Founding Member
Bill is a trial lawyer from Blakely, Georgia, who specializes in personal injury, wrongful death, professional malpractice, product liability, commercial and consumer fraud cases. The firm’s predecessor was founded in 1915 by Bill’s grandfather, the late Wm. Lowrey Stone. Past members of the firm include Bill’s father, Lowrey S. Stone, who formerly served as Chief Judge of Superior Courts, Pataula Judicial Circuit.
Bill was born in Dothan, Alabama, on August 19, 1953. He attended the public schools in Early County, Georgia and graduated from Early County High School in 1971. He attended the University of Georgia College of Business Administration and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a major in accounting on graduation in 1975. Bill also attended the Netherlands Institute of Industrial Economics near Amsterdam in The Netherlands in 1973.
Bill received his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1977. He was admitted to practice law in the state of Georgia in 1977 and in the state of Alabama in 1985. He is also member of the bars of the United States District Courts for the Middle and Northern Districts of Georgia, the Middle District of Alabama, and the Central District of Illinois, as well as the United States Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits.
The publishers of the Martindale Hubble Law Directory have awarded Bill its highest rating (AV) for legal ability and integrity.
Bill is a Life Member and past president of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association and is also a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Georgia, the Alabama State Bar, the American Association for Justice, and the Southwest Georgia Trial Lawyers Association.
Bill has served on the Georgia Judicial Nominating Commission that recommends candidates to the Governor for appointment to vacant judgeships in Georgia. He has authored a number of published articles and is a frequent lecturer at legal seminars on the subject of trial practice and tort law.
Bill is a past president of the Blakely Rotary Club, and a member of the First United Methodist Church of Blakely.
Bill has five children, Ryals, also a member of Boone & Stone, Katie, James, John and Andrew.
Bar Admissions
Georgia, 1977
Alabama, 1985
U.S. District Court Middle District of Georgia
U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia
U.S. District Court Middle District of Alabama
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida
Education
University of Georgia School of Law, Athens, Georgia
J.D. – 1977
University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
B.B.A. – 1975
Major: Accounting
Early County High School – 1971
Netherlands Institute of Industrial Economics – 1973
Published Works
An Overview of the Proposed Judicial Article, The Verdict, (GLTA), August, 1981
Civic Rico Can be a Powerful Weapon in the Trial Lawyer’s Arsenal, The Verdict, (GLTA), October, 1988
Emotional Distress – The Impact Rule – Adding Injury to Insult, The Verdict, (GLTA), April/May, 1990
Charing the Jury in a Wrongful Death Case: Have You Given Them a Proper Yardstick to Measure the Full Value of a Human Life?, The Verdict, (GLTA), January/February, 1993
Thoughts on Jury Trials, The Verdict, (GLTA), Fall, 1996
Presenting Your Case: High Tech for High Stakes, The Verdict, (GLTA), Fall, 1997
Honors and Awards
AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell
State Bar of Georgia, General Practice and Trial Section – Traditions of Excellence Award (Plaintiff’s Practice), 2016
Professional Associations and Memberships
Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Life Member and past president
American Association for Justice, Member
State Bar of Georgia, Advertising Regulation Committee
Georgia Judicial Nominating Commission
State Bar of Georgia, Member
Alabama State Bar, Member
Southwest Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Member
Pro Bono Activities
Blakely Rotary Club, past president
First United Methodist Church of Blakely, member
