William Francis Small III

William Francis Small III

5.0
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 18 years

Business Lawyer at San Diego, CA
Practice Areas: Business, Employment & Labor, Personal Injury, Libel & Slander

402 West Broadway, Suite 1270, San Diego, CA

About William

Biography

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

Looking for an attorney? Avvo can help.

search module image

Search our directory

Quickly connect with top attorneys through our legal directory to get help with your legal issue.

chat module image

Avvo's live chat agents can help coordinate a consultation with a local attorney.

Chat with a live agent who can match you with the right attorney for your legal needs.

Chat with

Licenses

Licensed in California for 18 years

State: California

Acquired: 2007

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Small Law PC

402 West Broadway, Suite 1270, San Diego, CA, 92101

Ad

Transform legal challenges into solutions.

Connect now to review your situation.

The Avvo Rating explained

display-bg

The Avvo Rating explained

William Francis Small III's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

16 Client Reviews

5 star (16)
4 star (0)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (0)

Posted by Rajeev | June 28, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Fought for Justice When I Had No Strength Left

Will Small helped me fight for justice during the darkest point of my life. When I first contacted Will, I wasn’t just suffering the loss of my career. I was carrying the weight of profound grief, trauma, and a serious mental health crisis. I had tragically lost the love of my life, was barely fin...ding the strength to keep going, and was fighting to heal to take back my life… when my dream job let me go at the end of my FMLA leave, despite knowing everything I was going through. That act nearly broke me before I told Will my story. Through my pain, I wasn’t able to fully express what I had experienced, and I needed someone who could truly hear me through my suffering. Will Small did exactly that. From the very beginning, he handled my case with compassion, honesty, and clarity. He treated me as a human. He helped me stay focused, ensured I understood the process, and never once did I consider giving up. He fought for me, as my story mattered, and he ensured it did. This fight for justice was brutal, in large part due to my mental disability, and at many times, emotionally exhausting. But Will stayed steady with kindness, and that helped me stay grounded. When you’ve lost so much, you need someone who not only knows the law but knows how to treat people with dignity. That was Will. His guidance helped me push forward when everything felt overwhelming. In the end, we reached a settlement to resolve my case and I believe that acknowledged the harm done to me, but more importantly, I walked away with something deeper. Validation, closure, and a renewed sense of power. It didn’t erase the pain, but it gave me the justice I had been fighting so hard for. If you’re reading this and you’re in a place where you feel the weight of the world pushing hard against you, feel betrayed, or feel like your voice doesn’t matter, I want you to know that you deserve an attorney like Will. Someone who will truly stand with you. I’m forever grateful to Will and everything he and his firm did in helping me reclaim a part of myself. Thank you, Will. Rajeev Brown

Posted by Carmen | July 23, 2024 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

The Best!

I seeked Will's advice on multiple occasions and each time he offered great advice and help to help make a stressful situation less overwhelming and more bearable. I don't know what I would've done if not for Will and his team. Will was on top of each case I threw at him and offered me the best advic...e while walking me through different options to figure out the best way forward. Overall, great experience despite the circumstances.

Posted by Kim | August 7, 2023 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

All the stars!

I couldn’t be happier with the legal services Will provided. True to the name, Small Law, the job I had for Will was very small. Fortunately for me, Will took on the work even though he was in the midst of a trial and very busy. Will gave me excellent advice and I walked away feeling that he’s i...s an ethical and caring attorney. I’ll be returning to Will for my future needs regarding contract reviews and revisions.

Posted by Chris | November 2, 2021 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Solid Representation

Without being too open, I've experienced mediocre lawyers in the past, and I've been cynical since. Will Small broke that view that I had. He was attentive, proactive, incredibly competent, and empathetic to the situation he helped me through. I would highly recommend him for defense against a big co...rporation coming after you.

Posted by Risë | September 30, 2021 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

1st time needing legal advice - I couldn't be happier!

I had never needed professional legal advice until recently when I needed an official and legal separation agreement reviewed for any pitfalls of which I may not have been aware. Will Small was recommended to me as the go-to law firm to address my issue. I couldn't be happier. Mr. Small helped me ...understand the situation in a way that made me comfortable and confident to proceed with it. He was kind, knowledgeable, timely, and accurate. I was happy to make his acquaintance and have no hesitation to use Will Small again should I need to. Thank you Will!

See All Client Reviews

William Francis Small III's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse William
Trevor Shipley Potts headshot
Trevor Potts

Litigation lawyer | Jan 05

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Attorney Small is one of the top civil litigators in San Diego County. He is highly respected in the legal community by both his peers and judges alike. He is an effective communicator and truly cares for his clients. I highly recommend Mr. Small to any one looking for an experienced civil litigator in the State of California."

Michael Jonathan Leonard headshot
Michael Leonard

Business lawyer | Oct 14

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Will is a fantastic business and employment litigation attorney. Will not only works with clients going through the litigation process, but he also advises them on legal issues to avoid litigation entirely. Will is committed, experienced, and extraordinary talented at helping clients achieve their goals. That’s why I refer my clients to Will for their business litigation needs."

View All Endorsements
Trevor Shipley Potts headshot
Trevor Potts

Criminal defense lawyer

Paul Michael Jonna headshot
Paul Jonna

Litigation lawyer

Hailey Elizabeth Lennon headshot
Hailey Lennon

Commercial real estate lawyer

Ramin Hariri headshot
Ramin Hariri

Litigation lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2023

San Diego Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers

2022

San Diego Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers

2017

San Diego Rising Stars, Super Lawyers

2016

Best of the Bar 2016, San Diego Business Journal

2015

Best of the Bar 2015, San Diego Business Journal

2015

San Diego County Top Attorney, Corporate Litigation, San Diego Daily Transcript

Work Experience

2019 - Present

Founding Attorney, Small Law PC

2014 - 2018

Partner, Small & Schena LLP

2011 - 2014

Senior Counsel, Gordon & Rees LLP

2008 - 2011

Associate Attorney, Walsh McKean Furcolo

Associations

2014 - Present

Association of Business Trial Lawyers (San Diego chapter)

2007 - Present

San Diego County Bar Association

Chair of Civil Litigation Section Executive Committee

Sample of Legal Cases

Robles v. San Diego County Credit Union

Plaintiff dismissed all claims against my client, which did not pay any money in settlement.

See More Legal Cases

Education

2007

University of North Carolina School of Law

J.D.

2003

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

B.A.

Speaking Engagements

2016

"Potential Income and Other Tax Ramifications of Damage Recoveries"

Taxation of Damages Recovered by Litigation Settlements

Publications

2015

Association of Business Trial Lawyers San Diego Report Social Media Lawsuits and the Communications Decency Act

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution