Adams and Reese Partner William “Billy” Wright focuses on professional liability, management liability, employment, and general insurance defense. He devotes the remainder of his practice to a wide array of litigation, including contract disputes, business torts, and disputes pertaining to successions, wills, and trusts.
While Billy’s main clients include Louisiana’s largest health care provider, Fortune 500 companies, major commercial insurance companies, and numerous New Orleans-area charter schools, his wide-ranging experience helps him understand the challenges and day-to-day operations of his clients in government, transportation, housing, construction, automotive, hospitality, oil and gas, maritime, education, retail, restaurant, and healthcare.
Within his professional liability practice, Billy represents business professionals in disciplinary, malpractice, and other professional liability matters. Also, he works with business professionals to identify potential risks to develop safeguards to prevent or minimize potential professional liability claims.
Billy has been recognized by his peers and clients as among Louisiana’s Rising Stars in 2023, as well as by Best Lawyers’ Ones to Watch in 2022 and 2023.
Billy has successfully represented clients at each level of Louisiana’s state and federal court system, as well as before administrative bodies such as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), across a broad spectrum of legal issues.
Billy’s educational background in business management and political communication informs his interactions with both commercial clients and governmental entities. While in law school, Billy interned for both the Honorable Kurt D. Engelhardt in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and in the Litigation Department for the New Orleans City Attorney. Billy joined Adams and Reese in 2015 after participating in its Summer Associate Program.
Billy sits on the board of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, which attracts and manages sporting events generating a positive impact on the New Orleans economy. He was recently appointed to serve on the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee, Hospitality and Events Subcommittee, for Super Bowl LIX in 2025.
Education
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
Community Involvement
Active in community service, Billy volunteers with Southeast Louisiana Legal Services and the New Orleans Pro Bono Project, taking cases on a pro bono basis and volunteering at the Civil District Court’s pro se litigant help desk. At the state bar association level, Billy volunteers on the LSBA Young Lawyers Division Mock Trial Committee, which organizes mock trial tournaments for high schools and young, future litigators. Billy also serves as the current President of the New Orleans Area Alumni Association of Pi Kappa Alpha. In 2018, Billy was recognized for his pro bono efforts, receiving the Adams and Reese CA&RE Lawyer of the Year.
Areas of Practice
Acknowledgements
- Louisiana Super Lawyers® Rising Stars (by Thomson Reuters) – Professional Liability, Civil Litigation, Employment Litigation, Business Litigation, Insurance, 2023-2024
- Best Lawyers® Ones To Watch - Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, 2022, 2023, 2024
- Loyola Institute of Politics, Fellow 2017-2018
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
- New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute (NORLI), Class of 2024
- Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, Board of Directors
- New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee, Hospitality and Events Subcommittee
- Federal Bar Association
- Louisiana State Bar Association
- New Orleans Bar Association
Related Knowledge
News
- Obtaining a defense verdict in a medical malpractice case alleging the misdiagnosis of chest pain in a primary care clinic, where the plaintiff sought damages in excess of $10 million.
- Obtaining a defense verdict in a medical malpractice case alleging an orthopedic surgeon should have recommended a more aggressive surgical option to clear a Serratia marcescens infection on a total hip implant.
- Obtaining a defense verdict in a medical malpractice case alleging a nurse removed medical equipment from a patient, threw the equipment in the trash, and subsequently removed it from the trash can, and re-inserted it into the patient, allegedly causing an infection.
- Obtaining summary judgment in a medical malpractice case, where a patient alleged a urologic surgeon performed an unnecessary procedure and failed to obtain his informed consent.
- Obtaining dismissal on exception of prescription in a medical malpractice case alleging improper performance of orthopedic surgery.
- Representing multiple New Orleans apartment complexes in negligent security cases involving violent crimes.
- Representing a parish library board against claims of civil rights violations and employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
- Obtaining dismissal, under Federal Rule 12(b)(6), of race, gender, and age harassment claims under Title VII, the ADEA, and 42 U.S.C. § 1981; race, gender, and age discrimination claims under Title VII, the ADEA, and 42 U.S.C. § 1981 under a “cat’s paw” theory; and age retaliation claim under Title VII, the ADEA, and 42 U.S.C. § 1981.
- Obtaining a summary judgment dismissal of a marine insurer that properly denied coverage for water ingress in a yacht due to lack of maintenance and application of multiple policy exclusions.