William L. Thompson
Partner
Education
Wayne State University Law School
Detroit, Michigan
J.D., 2015
Wayne State University School of Business Administration
Detroit, Michigan
B.S., Finance, 2012
Clerkships
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Honorable Sean F. Cox
Bar Admissions
Michigan
Court Admissions
All Michigan state courts
Litigation Attorney
Will is a partner on Varnum’s Litigation Team. His practice is primarily focused on complex commercial, tax, and insolvency litigation as well as white-collar defense. He assists clients with a wide variety of commercial litigation issues, ranging from standard breach of contract claims to complex ERISA fraud claims.
Will also has substantial experience litigating civil and criminal tax issues, specifically, cases that arise under the Michigan Tobacco Products Tax Act (TPTA) or marijuana regulations. Within his first year of practice, Will successfully tried a seven day criminal jury trial involving three felony charges under the TPTA. Ultimately the jury returned a verdict of not guilty on all counts. Since that time, Will has gone on to try many criminal and civil cases and has significant first-chair trial experience.
To balance out his practice, Will also assists in many debtor/creditor rights cases and bankruptcy proceedings. Will has represented numerous Chapter 7 filers and an unsecured creditors committee in a midsize Chapter 11 case. He also routinely files motions and adversary proceedings, representing parties-in-interest in different solvency proceedings.
Prior to his employment at Varnum, Will served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Sean F. Cox of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. This experience gave Will valuable insight into effective litigation techniques. In addition, Will was a member of DTE Energy’s Renewable Energy Projects team as a real estate analyst and served with the United States Marine Corps as a staff sergeant, enduring multiple combat deployments.
Experience
Part of the litigation team that has represented over 200 companies in lawsuits against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan for charging hidden fees in violation of ERISA.
Obtained a not guilty verdict after a week-long jury trial for a three-count felony violation of the Michigan Tobacco Products Tax Act. Has also obtained favorable results in various other TPTA cases.
Litigated a bench trial before the Michigan Tax Tribunal involving issues pertaining to a company’s staffing deductions from its modified gross receipts.
Represented numerous small businesses in breach of contract claims and collection efforts.
Represented and advised individuals who have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and ultimately received a full discharge from the bankruptcy court.
Represented an unsecured creditors committee in a midsize auto industry Chapter 11 bankruptcy where the combined efforts of Varnum’s attorneys preserved the committee’s rights and added over $300,000 in distributions from the debtor’s estate.
Honors and Recognitions
Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation, 2026
Professional Affiliations
Detroit Bar Association, Board of Directors; former Debtor & Creditor Rights Section (Secretary)
Detroit Veterans Bar Association, Vice President
Turnaround Management Association – Detroit
Macomb County Veteran’s Treatment Court, Program Mentor
Military Experience
United States Marine Corps, 2nd Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
Fallujah, Iraq – 2006
Garmsir, Afghanistan – 2008