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Lawyer Profile

Image of William T. Cheek III

William T. Cheek III

Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP
  • Recognized Since:
    2011
  • Recognized in:
    Food and Beverage Law
    Nonprofit / Charities Law
  • Law School:
    Vanderbilt University
  • Website:
    http://www.wallerlaw.com
  • Languages:
    English
  • Gender:
    Male
  • Location:
    Nashville City Center, Suite 2700
    511 Union Street
    Nashville, TN 37219
As the only Tennessee attorney named to Best Lawyers for Food and Beverage Law, Will Cheek leads Waller's Alcoholic Beverage Team and provides licensing and regulatory compliance advice to restaurants, hotels, bars, clubs, craft distilleries and breweries. His clients range from small restaurants to large publicly traded corporations. He is nationally known as the go-to source for Tennessee liquor law and authors the Last Call blog, covering Tennessee alcohol, restaurant and hospitality news.  

Will is also a trusted legal adviser to small business owners. He regularly helps entrepreneurs launch new businesses and takes pride in serving as “on-call general counsel” to established entrepreneurs, from rapidly growing start-ups like Nashville-based Gigi’s Cupcakes, the largest cupcake chain in the country, to Kraft CPAs, one of Tennessee’s largest and most respected independent accounting firms.  

Will co-founded the legal clinic at the Belmont University Center for Entrepreneurship and has taught business formation and contracts to aspiring collegiate entrepreneurs. Will is a Founding Angel Partner for the Entrepreneur Center, Nashville’s non-profit incubator for entrepreneurs.  

One of Will’s passions is giving back to the Nashville non-profit community. He has chaired several local nonprofit boards, serves as an advocate for local arts and actively supports the election of progressive candidates to public office.  

Will is married to one of Nashville’s most successful litigators, Kathryn Barnett. Will and Kathryn have two children, Christopher and Ella, and live in an historic home just off Music Row in Nashville. A self-described “foodie,” he enjoys sampling the city’s new and unique restaurants. He is also an avid music fan, having seen hundreds of live shows. These days, he says he’s having fun introducing his young family to his passion for live and recorded music.  

Community Involvement
  • Belcourt Theatre: Past Chairman of the Board, Founding Board Member and Legal Counsel  
  • Center for Non-Profit Management: Past Chairman of the Board and Current Legal Counsel 
  • Children’s House of Nashville: Past Board Member 
  • Community Resource Center: Past President of the Board 
  • Conexion Americas: Legal Counsel 
  • Leadership Music: Legal Counsel 
  • Leadership Nashville: Class of 2007, Opening Retreat 2008 - Present 
  • Metro Nashville Arts Commission: Past Chair and Commissioner 
  • Nashville Originals: Legal Counsel 
  • Nashville Pride: Legal Counsel 
  • Tennessee State Fair Association: Board Member     

Practice Areas
  • Alcoholic Beverage Law 
  • Entrepreneurial and Emerging Business Law Non-Profits and Tax Exempt Entities    

Education
  • Vanderbilt University, J.D., 1991 
  • Columbia University, B.A., 1986     

Bar Admissions
  • Tennessee, 1991    

Awards
  • In Charge List, Nashville Post, 2010-2013 
  • Best of the Bar, Nashville Business Journal, 2005-2011 
  • Top 40 Under 40, 
  • Business Nashville Best Lawyers in America® 2011 and 2012 (only Tennessee lawyer for Food and Beverage Law) 
  • Leadership Nashville, 2007     

Membership
  • National Conference of State Liquor Administrators 
  • Alliance of Alcohol Industry Attorneys and Consultants: Founding Member 
  • Lawyers Association for Women: Frequent Programming Co-Chair and Member 
  • National Association of Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Attorneys 
  • National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals: Legal Counsel 
  • Nashville Bar Association 
  • Tennessee Bar Association American Bar Association: Administrative Law Section 
  • Harry Phillips American Inn of Court: Barrister Member       
Continue Reading
  • Lawyer Bio
  • Client Comments
  • Firm Details
  • News & Media

Lawyer Bio

As the only Tennessee attorney named to Best Lawyers for Food and Beverage Law, Will Cheek leads Waller's Alcoholic Beverage Team and provides licensing and regulatory compliance advice to restaurants, hotels, bars, clubs, craft distilleries and breweries. His clients range from small restaurants to large publicly traded corporations. He is nationally known as the go-to source for Tennessee liquor law and authors the Last Call blog, covering Tennessee alcohol, restaurant and hospitality news.  

Will is also a trusted legal adviser to small business owners. He regularly helps entrepreneurs launch new businesses and takes pride in serving as “on-call general counsel” to established entrepreneurs, from rapidly growing start-ups like Nashville-based Gigi’s Cupcakes, the largest cupcake chain in the country, to Kraft CPAs, one of Tennessee’s largest and most respected independent accounting firms.  

Will co-founded the legal clinic at the Belmont University Center for Entrepreneurship and has taught business formation and contracts to aspiring collegiate entrepreneurs. Will is a Founding Angel Partner for the Entrepreneur Center, Nashville’s non-profit incubator for entrepreneurs.  

One of Will’s passions is giving back to the Nashville non-profit community. He has chaired several local nonprofit boards, serves as an advocate for local arts and actively supports the election of progressive candidates to public office.  

Will is married to one of Nashville’s most successful litigators, Kathryn Barnett. Will and Kathryn have two children, Christopher and Ella, and live in an historic home just off Music Row in Nashville. A self-described “foodie,” he enjoys sampling the city’s new and unique restaurants. He is also an avid music fan, having seen hundreds of live shows. These days, he says he’s having fun introducing his young family to his passion for live and recorded music.  

Community Involvement
  • Belcourt Theatre: Past Chairman of the Board, Founding Board Member and Legal Counsel  
  • Center for Non-Profit Management: Past Chairman of the Board and Current Legal Counsel 
  • Children’s House of Nashville: Past Board Member 
  • Community Resource Center: Past President of the Board 
  • Conexion Americas: Legal Counsel 
  • Leadership Music: Legal Counsel 
  • Leadership Nashville: Class of 2007, Opening Retreat 2008 - Present 
  • Metro Nashville Arts Commission: Past Chair and Commissioner 
  • Nashville Originals: Legal Counsel 
  • Nashville Pride: Legal Counsel 
  • Tennessee State Fair Association: Board Member     

Practice Areas
  • Alcoholic Beverage Law 
  • Entrepreneurial and Emerging Business Law Non-Profits and Tax Exempt Entities    

Education
  • Vanderbilt University, J.D., 1991 
  • Columbia University, B.A., 1986     

Bar Admissions
  • Tennessee, 1991    

Awards
  • In Charge List, Nashville Post, 2010-2013 
  • Best of the Bar, Nashville Business Journal, 2005-2011 
  • Top 40 Under 40, 
  • Business Nashville Best Lawyers in America® 2011 and 2012 (only Tennessee lawyer for Food and Beverage Law) 
  • Leadership Nashville, 2007     

Membership
  • National Conference of State Liquor Administrators 
  • Alliance of Alcohol Industry Attorneys and Consultants: Founding Member 
  • Lawyers Association for Women: Frequent Programming Co-Chair and Member 
  • National Association of Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Attorneys 
  • National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals: Legal Counsel 
  • Nashville Bar Association 
  • Tennessee Bar Association American Bar Association: Administrative Law Section 
  • Harry Phillips American Inn of Court: Barrister Member       
Read more on firm website
  • Education
  • Bar Admissions
  • Affiliations
  • Award List
  • Clerkships
  • Additional Information

Education:

  • Vanderbilt University , J.D., graduated 1991
  • Columbia University, BA, graduated 1986

Bar Admissions:

  • Tennessee, Tennessee Bar Association

Affiliations:

  • Alliance of Alcohol Industry Attorneys and Consultants - Founding Member
  • American Bar Association - Administrative Law Section
  • Harry Phillips Inn of Court - Barrister Member
  • Lawyers Association for Women - Frequent Programming Co-Chair and Member
  • Nashville Bar Association - Member
  • National Association of Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Attorneys - Member
  • National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals - Legal Counsel
  • National Conference of State Liquor Administrators - Member
  • Tennessee Bar Association - Member

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Food and Beverage Law
  • Nonprofit / Charities Law
 

Awards:

  • In Charge List, Nashville Post, 2010-2013
  • Best of the Bar, Nashville Business Journal, 2005-2011
  • Top 40 Under 40, Business Nashville
  • Best Lawyers in America® 2011 and 2012 (only Tennessee lawyer for Food and Beverage Law)
  • Leadership Nashville, 2007

State Clerkships:

  • Tennessee - Supreme Court

Special Focus:

  • COVID-19
 

Lawyer Client Comments

Firm Details

Image for Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP View Firm Profile
Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP
http://www.wallerlaw.com
 
Headquarters
Nashville City Center, Suite 2700
511 Union Street
Nashville, TN 37219
(615) 244.6380
5 Office Locations
in 1 Country

United States

United States

Alabama

Alabama

Birmingham, AL

1901 Sixth Avenue North, Suite 1400

Birmingham, AL 35203

United States

(205) 214.6380

Get Directions

Tennessee

Tennessee

Chattanooga, TN

633 Chestnut Street, Suite 1400

Chattanooga, TN 37450

United States

(423) 682.6300

Get Directions

Memphis, TN

1661 International Drive, Suite 400

Memphis, TN 38120

United States

(901) 288.1700

Get Directions

Texas

Texas

Austin, TX

100 Congress Avenue, Suite 1800

Austin, TX 78701

United States

(512) 685.6400

Get Directions

News & Media

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