William H. Major, III
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Bill Major is a senior partner with Hawkins Parnell Thackston & Young LLP. Bill focuses his practice on issues pertaining to transportation, products liability, professional negligence, civil litigation, insurance issues, financial institution liability, and general liability.
Bill has tried cases in trial courts throughout Georgia as well as in the federal courts and has appeared in the appellate courts of this State on many occasions.
His trial experience includes cases arising out of trucking accidents, product liability, premises criminal assault, professional negligence, malicious prosecution, conversion, trespass, premises liability and chemical exposure claims. He has also participated in numerous mediations and other alternative dispute resolution methods over the years. He has spoken at seminars on a variety of topics to include cross-examination techniques, depositions, effective use of discovery techniques, damages, legal ethics, financial institution liability, trucking company liability, and alternative dispute resolution methods.
Professional affiliations
- Atlanta Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- State Bar of Georgia
- Defense Research Institute
- Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
- ALFA International, Product Liability, Retail, Transportation
- Trucking Industry Defense Association (TIDA)
- Lawyers Club of Atlanta
- Old Warhorse Lawyers Club
- past President
Community involvement
- Northside United Methodist Church (former Chairman of the Board of Trustees)
Honors
- AV Rated, Martindale Hubbell
- Listed, Best Lawyers in America (2009-2012)
- Top 100 Georgia Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Magazine (2009-2011)
- Georgia Super Lawyer, Super Lawyer Magazine (2004-2011)
- Georgia Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Magazine, Corporate Counsel Edition (2010)
- Listed, Georgia's Best Lawyers (2011-2012)
- Georgia Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Magazine, Business Edition (2011)
Presentations
“Ten Things Lawyers Like/Hate about Mediators," Panel Member, Atlanta Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section (January 2012)
“Walking the Walk: Advanced Claim Handling,” Panel Moderator, Arkansas Transportation Seminar (September 2011)
"Tough Topics in Troubling Times," Arkansas Transportation Seminar (August 2009)
"Strategies for Effective Discovery and Depositions," ICLE - Georgia (May 2006)
"Strategies for Effective Discovery and Depositions," ICLE - Georgia (May 2007)
"The Apology after a Catastrophic Accident," Arkansas Transportation Seminar (2007)
"Alternative Dispute Resolution Methods," DRI Damages Seminar (March 1996)
SELECTED DECISIONS
- SunTrust Bank v. Hightower, Court of Appeals of Georgia, 291 Ga. App. 62, 660 S.E.2d 745 (2008)
- GEM Indus. v. SunTrust Bank, United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31042
- Dixie Group, Inc. v. Shaw Indus. Group, Court of Appeals of Georgia, 303 Ga. App. 459, 693 S.E.2d 888 ( 2010)
- Ogle v. Nationwide Ins. Co. of Am., United Stated District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 41487
- Spacemakers of America, Inc. v. SunTrust Bank, Court of Appeals of Georgia, 271 Ga. App 335, 609 S.E.2d (2005)
- Family Partners Worldwide v. SunTrust Bank, Court of Appeals of Georgia, 242 Ga. App. 618, 530 S.E.2d 742 (2000)
- Tishcon Corp. v. Soundview Commun., Inc., United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 97309
- Sallion v. SunTrust Bank, United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, 87 F. Supp. 2d 1323 (N.D. Ga. 2000)
- Kilday v. Kennestone Physicians Ctr., L.P., Court of Appeals of Georgia, 296 Ga. App. 818, 676 S.E.2d 271 (2009)
- Progressive Classic Ins. Co. v. Nationwide Mut. Fire Ins. Co., Court of Appeals of Georgia, 294 Ga. App 787, 670 S.E.2d 497 (2008)
- Mowell v. Marks, Court of Appeals of Georgia, 269 Ga. App. 147, 603 S.E.2d (2004)
- Moresi v. Evans, Court of Appeals of Georgia, 257 Ga. App. 670, 572 S.E.2d 327 (2002)
- J.B. Hunt Transp. v. Brown, Court of Appeals of Georgia, 236 Ga. App. 634, 512 S.E.2d 34 (1999)
- Smith v. Trust Co. Bank, Court of Appeals of Georgia, 215 Ga. App. 413, 450 S.E.2d 866 (1994)
- Morris v. Baxter, Court of Appeals of Georgia, 225 Ga. App. 186, 483 S.E.2d 650 (1997)
- Bernard v. Nationwide Mut. Fire Ins. Co., Court of Appeals of Georgia, 206 Ga. App. 519, 426 S.E.2d 29 (1992)
- Dege v. Nationwide Ins. Co., United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Gainesville Division, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 41487
- Rowland v. Rowland, United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30296
- Swain v. Citizens & S. Bank, Supreme Court of Georgia, 258 Ga. 547, 372 S.E.2d 423 (1988)
- Continental Research Corp. v. Reeves, Court of Appeals of Georgia, 204 Ga. App. 120, 419 S.E.2d 48 (1992)
Practice areas
Education
J.D., cum laude, University of Georgia, 1982
- Member, Georgia Law Review
- Phi Kappa Phi, Beta Gamma Sigma, and Phi Delta Phi
- College of Business Administration, Department of Legal Studies (Teaching Assistant)
B.B.A., magna cum laude, University of Georgia, 1979
Bar admissions
- Georgia
Courts
- Georgia Supreme Court
- Georgia Court of Appeals
- United States District Court (Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia)
- United States Court of Appeals (Eleventh Circuit)
- United States Supreme Court