. I was not happy with everything he said, but I knew he was just being honest. Without getting into too much detail about my case, I will just say that I could not have been any happier with what Mr. Wright did for me. He is very nice, professional, honest, accessible--and not the least bit arrogant. He does not screen his calls, and when he was out of the office, I was always able to contact someone else in his firm who could help me. His staff is great, by the way. I have the utmost confidence in Mr. Wright and I recommend him highly.

anonymous
March 23, 2014

William Wright was referred to me by two lawyers and one clergyman to handle a divorce for me after my marriage of many years fell apart. It was an emotional time for my entire family. We had a complex marital estate and issues to resolve with visitation and custody. After about 15 minutes with William during my initial consultation, I realized that he was the lawyer I wanted to retain. I cancelled my other two planned meetings with other lawyers. I appreciated his warmth, honesty and sincerity and the fact that he didn't give me unreasonable expectations about the outcome. At first I thought he was too nice to be a divorce lawyer, but I soon learned that he has a style of his own that obviously works for him and his clients. The one time we went to court, I realizd that his courtroom persona is not the same as his office persona. He was firm, aggressive and handled all of the witnesses with a skill that reflected his vast experience in family law litigation. He was tough--in a very professional way. On cross examination, he was brilliant, especially with the expert a man who left the courtroom with his tail between his legs. Overall, William was focused and prepared. I also noticed that the judge seemed to respect him very much. Also, William showed respect to my spouse's lawyer and never said anything negative about the other lawyer or my spouse. I think that may be rare for lawyers to do in the divorce court world. We ended up settling out of court, and the result was fair just as William said it would be. I believe I had the best representation available for my case, and am very grateful that he was recommended to me by folks I trust. Finally, I want to say that William'staff is outstanding. He has brilliant lawyers working with him and a fabulous support staff. Telephone calls to William and others at Wright Law Firm are not screened, and I never had in trouble getting in contact with my lawyer or his staff. That was very refreshing. Also, William understands business and the tax effects of divorce. That was very comforting, especially in a complex case like ours. Wright Law Firm is not cheap, but I believe one gets what he or she pays for. I did.

anonymous
March 16, 2014

William has helped me on a number of occasions, ranging from real estate work to family matters. He has always been focused, attentive, responsive and well-informed on the issues. William puts the emphasis on efficient, timely and effective solutions. He is excellent at communicating and clarifying complex issues and always gives me clear choices and recommendations. I have worked with a lot of lawyers and none has been more prepared than William. Whether courtroom, closing or negotiations, he always is the most up to date on the law, which is so valuable for the client. The other thing I’ve noticed is that William Wright usually earns the respect of other lawyers in a case. They seem to always appreciate his preparation, knowledge of the law and pursuit of fair conclusion rather than confrontation. This usually results in more speedy resolution. You could probably spend more in legal fees, but you can’t ask for better representation.

anonymous
February 26, 2014

I went through five years of a very tough, complex divorce and in my opinion, there is no one else that could have improved our case. William and his team are the best and their tactics are of the highest standards, showing respect to all but with absolute results. Their financial knowledge coupled with their legal expertise keeps them at the forefront of what they do. You will find no better team!

anonymous
February 25, 2014

William and the rest of his office make you feel so comfortable going through something so uncomfortable. He is extremely professional and very experienced with family law. He helped me get through many difficult days throughout my divorce and has continued to advise me years later. He is a compassionate attorney that always has the best interest of his clients in mind.

anonymous
October 22, 2016

If you need someone to stand up for you and fight for you, William is the one to hire. After a long time of feeling like there was no justice, William and his crew prepared an incredible case and brought the truth to light. As uneasy as going through litigation is, his staff at the office are great to work with. No one is more calming on the phone than Julie! William is always kind when you call or email him and never seems inconvenienced even though he has dozens of other cases he's working on. He paid full attention to my case and brought an incredible victory. He is a fighter but he's also a true Christian man. He doesn't just talk the talk (like other certain attorneys); he walks the walk. It IS possible to have a great attorney, who is also a good man/husband/father, and a real Christian. Oh Victory in Jesus!

Avery
October 17, 2016

After working with William for two years on my case, I feel like I could write a novel about how great he was and how thankful I am of his services. I will simplify it with this. William made us feel like family, I know he is a busy man, but I always felt as though I was a priority. I felt that he genuinely believed in me and wanted what was best for my daughter as much as I did. Through the lengthy custody trial experience we dealt with a lot of dishonesty, it was a breath of fresh air to work with such a honest, passionate, and ethical person. He achieved the ultimate goal of getting my daughter what she deserved. We could not be happier.

anonymous
October 15, 2015

William Wright saved my life. I cannot say too much about his representation of me in my child custody case. When I hired him, he made it a point to not promise me the moon and the stars. That concerned me at first, but I learned that there are no guarantees in chancery court. Anyway, everything worked out, I am as happy and pleased more than I ever expected. Mr. Wright is tough in court, but he is just a very nice and ethical man our of court. Oh, and by the way, he is the most accessible professional I have ever dealt with. My doctors need to take lesson from him on how you treat patients/clients. I would recommend him to anybody in need of a family law lawyer.

anonymous
March 29, 2014

My impression of lawyers was pretty negative at the time I had to hire a lawyer to handle my divorce and custody case. I had heard that divorce lawyers were arrogant and inaccessible. That impression changed dramatically after I retained William Wright of Wright Law Firm for my case upon the recommendation of my father's corporate attorney. Mr. Wright was great! At our first meeting he asked me to tell me what my goals and expectations were for my case. He then gave me a very honest opinion about what he though would be the result. I was not happy with everything he said, but I knew he was just being honest. Without getting into too much detail about my case, I will just say that I could not have been any happier with what Mr. Wright did for me. He is very nice, professional, honest, accessible--and not the least bit arrogant. He does not screen his calls, and when he was out of the office, I was always able to contact someone else in his firm who could help me. His staff is great, by the way. I have the utmost confidence in Mr. Wright and I recommend him highly.

anonymous
March 23, 2014

William Wright was referred to me by two lawyers and one clergyman to handle a divorce for me after my marriage of many years fell apart. It was an emotional time for my entire family. We had a complex marital estate and issues to resolve with visitation and custody. After about 15 minutes with William during my initial consultation, I realized that he was the lawyer I wanted to retain. I cancelled my other two planned meetings with other lawyers. I appreciated his warmth, honesty and sincerity and the fact that he didn't give me unreasonable expectations about the outcome. At first I thought he was too nice to be a divorce lawyer, but I soon learned that he has a style of his own that obviously works for him and his clients. The one time we went to court, I realizd that his courtroom persona is not the same as his office persona. He was firm, aggressive and handled all of the witnesses with a skill that reflected his vast experience in family law litigation. He was tough--in a very professional way. On cross examination, he was brilliant, especially with the expert a man who left the courtroom with his tail between his legs. Overall, William was focused and prepared. I also noticed that the judge seemed to respect him very much. Also, William showed respect to my spouse's lawyer and never said anything negative about the other lawyer or my spouse. I think that may be rare for lawyers to do in the divorce court world. We ended up settling out of court, and the result was fair just as William said it would be. I believe I had the best representation available for my case, and am very grateful that he was recommended to me by folks I trust. Finally, I want to say that William'staff is outstanding. He has brilliant lawyers working with him and a fabulous support staff. Telephone calls to William and others at Wright Law Firm are not screened, and I never had in trouble getting in contact with my lawyer or his staff. That was very refreshing. Also, William understands business and the tax effects of divorce. That was very comforting, especially in a complex case like ours. Wright Law Firm is not cheap, but I believe one gets what he or she pays for. I did.

anonymous
March 16, 2014

William has helped me on a number of occasions, ranging from real estate work to family matters. He has always been focused, attentive, responsive and well-informed on the issues. William puts the emphasis on efficient, timely and effective solutions. He is excellent at communicating and clarifying complex issues and always gives me clear choices and recommendations. I have worked with a lot of lawyers and none has been more prepared than William. Whether courtroom, closing or negotiations, he always is the most up to date on the law, which is so valuable for the client. The other thing I’ve noticed is that William Wright usually earns the respect of other lawyers in a case. They seem to always appreciate his preparation, knowledge of the law and pursuit of fair conclusion rather than confrontation. This usually results in more speedy resolution. You could probably spend more in legal fees, but you can’t ask for better representation.

anonymous
February 26, 2014

I went through five years of a very tough, complex divorce and in my opinion, there is no one else that could have improved our case. William and his team are the best and their tactics are of the highest standards, showing respect to all but with absolute results. Their financial knowledge coupled with their legal expertise keeps them at the forefront of what they do. You will find no better team!

anonymous
February 25, 2014

William and the rest of his office make you feel so comfortable going through something so uncomfortable. He is extremely professional and very experienced with family law. He helped me get through many difficult days throughout my divorce and has continued to advise me years later. He is a compassionate attorney that always has the best interest of his clients in mind.

anonymous
October 22, 2016

If you need someone to stand up for you and fight for you, William is the one to hire. After a long time of feeling like there was no justice, William and his crew prepared an incredible case and brought the truth to light. As uneasy as going through litigation is, his staff at the office are great to work with. No one is more calming on the phone than Julie! William is always kind when you call or email him and never seems inconvenienced even though he has dozens of other cases he's working on. He paid full attention to my case and brought an incredible victory. He is a fighter but he's also a true Christian man. He doesn't just talk the talk (like other certain attorneys); he walks the walk. It IS possible to have a great attorney, who is also a good man/husband/father, and a real Christian. Oh Victory in Jesus!

Avery
October 17, 2016

After working with William for two years on my case, I feel like I could write a novel about how great he was and how thankful I am of his services. I will simplify it with this. William made us feel like family, I know he is a busy man, but I always felt as though I was a priority. I felt that he genuinely believed in me and wanted what was best for my daughter as much as I did. Through the lengthy custody trial experience we dealt with a lot of dishonesty, it was a breath of fresh air to work with such a honest, passionate, and ethical person. He achieved the ultimate goal of getting my daughter what she deserved. We could not be happier.

anonymous
October 15, 2015

William Wright saved my life. I cannot say too much about his representation of me in my child custody case. When I hired him, he made it a point to not promise me the moon and the stars. That concerned me at first, but I learned that there are no guarantees in chancery court. Anyway, everything worked out, I am as happy and pleased more than I ever expected. Mr. Wright is tough in court, but he is just a very nice and ethical man our of court. Oh, and by the way, he is the most accessible professional I have ever dealt with. My doctors need to take lesson from him on how you treat patients/clients. I would recommend him to anybody in need of a family law lawyer.

anonymous
March 29, 2014

My impression of lawyers was pretty negative at the time I had to hire a lawyer to handle my divorce and custody case. I had heard that divorce lawyers were arrogant and inaccessible. That impression changed dramatically after I retained William Wright of Wright Law Firm for my case upon the recommendation of my father's corporate attorney. Mr. Wright was great! At our first meeting he asked me to tell me what my goals and expectations were for my case. He then gave me a very honest opinion about what he though would be the result. I was not happy with everything he said, but I knew he was just being honest. Without getting into too much detail about my case, I will just say that I could not have been any happier with what Mr. Wright did for me. He is very nice, professional, honest, accessible--and not the least bit arrogant. He does not screen his calls, and when he was out of the office, I was always able to contact someone else in his firm who could help me. His staff is great, by the way. I have the utmost confidence in Mr. Wright and I recommend him highly.

anonymous
March 23, 2014

William Wright was referred to me by two lawyers and one clergyman to handle a divorce for me after my marriage of many years fell apart. It was an emotional time for my entire family. We had a complex marital estate and issues to resolve with visitation and custody. After about 15 minutes with William during my initial consultation, I realized that he was the lawyer I wanted to retain. I cancelled my other two planned meetings with other lawyers. I appreciated his warmth, honesty and sincerity and the fact that he didn't give me unreasonable expectations about the outcome. At first I thought he was too nice to be a divorce lawyer, but I soon learned that he has a style of his own that obviously works for him and his clients. The one time we went to court, I realizd that his courtroom persona is not the same as his office persona. He was firm, aggressive and handled all of the witnesses with a skill that reflected his vast experience in family law litigation. He was tough--in a very professional way. On cross examination, he was brilliant, especially with the expert a man who left the courtroom with his tail between his legs. Overall, William was focused and prepared. I also noticed that the judge seemed to respect him very much. Also, William showed respect to my spouse's lawyer and never said anything negative about the other lawyer or my spouse. I think that may be rare for lawyers to do in the divorce court world. We ended up settling out of court, and the result was fair just as William said it would be. I believe I had the best representation available for my case, and am very grateful that he was recommended to me by folks I trust. Finally, I want to say that William'staff is outstanding. He has brilliant lawyers working with him and a fabulous support staff. Telephone calls to William and others at Wright Law Firm are not screened, and I never had in trouble getting in contact with my lawyer or his staff. That was very refreshing. Also, William understands business and the tax effects of divorce. That was very comforting, especially in a complex case like ours. Wright Law Firm is not cheap, but I believe one gets what he or she pays for. I did.

anonymous
March 16, 2014

William has helped me on a number of occasions, ranging from real estate work to family matters. He has always been focused, attentive, responsive and well-informed on the issues. William puts the emphasis on efficient, timely and effective solutions. He is excellent at communicating and clarifying complex issues and always gives me clear choices and recommendations. I have worked with a lot of lawyers and none has been more prepared than William. Whether courtroom, closing or negotiations, he always is the most up to date on the law, which is so valuable for the client. The other thing I’ve noticed is that William Wright usually earns the respect of other lawyers in a case. They seem to always appreciate his preparation, knowledge of the law and pursuit of fair conclusion rather than confrontation. This usually results in more speedy resolution. You could probably spend more in legal fees, but you can’t ask for better representation.

anonymous
February 26, 2014

I went through five years of a very tough, complex divorce and in my opinion, there is no one else that could have improved our case. William and his team are the best and their tactics are of the highest standards, showing respect to all but with absolute results. Their financial knowledge coupled with their legal expertise keeps them at the forefront of what they do. You will find no better team!

anonymous
February 25, 2014

William and the rest of his office make you feel so comfortable going through something so uncomfortable. He is extremely professional and very experienced with family law. He helped me get through many difficult days throughout my divorce and has continued to advise me years later. He is a compassionate attorney that always has the best interest of his clients in mind.