Contact

130 North Court Ave,
Memphis TN 38103

Tel: 901.524.5182

Fax: 901.524.5024

lwilliams@bpjlaw.com

Download vCard »

Practice Areas

Corporate & Business Law

Education, Charitable & Not-For-Profit Organizations

Healthcare Law

Admitted to Practice

Tennessee, 1989

Virginia, 1985

Bar Admissions

American Bar Association

Virginia Bar Association

Tennessee Bar Association

Memphis Bar Association

Laurel Williams’ practice focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions, securities and general corporate matters. She has extensive experience in representing both buyers and sellers in merger, acquisition and restructuring transactions. In connection with her securities law practice, Ms. Williams has advised public companies in connection with SEC reporting requirements and blue sky laws. She has represented both public and private companies in connection with issuances of debt and equity securities, as well as formation of hedge and other private investment funds, and venture capital investments. Ms. Williams presently represents several investment management firms in connection with SEC and state securities compliance matters. Her practice in that area includes formation of hedge and private equity funds. Ms. Williams has also represented broker-dealers in connection with SEC and NASD compliance matters. She has extensive experience in a variety of general corporate matters, including entity formation, succession planning, buy-sell agreements, joint venture agreements and general corporate matters. Her practice includes bank regulatory matters, such as mergers and acquisitions, issuances of securities, and general regulatory compliance with federal and state bank regulatory authorities. Ms. Williams is a frequent speaker on corporate and securities topics for the National Business Institute. Ms. Williams began her practice at Burch, Porter & Johnson in March 1989 and has been a member since 1992.

Education

Vanderbilt University (J.D., 1985); Staff Member, Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law (1983 – 1984); Phi Delta Phi
Christian Brothers University (B.S., 1982), magna cum laude

Professional Honors and Activities

Recognized in the area of Corporate/M&A in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2023)
Named a Mid-South Super Lawyer in the area of Mergers & Acquisitions (2020)
Named Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” for Mergers and Acqusitions Law in the Memphis area (2019)
Ranked by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in Band 3 in the area of Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions in Tennessee (2017-2020)
Named Best Lawyers® 2016 Corporate Law “Lawyer of the Year” in the Memphis area
Named to the Best Lawyers in America© list in the areas of Corporate Law (2007-2024) and Mergers & Acquisitions Law (2017- 2024)
Recipient, American Jurisprudence Award in Property Law II
Chair, Business Law Section of the Memphis Bar Association
Section Representative to the Memphis Bar Association Board of Directors
Member, Executive Council, Business Law Section, Tennessee Bar Association
Board of Trustees, Christian Brothers University
Board of Directors, Mid-South Minority Business Council, Inc. (1994-present)
Board of Directors, Project Green Fork

Publications and Presentations of Note

Presenter, “LLCs: Beyond the Basics,” National Business Institute (November 2017)
Presenter, “Mastering Mergers and Acquisitions,” National Business Institute (September 2007)
Presenter, “Is an LLC Right For You?,” National Business Institute (September 2006)
Presenter, “Corporate Governance and Internal Controls: What Sarbanes-Oxley Means for Businesses,” National Business Institute (November 2005)
Author, Recent Decision, The International Banking Act of 1978 Limits the States’ Ability to Regulate Foreign Bank Entry, 17 VAND. J. TRANSNAT’L Law 759 (Summer 1984)

Community Involvement

Member, Board of Trustees, Christian Brothers University
Member, Board of Directors, Mid-South Minority Business Council, Inc. (1994- present)
Member, Board of Directors, Project GreenFork