William

P.

Barnette

Will Barnette is a partner in the Atlanta Office of King & Spalding, where he is a member of the firm's business litigation practice and class action defense group.  During his 30-year career, Will has consistently led clients to successful outcomes in their most sensitive and high exposure class action, MDL, and related regulatory matters.  From litigating high-stakes tobacco class actions at the turn of the century, to defending massive data breach litigation in the last decade, and winning several lucrative antitrust settlements more recently, Will has played a key role in much of the leading complex litigation of the era.  In particular, he has deep experience in litigating consumer, products, and antitrust class actions, commercial disputes, and managing internal investigations.  

Prior to rejoining King & Spalding, where he worked earlier in his career, Will served as Associate General Counsel for The Home Depot and was a member of the company's Legal Senior Leadership Team.  As head of The Home Depot's Commercial Litigation Team, he led the successful defense of several hundred class actions, successfully managed multiple high-profile investigations, and favorably resolved significant related regulatory matters, including with the DOJ and EPA.  Will has been described by a Fortune 20 GC as "an exceptionally talented lawyer, strong leader and trusted counsel to senior level executives."

A recognized thought leader in complex litigation, Will argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in the 2019 term--one of the few in-house counsel to have done so.  In addition, he served as Chairman of the Board of Georgians for Lawsuit Reform, which was instrumental in passing Georgia's 2025 tort reform legislation.  Will is an adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law, where he won the Harold C. Warner Outstanding Professor Award in 2025.  He played varsity college basketball at Sewanee.