Bill Whitfield

Bill Whitfield is a shareholder and civil litigation lawyer based in Gulfport, Mississippi. His practice covers transportation and trucking disputes, professional liability, medical malpractice, insurance coverage and bad faith matters, labor and employment claims, healthcare litigation, civil rights cases, ERISA disputes, construction claims, and mass tort litigation. He represents insurers, healthcare providers, businesses, professionals, and public entities in complex disputes requiring careful case analysis and strong courtroom preparation.

Bill earned a B.A. from the University of Mobile, where he received the Division Award in History in 1977, followed by a J.D. from Mississippi College School of Law. During law school, he served as an associate staff member and executive editor of the Law Review. He also served as a justice and later chief justice of the Honor Council and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Trusts.

Bill began his legal career as a law clerk to United States Magistrate John M. Roper from 1981 to 1983. His later work has included lead counsel roles in insurance coverage, medical malpractice, legal malpractice, premises liability, automobile negligence, civil rights, and public entity disputes. He has handled jury and bench trials, summary judgment proceedings, and appeals before Mississippi courts and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Bill Whitfield has earned an AV rating and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 2007 and Super Lawyers since 2006. He is a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation and previously served as president of the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association. His leadership, published writing, and presentations on insurance, medical liability, evidence, and litigation reflect a long-standing commitment to practical advocacy and the legal profession.

Law Office Affiliations

• Shareholder, Copeland, Cook, Taylor & Bush
• Member, Alabama Bar Association
• Member, The Mississippi Bar
• Member, Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association
• Fellow, Mississippi Bar Foundation (May 2013)
• Member, Bar Association of the Fifth Circuit
• Member, Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel
• Member, American Defense and Trial Attorneys Association

Licensed State

• Mississippi
• Alabama

Education

• Mississippi College School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Mobile
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)