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William D. Massey

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  • Attorney

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901-937-8004

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William D. Massey has been practicing law for over thirty eight years. He is Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a Criminal Trial Specialist and handles cases involving White Collar Crime, Murder, Drugs, and Sex Offenses in the State and Federal Courts. Bill has represented clients in Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Kentucky and his firm’s practice is devoted 100% to Criminal Defense. A believer in teaching advocacy skills to lawyers, he founded The Tennessee Criminal Defense College and served as its senior instructor for 19 years. He has spoken at countless seminars throughout Tennessee, and as far away as New York City, Key West, San Antonio, and Guam. He has been elected as a Fellow of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers and the American Bar Foundation. Recognized yearly by Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers, Bill believes in the adversarial system and brings the heart for the fight to the court room.

Areas Of Practice

  • State and Federal Criminal Defense
  • Appellate Practice
  • Death Penalty Cases
  • Homicides
  • Drug Cases
  • Sex Offenses
  • Assaults
  • Robbery
  • Theft
  • Gun Cases
  • RICO
  • Pornography
  • Arson
  • Extortion

Certified Legal Specialties

  • Board Certified Criminal Trial Advocate, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1996

Bar Admissions

  • Tennessee
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Tennessee, 1982
  • U.S. District Court Western District of Tennessee, 1989
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Arkansas, 1989
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Mississippi, 1992
  • U.S. District Court Middle District of Tennessee, 1998
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1991
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1994

Education

  • Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Memphis, Tennessee
    • J.D. - 1981
  • University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
    • B.A. - 1978

Published Works

  • "Offer the Olive Branch, But Grip the Sword", October and December 2006, February 2007
  • "The Heart of a Fighter", April, 2007
  • "We Will Remember", June, 2007
  • "A Collage from a Believer", August, 2007

Classes/Seminars

  • "Suppression of Evidence After Berrios", National Bar Association, Ben F. Jones Chapter, 2007
  • "The Gentle Wind of Words, Moving Jurors from Abstract to Experiential", National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Key West, FL, 2007
  • "Qualifying and Defending Our Expert Witness", Bench Bar Seminar, Memphis Bar Association, San Destin, FL, 2007
  • "The Team Approach to Death Penalty Defense", Loosening the Death Belt, Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Birmingham, AL, 2007
  • "Opening Statement as Story Telling", Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2006
  • "Themes Theory and Theater from Daringly Dangerous Minds", Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2006
  • "Embracing Confessions: To Hug or To Squeeze", Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2005
  • "Closing Argument: Taking the State's Case to the Dump in High Profile Cases", Betting on Justice V, Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Little Rock, AR, 2004
  • "Friends Don't Let Friends Waive Opening", Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2004
  • "A Diner Menu Approach to Preparing for a Death Penalty Trial: How To Serve Desert with the Main Course and Cook a Little Hash", National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, San Antonio, TX, 2004
  • "Cross My Heart, Hope to Die: The Pain of False Confessions", National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, New York City, NY, 2003
  • Faculty and Senior Instructor, Tennessee Criminal Defense College, 1998 to Present

Honors And Awards

  • Best Lawyers in America
  • Mid-South Super Lawyers
  • Recognized as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers, American Association for Justice
  • Robert W. Ritchie Award for Outstanding Service to the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2004
  • NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund's 22nd Annual Capital Punishment Training Conference, 2003
  • Lionel Barrett, Jr., Award for Outstanding Work of Death Penalty Arena, 2001
  • Special Congressional Recognition, United States House of Representatives for Invaluable and Outstanding Service to Community, 2001
  • Who's Who, Executives and Businesses, Honored Professionals
  • Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America

Professional Associations And Memberships

  • Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, President, 2005 to 2006
  • Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Executive Committee, 2001 to 2007
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Board of Directors, 2002 to 2008
  • Tennessee Bar Association, Parliamentarian, 2003
  • Tennessee Bar Association, Executive Committee, 2003 to 2004
  • Tennessee Bar Association, Executive Committee, 2006 to 2007
  • Memphis Bar Association, Criminal Law Section, President
  • Trial Law Institute, Member
  • Diversity Law Institute, Member
  • Order of Centurions, Barrister