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William Jordan Steed III
also known as Jay Steed
About William
Biography
I have been providing excellent representation to clients in state and federal courts since moving to Nashville more than 18 years ago. After completing law school at Duke University in 1999, I joined the Office of the Public Defender, where I advocated for clients from General Sessions Courts to the Tennessee Supreme Court, earning numerous verdicts of not guilty. From 2004-2010, I served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender in the Middle District, earning numerous dismissals and verdicts of not guilty in federal court. In 2010, I entered private practice as a partner at Jones Hawkins & Farmer, PLC, where it was my privilege to work with some of the finest lawyers in the country. I began my own law practice in downtown Nashville in 2015, where I continue to fight hard for my clients, in cases ranging from misdemeanors to the most serious felony cases and investigations.
Practice Areas
5
Practice Areas
Criminal Defense
40%
26 years
DUI and DWI
20%
26 years
Federal Crime
20%
22 years
White Collar Crime
15%
26 years
Fees and Rates
Cost
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Tennessee for 25 years
State: Tennessee
Acquired: 2000
No misconduct found
Location
Jay Steed, Attorney at Law
Center615 Main, 615 Main Street, Suite 206, Nashville, TN, 37206
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William Jordan Steed III's Reviews
Showing 1 - 5 of 12 client reviews from Avvo
Posted by anonymous | April 1, 2024 | Hired Attorney
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Horrid
Horrible he is associated with folks that have been hired and abused vulnerable friends. Aggressive and called a friend of mine all sorts of names just before court
Posted by Candyce pope | January 27, 2020 | Hired Attorney
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
The best federal attorney
I meet this man back in 2004 when he was just staring with the federal public defender office... this man listened to my qustions and answered them all... i recommend this attorney to anyone no matter what you may have done or not done.... jay you are the best my friend
Posted by anonymous | February 16, 2019 | Hired Attorney
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
An Exemplary Attorney !!!
His expertise and professionalism greatly impressed me at first contact. I was in the hospital and texted him an overview of my case. He promptly researched and prepared a very successful petition, which resulted in complements from the Judge. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND Jay Steed to anyone without any ...
Posted by anonymous | June 4, 2017 | Hired Attorney
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Incredible At What He Does
Throughout the process, Mr. Steed exuded professionalism and experience specifically with regard to my case. He was thorough yet succinct, confident but not overbearing, and he was kind enough to go through the many options we had to choose from. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Mr. Steed for your ca...
Posted by anonymous | February 22, 2017 | Hired Attorney
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
A lawyer that cares
I had a run in with the law one night when i was in downtown nashville and i was arrested for assault. I was referred to Jay from a family friend. The moment i contacted Jay he made me feel very confident that he could help me. I was not disappointed. Jay was very professional and made a uncomfortabl...
William Jordan Steed III's Lawyer Endorsements
"I endorse this lawyer. He is among the finest lawyers in Nashville."
"I have had the pleasure of working with Mr. Steed on several complex criminal cases and look forward to working with him again. He is well prepared, fully understands legal issues and is sensitive to the difficult issues facing the client. Mr. Steed is cognizant of the collateral consequences stemming from criminal accusations and convictions. He is a zealous advocate and talented litigator. I would turn to Mr. Steed if I were charged with a crime."
"I would endorse this lawyer, without reservation, to even my closest loved-ones. He knows criminal law and zealously advocates for his clients."
"Keen attention to detail with exceptional client service. I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I highly recommend this lawyer. Jay Steed is inarguably one of the best criminal defense attorneys in the entire state. Especially if you're headed to trial, there is no one who will represent you more effectively. I endorse Mr. Steed without equivocation."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer. Qualifications mean everything, and Mr. Steed is highly qualified to defend his clients."
"An attorney that is great at what he does and knows the law. I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"Jay is one of the most zealous and legally brilliant advocates a criminal defendant could hope to have."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"Top-notch attorney. Highly respected in the legal community."
"I endorse this lawyer with no reservation. An extremely talented and well respected attorney in the legal community. Very hardworking and diligent. Consistently achieves superior results. Advice is always practical and on point. I recommend to anyone looking for an attorney who knows the law and truly cares about protecting the rights of clients and achieving the most favorable result possible."
"William is an extremely talented and respected attorney in the legal community with a well earned reputation for being a fierce warrior in the courtroom. I wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone looking for a lawyer who truly cares about protecting the rights of his clients and getting them the most favorable result possible."
"I endorse this lawyer. As is apparent by the advice given in this forum, he is an extremely knowledgable attorney!"
"I endorse this attorney. He is a skilled and well respected attorney in the legal community."
"The people of Nashville have a fine attorney in William Jordan Steed III. I hope to visit Nashville one day and if I should find myself needing a criminal defense attorney, Mr. Steed's office will be my first call."
"I endorse William. Excellent knowledge of criminal law. As a former public defender he has had daily court experience for many years. Experience matters. I would highly recommend you do yourself a favor and schedule a consultation with him first if you are in or near Nashville."
"Mr. Steed is a highly respected member of the legal community in and around Nashville in the area of criminal defense. Supremely educated, well versed, a fighter, and someone who truly cares about his clients. If I personally had a legal issue in Nashville, I would call on Mr. Steed."
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Experience
Honors
2015
Client Distinction Award, Martindale-Hubbell
2004
Trial Practice Institute Certificate of Completion, National Criminal Defense College
1999
Persuasive Litigator, Kentucky DPA Litigation Persuasion Institute
Work Experience
2015 - Present
Attorney at Law, Law Office of Jay Steed
2010 - Present
Partner, Jones Hawkins & Farmer, PLC
2004 - 2010
Assistant Federal Public Defender, Office of the Federal Public Defender Middle District of Tennessee
1999 - 2004
Assistant Public Defender, Office of the Metropolitan Public Defender Nashville
Associations
Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Member
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Member
Nashville Bar Association
Member
Criminal Justice Act Panel Middle District of Tennessee
Member
Tennessee Bar Association
Member
Education
1999
Duke University School of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
1999
Duke University
MA - Masters
1995
University of Chicago
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Speaking Engagements
2017
Criminal Justice Act Panel Orientation Seminar
Ins and Outs of Federal Practice
2016
TN District Public Defenders Annual CLE Conference
Effective Advocacy in Opening and Closing Arguments
2016
Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (TACDL) 43rd Annual Meeting & CLE Seminar (Innovations in Criminal Defense)
Effective Advocacy in Opening and Closing Arguments
2015
Office of the Federal Public Defender (MDTN) CLE
Representation of Cooperating Federal Defendants
2015
2015 CJA Panel Orientation Seminar (MDTN)
Pleas, Proffers and Ethical Concerns
2014
Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (TACDL) DUI Defense Seminar
Suppressing DUI Evidence
2014
Office of the Federal Public Defender (MDTN) CLE
Overview of Federal Money Laundering Statutes and Defenses
2013
Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (TACDL) DUI Defense Seminar
Bad DUI Stops and Suppression
2013
2013 CJA Panel Orientation Seminar (MDTN)
Pleas, Proffers, and Ethical Issues
2012
2012 CJA Panel Orientation Seminar (MDTN)
Pleas, Proffers and Pitfalls
2011
Office of the Federal Public Defender (MDTN) CLE
Ethical Issues in Representation of Cooperators
2011
Office of the Federal Public Defender (MDTN) CLE
Federal Sentencing: Career Offender and Armed Career Criminal Act
2011
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center
Guest Lecturer
2010
Federal Defender CLE
Ethical Issues for Attorneys
2010
CLE Conference, Asheville NC
Winning Approaches to Sentencing
2010
2010 CJA Panel Orientation Seminar
Let's Make a Deal: Pleas and Proffers
2009
National Orientation Seminar for Assistant Federal Defenders
Investigating to Win
2008
Office of the Federal Public Defender (MDTN) CLE
Federal Supervised Release Pointers
2006
Office of the Federal Public Defender (MDTN) CLE
Ethical Issues for Federal Criminal Practitioners
2006
Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel Seminar
Issues in Evidence for Federal Defense Attorneys
2005
Introduction to Federal Practice for Appointed Counsel
Federal Sentencing After the Booker Decision
2003
Vanderbilt Law School Trial Advocacy Class
Trial Advocacy (Guest Speaker)
2003
TACDL Search and Seizure CLE Seminar
Ensuring Proper Search and Seizure
Languages
English
Activity
Legal Answers
Legal Guides
Legal Answers
Q&A
My brother used my credit card by accident? please read my question carefully and response:
14 Aug 2018
Q&A
Can my probation officer violate me for not reporting if she never set a first date and has not returned my many phone calls?
19 Apr 2018
Q&A
How do it find out if a case has been picked up by the feds?
09 Sep 2014