Photo of William M. Beasley, Jr.
  • PRACTICE FOCUS
  • EDUCATION+
    • University of Mississippi School of Law
      J.D., magna cum laude, 2009
    • University of Mississippi
      M.A. in History, 2009
    • University of Mississippi
      B.A. in History, magna cum laude, 2004
  • ADMISSIONS+
    • Mississippi
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
    • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Mississippi
  • CLERKSHIP+
William M. Beasley, Jr. Associate
Tupelo
will.beasley@phelps.com
662-690-8131  direct
will.beasley@phelps.com
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Will Beasley’s practice focuses on representing both plaintiffs and defendants in the areas of commercial and appellate litigation. He has represented corporate clients, businesses of all sizes and individuals in an array of breach of contract actions, professional malpractice claims, business tort suits, anticompetition disputes and in various insurance defense cases at both the trial and appellate levels. He has authored numerous successful briefs submitted to Mississippi’s appellate courts and also has experience representing management in a variety of wrongful termination suits, including employment discrimination claims brought under Title VII, Section 1981 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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Will Beasley’s practice focuses on representing both plaintiffs and defendants in the areas of commercial and appellate litigation. He has represented corporate clients, businesses of all sizes and individuals in an array of breach of contract actions, professional malpractice claims, business tort suits, anticompetition disputes and in various insurance defense cases at both the trial and appellate levels. He has authored numerous successful briefs submitted to Mississippi’s appellate courts and also has experience representing management in a variety of wrongful termination suits, including employment discrimination claims brought under Title VII, Section 1981 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Prior to joining Phelps, Mr. Beasley worked as a research consultant for the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies in Arlington, Virginia and aided the development of the Biometrics Task Force for the Department of Defense in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism.

Experience Insights Memberships & Affiliations

Practice Focus

Experience

Reported Cases

  • Begole v. N. Miss. Med. Ctr., Inc., 761 F. App'x 248, 251 (5th Cir. 2019) (upheld trial court’s order compelling arbitration of six separate claims against four separate defendants under narrow arbitration clause).
  • Ne. Mental Health–Mental Retardation Comm'n v. Cleveland, 187 So. 3d 601 (Miss. 2016) (reversed chancellor and voided 99-year lease as a matter of law for binding successor political boards without statutory authority and saving client over $19 million in lease payments).
  • Scruggs v. Bost, 149 So.3d 493 (Miss. 2014) (upheld trial court's grant of summary judgment in favor of insurance agents for allegedly failing to acquire insurance coverage for patent infringement case, which resulted in over $15 million in liability).
  • Ne. Mental Health Mental Retardation Comm'n v. Cleveland, 126 So.3d 1020 (Miss. Ct. App. 2013) (vacating chancellor’s improper final judgment certification and preserving client’s right to appeal).
  • Epperson v. Southbank, 93 So.3d 10 (Miss. 2012) (reversed Court of Appeals on certiorari and upheld client’s ability to restrict certificate of deposit withdrawals).
  • Perkins v. Star Transp., Inc. 75 So.3d 1065 (Miss. Ct. App. 2011) (upheld trial court’s denial of sanctions for not admitting liability until trial).
  • Lawson v. Southern Components, Inc., 410 Fed.Appx. 833 (5th Cir. 2011) (upheld trial court’s dismissal of case alleging race discrimination under Title VII following submission of evidence at trial).
  • Winborne v. Sunshine Health Care, Inc., 402 Fed.Appx. 875 (5th Cir. 2011) (reversed jury verdict and secured judgment as a matter of law for employer in case alleging disability discrimination under Americans with Disabilities Act).
  • Howell v. Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc., 2010 WL 3731116 (N.D. Miss. 2010) (secured summary judgment for employer in case alleging race discrimination under Section 1981).

Other Matters 

  • Secured defense award for Fortune 500 banking client in AAA Arbitration alleging fraud, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and conversion arising from deed of trust.
  • Successful representation of furniture manufacturer in California action alleging violations of Proposition 65.
  • Representation of municipalities in cases alleging various Constitutional rights violations.
  • Secured million dollar settlement for plaintiff in case alleging fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract, professional malpractice and civil conspiracy arising from sale of business.
  • Secured summary judgment for physician group in case alleging antitrust violations and wrongful termination.
  • Representation of numerous private employers in various wrongful termination cases.
  • Representation of surveying firm in case alleging professional malpractice.

Insights

Publications
  • “The Rise, Fall, and Early Reawakening of US Naval Professionalism,” Redefining the Modern Military: The Intersection of Profession and Ethics edited by Nathan K. Finney and Tyrell Mayfield (2018) Co-Author
  • "Closing the Presence Gap," U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, vol. 141, no. 11 (November 2015) Author
  • "Answering Mayday," U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, vol. 140, no. 7 (July 2014) Author

Memberships & Affiliations

Professional

  • The Mississippi Bar
  • Lee County Bar Association
  • Lee County Young Lawyers - President (2009)

Civic

  • First United Methodist Church - Board of Trustees
  • Tupelo Coliseum Commission
  • Traumatic Brain Injury/Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund Advisory Board
  • Link Center Performing Arts Commission
  • U.S. Naval Institute
  • Center for International Maritime Security

Education

  • University of Mississippi School of Law
    J.D., magna cum laude, 2009
  • University of Mississippi
    M.A. in History, 2009
  • University of Mississippi
    B.A. in History, magna cum laude, 2004

Admissions

  • Mississippi
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Mississippi

Reported Cases

  • Begole v. N. Miss. Med. Ctr., Inc., 761 F. App'x 248, 251 (5th Cir. 2019) (upheld trial court’s order compelling arbitration of six separate claims against four separate defendants under narrow arbitration clause).
  • Ne. Mental Health–Mental Retardation Comm'n v. Cleveland, 187 So. 3d 601 (Miss. 2016) (reversed chancellor and voided 99-year lease as a matter of law for binding successor political boards without statutory authority and saving client over $19 million in lease payments).
  • Scruggs v. Bost, 149 So.3d 493 (Miss. 2014) (upheld trial court's grant of summary judgment in favor of insurance agents for allegedly failing to acquire insurance coverage for patent infringement case, which resulted in over $15 million in liability).
  • Ne. Mental Health Mental Retardation Comm'n v. Cleveland, 126 So.3d 1020 (Miss. Ct. App. 2013) (vacating chancellor’s improper final judgment certification and preserving client’s right to appeal).
  • Epperson v. Southbank, 93 So.3d 10 (Miss. 2012) (reversed Court of Appeals on certiorari and upheld client’s ability to restrict certificate of deposit withdrawals).
  • Perkins v. Star Transp., Inc. 75 So.3d 1065 (Miss. Ct. App. 2011) (upheld trial court’s denial of sanctions for not admitting liability until trial).
  • Lawson v. Southern Components, Inc., 410 Fed.Appx. 833 (5th Cir. 2011) (upheld trial court’s dismissal of case alleging race discrimination under Title VII following submission of evidence at trial).
  • Winborne v. Sunshine Health Care, Inc., 402 Fed.Appx. 875 (5th Cir. 2011) (reversed jury verdict and secured judgment as a matter of law for employer in case alleging disability discrimination under Americans with Disabilities Act).
  • Howell v. Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc., 2010 WL 3731116 (N.D. Miss. 2010) (secured summary judgment for employer in case alleging race discrimination under Section 1981).

Other Matters 

  • Secured defense award for Fortune 500 banking client in AAA Arbitration alleging fraud, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and conversion arising from deed of trust.
  • Successful representation of furniture manufacturer in California action alleging violations of Proposition 65.
  • Representation of municipalities in cases alleging various Constitutional rights violations.
  • Secured million dollar settlement for plaintiff in case alleging fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract, professional malpractice and civil conspiracy arising from sale of business.
  • Secured summary judgment for physician group in case alleging antitrust violations and wrongful termination.
  • Representation of numerous private employers in various wrongful termination cases.
  • Representation of surveying firm in case alleging professional malpractice.

  • “The Rise, Fall, and Early Reawakening of US Naval Professionalism,” Redefining the Modern Military: The Intersection of Profession and Ethics edited by Nathan K. Finney and Tyrell Mayfield (2018) Co-Author
  • "Closing the Presence Gap," U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, vol. 141, no. 11 (November 2015) Author
  • "Answering Mayday," U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, vol. 140, no. 7 (July 2014) Author

    • Professional

    • The Mississippi Bar
    • Lee County Bar Association
    • Lee County Young Lawyers - President (2009)

    Civic

    • First United Methodist Church - Board of Trustees
    • Tupelo Coliseum Commission
    • Traumatic Brain Injury/Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund Advisory Board
    • Link Center Performing Arts Commission
    • U.S. Naval Institute
    • Center for International Maritime Security