Will (Otis) Walker
- Raleigh
- t: 919.573.6204
- f: 336.232.9104
- wwalker@brookspierce.com
Overview
Will Walker, known affectionately to some as Otis, represents businesses and organizations in a wide variety of litigation matters in both federal and state court, and before professional licensing boards. He uses his experience as a federal law clerk and court-appointed criminal defense attorney to inform his litigation strategy. He also conducts investigations for businesses, government agencies, and other organizations, including those facing data breach or cybersecurity incidents.
My Practices
Will uses his experience as a law clerk in the U.S. District Court to inform his representation of businesses and individuals facing litigation. As a law clerk, Will had to grapple daily with complex procedural and legal issues, experience he uses to help clients develop effective litigation strategies.
Will assists clients with a variety of white-collar matters. A large part of Will's clerkship was dedicated to handling federal criminal matters, experience he now uses to craft aggressive and effective litigation strategies for the Firm's clients.
Will also serves as a member of the Eastern District of North Carolina’s Criminal Justice Act Panel. In this role, he represents indigent clients facing federal criminal charges or seeking post-conviction relief.
Will assists companies and organizations experiencing cybersecurity incidents with the investigation, response, and notification process, often managing efforts across multiple states. His background in internal investigations and federal criminal defense helps clients perform effective investigations and, should the need arise, mount a strong defense to any subsequent claims. He also helps businesses of all types with assessing regulatory obligations and developing privacy compliance programs to meet them.
Credentials
Clerkships
Law Clerk to the Honorable William L. Osteen, Jr., U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, 2019-2020
Honors & Recognitions
Member, North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society (2021-2023)
Education
University of North Carolina School of Law, J.D., 2019, with high honors; Articles Editor, North Carolina Law Review
Admissions
North Carolina
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Middle and Eastern Districts of North Carolina
Newsroom
News
Speaking Engagements
Publications
Professional & Civic
Professional & Civic Activities
Christ Church Raleigh – Young Adult Commission
Christ Church Raleigh – Outreach Ministry Committee
International Association of Privacy Professionals – Member
Criminal Justice Act Panel Attorney – Eastern District of North Carolina
Lutheran Family Services, Refugee Resettlement – Circle of Welcome
About Me
My favorite virtues: Integrity and service to others.
I became a lawyer because I enjoy the constant intellectual challenge, and I think it is the profession where my skills can best help the most people.
My chief characteristic is that I am an easy person to get along with (or so I am told).
What I appreciate the most in my friends: The ability to be honest and forgive my own faults.
My main fault: According to my wife, I do not say “No” enough. I agree with her.
One surprising thing people don’t know about me is that I once flew the President of Afghanistan in a helicopter.
My occupation if I weren't a lawyer: Pilot
Where I'd most like to live: A sailboat large enough to fit my wife, children, dogs, and a rotating slew of family and friends.
My idea of happiness: Doing important, interesting work that improves the lives of others but still leaves time to enjoy family and friends.
What legal work most excites me: Complex litigation, both civil and criminal, that requires creative legal thinking and where my efforts tangibly benefit my clients.
My greatest ambition: Raise children who care about others, build and maintain a strong marriage, and leave my little part of this world better than I found it.
My favorite prose authors: David McCullough, Ernest Hemingway, C.S. Lewis, Tom Wolfe, Pat Conroy
The natural talent I'd like to be gifted with: Earl Scruggs’s ability to play the banjo. Steve Martin’s ability would also be acceptable, but in that case I’d ask for his comic abilities as well.
My motto: Leadership is just over-glorified service to others.
My favorite characters in fiction: Will McClean, Jean Valjean
My favorite activities away from work: Cooking, reading, hiking, spending time with family and friends, dabbling in the banjo, getting away to the beach whenever I can.