William Francis Small III

Business Attorney at San Diego, CA

About
Contact
Reviews
Cost
Resume

Solid Representation

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!

About William

Learn William’s areas of practice.

Practice areas

DISPUTES ARE PART OF LIFE. WE RESOLVE THEM SO YOU CAN MOVE ON WITH YOURS.

Will Small is the founding partner of Small Law PC and a civil litigation attorney focusing on employment, business and personal injury disputes. Will worked for one of the largest law firms in San Diego before opening his own law firm. Will's goal is to provide his clients with the one-on-one attention they deserve - while still enjoying the same expertise and experience as a large law firm.

Will's business litigation experience includes cases involving contract disputes, shareholder derivative actions, the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, California's Unfair Competition Law, franchise laws, class actions, trademark, copyright, the Song-Beverly Credit Card Act, products liability, breach of warranty, and other forms of commercial litigation.

In the employment arena, Will has represents plaintiffs and defendants in harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour violations, trade secrets misappropriation, and other claims.

Will additionally handles personal injury, defamation and professional liability litigation. He has prosecuted and defended claims against attorneys, real estate professionals, corporate officers and directors, financial advisors, insurance professionals, and others.

Will served as Chair of the San Diego County Bar Association's Civil Litigation Executive Committee and is active in other legal organizations in the community.

Although he concentrates his practice on litigation, Will also advises clients on employment matters and other legal issues, often with the goal of avoiding legal disputes before they happen.

Will grew up in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After a stint as a journalist, Will graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where he was an Articles & Notes Editor for the First Amendment Law Review.

Licensed for 15 years

State CA

Status Active

Acquired 2007

Updated 11/30/2022

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

Contact William

Small Law PC

(619) 737-0334 Office

(619) 664-4278 Fax

501 West Broadway

Suite 1360

San Diego, CA, 92101

smalllawcorp.com/

Message Get Directions

Reviews

Write A Review

5.0 / 5.0

13 customer reviews

5 Star

100%

4 Star

3 Star

2 Star

1 Star

Posted by Chris | November 2, 2021

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 corporation coming after you.

Posted by Risë | September 30, 2021

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

Read less

Posted by anonymous | September 15, 2021

Knowledgable and Professional

Will called me at 5 PM on a Friday to help me understand a severance agreement and potential wrongful termination case. He was professional, answered my questions quickly, and made me feel at ease during an incredibly stressful situation. Highly recommend his services.

Posted by Johnny | August 4, 2021

Highly recommend Will!

I was unfortunately named in a lawsuit by my previous employer and needed an attorney. Will came highly recommended, and I am extremely happy with the results. It was close to a 2 year process and Will was there every step of the way. He helped me understand what to expect and prepare me for a number of outcomes. This was a difficult time for me and my family but his guidance, availability, and knowledge gave me the confidence that I was in good hands. His handling of my case and expertise was evident as we reached a very favorable outcome that gladly did not have to go to trial. I would absolutely recommend Will and his team.

Read less

Posted by anonymous | July 20, 2021

Highly recommend!

I was referred to Will by my company's law firm. He had timely communication, diligent efforts, and compassion for my situation. Will was always available for calls and able to provide clarity to all my questions. I really respected his honesty during the entire process. Thanks!

Posted by Thomas | January 3, 2021

Excellent Attorney with a great Firm

I was referred to Attorney Will Small by a good friend I worked with years ago. He highly recommended Will for the following reasons: excellent and timely communications, kept negotiations moving, and affected a good settlement for my friend. As a result, I contracted with Will to help me with an employment issue, and he was all that and more. I highly recommend Will to anyone looking for expert counsel around employment law, regardless of the issues at hand.

Read less

Posted by francisco | December 5, 2020

Helpful in a time of need

Fired during the pandemic, Will and I didn't meet each other in person until after the resolution of my case. At the beginning everything was done over the phone and email, but even though we were communicating like that he was always available to answer any of my questions, and I can't stress enough the fact that I had a great deal of questions, from the contract to retain Will's services all the way to questions about the settlement contract. He was also extremely helpful in guiding me to the entire process, explaining how things worked and all the possible options we could take and what to expect in case my situation went further into the legal avenues explored. The attention and professionalism that was given to me is something that is greatly appreciated, especially when this happened during a time of great uncertainty, the pandemic. If any family member or friend ever needs a lawyer for something that falls into Will's frame of work, I will always recommend him based on his professionalism, patience and respectful demeanor towards me.

Read less

Posted by anonymous | March 26, 2020

Excellent service

Will has provided me with exemplary employment counseling. His diligence, diverse experience and compassionate approach to this matter have made me and my family very comfortable while dealing with uncertainty. Will is completely focused on offering an educated advice and very balanced recommendations that provide clarity and path forward even in the middle of most challenging times. I would strongly recommend his services.

Read less

Posted by Ruth | March 1, 2018

Lawyer with excellent work ethics

I worked with William Small of Small & Schena LLP. It's a civil case and partly involves employment. Will is very thorough on details, facts and resolutions. He maintained an open line of communication. On the day of our court appearance, he talked to the other party even before the hearing started that resulted in an out-of-court settlement agreement. Case was dismissed and resolved. Will rendered his services not just because it's his job but he has the passion and really wants to help and resolve the case in a way that will not entail exorbitant lawyer's fees.

Read less

Posted by anonymous | February 27, 2018

Highly recommend!

Will is extremely professional and easy to work with. Not only was Will very attentive, but also he gave a very thorough analysis. I was very pleased with the resolution of my issue. I would highly recommend Small & Schena LLP.

Posted by Ben | March 20, 2017

Great Attorney Civil Lawsuit

I hired Will Small on retainer. He was very conscious of my situation of not being able to spend alot of money on this case. Will was very fair and I actually got half of my retainer back. The outcome of my case was a settlement far less than I expected. Will saved me tens of thousands of dollars and kept me from having to go through litigation. Great Job Thanks !

Read less

Posted by Chris | October 25, 2016

Business Dispute Client

I was referred to Small & Schena, LLP through another attorney regarding a business dispute. After interviewing a few different attorney’s I decided to move forward with Small & Schena, LLP because they were able to quickly understand my case after just a relatively brief explanation of the events. I found them to be very knowledgeable about business in general and that made working with them the right fit. I highly recommend this Firm should you ever find yourself in a similar truly undesirable situation.

Read less

Posted by Mike | August 8, 2014

Litigation attorney

Will is extremely knowledgeable, responsive and provides excellent representation. He knows his clients' needs and efficiently gets to the heart if the problems, and gets fair resolutions. Mike P. (Client)

View all reviews

View less reviews

Cost

Resume

AVVO RATING 10.0 (Superb)

Work Experience

Founding Attorney
Small Law PC
2019 - Present

Partner
Small & Schena LLP
2014 - 2018

Senior Counsel
Gordon & Rees LLP
2011 - 2014

Associate Attorney
Walsh McKean Furcolo
2008 - 2011

View all work experience

Education

University of North Carolina School of Law
J.D.
2007

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
B.A.
2003

Legal Cases

Robles v. San Diego County Credit Union
Plaintiff dismissed all claims against my client, which did not pay any money in settlement.

Associations

Association of Business Trial Lawyers (San Diego chapter)
2014 - Present

San Diego County Bar Association
Chair of Civil Litigation Section Executive Committee
2007 - Present

Languages Spoken

English

Honors and Awards

Best of the Bar 2016
San Diego Business Journal
2016

Best of the Bar 2015
San Diego Business Journal
2015

San Diego County Top Attorney, Corporate Litigation
San Diego Daily Transcript
2015

Publications

Association of Business Trial Lawyers San Diego Report
Social Media Lawsuits and the Communications Decency Act
2015

Speaking Engagements

"Potential Income and Other Tax Ramifications of Damage Recoveries"
Taxation of Damages Recovered by Litigation Settlements
2016

Attorney endorsements

Received (2)

Given (4)

Endorse William

Trevor Potts

Litigation Attorney | 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 Leonard

Business Attorney | 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."

Trevor Potts

Criminal defense