William D. Bayliss

Bill Bayliss has handled numerous litigation matters from inception through trial and appeal in state and federal courts throughout Virginia. He concentrates on civil litigation, with an emphasis on commercial, professional liability defense, construction, toxic tort, products liability and insurance issues. 
  
Mr. Bayliss has defended fellow lawyers in malpractice claims over the past 20 years. Formerly a member of the Special Committee on Lawyer Malpractice Insurance for the Virginia State Bar, Mr. Bayliss travels extensively, defending professionals throughout Virginia. He represents professionals of all sorts, including lawyers, insurance agents and brokers, health care providers, accountants, realtors, architects and engineers and others, both for insurers and insureds and self-insured professionals. 

Mr. Bayliss's commercial and construction practice is extensive and includes contract disputes, corporate and partnership disputes, securities disputes and other varied problems arising in the commercial and construction areas. He has also been actively involved in disputes arising out of real estate transactions on behalf of developers, owners, lenders and title insurance companies.

Mr. Bayliss is actively involved in national and statewide organizations which emphasize product liability defense work and toxic tort work. He also is a member of the American, Virginia and Richmond bar associations, the Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys and the Defense Research Institute. In addition, he is a member of various sections of the Virginia and American bar associations. 

Mr. Bayliss has been recognized as a leading litigation attorney by Chambers USA (2004-present) and named a Local Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation (2012-present). He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® (2001-present) and Virginia Business magazine’s “Legal Elite” (2008-present). Mr. Bayliss has been named Best Lawyers®  Richmond "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation - Real Estate (2012) and Litigation - Construction (2015, 2020)  Martindale-Hubbell has rated Mr. Bayliss an AV attorney, its highest rating available. In addition, Mr. Bayliss has been listed in Virginia Super Lawyers magazine (2006-present) for General Litigation. Virginia Super Lawyers magazine has also identified him as one of the "Top 100 Lawyers in Virginia" and one of the "Top 50 Lawyers in Richmond" (2012-present).

He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969 from Randolph-Macon College and his law degree in 1973 from the University of Richmond School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review and the McNeill Law Society. He was admitted to practice in 1974 and is qualified to practice in all state courts in Virginia, the U.S. District Courts, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has also tried cases with local counsel involved in other states.