William L. Fay

William Fay has practiced law in North Carolina since 2005.  Opening the firm as a defense attorney, he built a reputation for aggressively and creatively defending his clients’ rights. Over the years he has represented thousands of clients in State Court on charges ranging from DUI/DWI and traffic violations to larceny, drug charges, and major felonies. As more and more of his practice became representing the needs of non U.S. Citizen clients, he began to focus more of his efforts and resources on the specific areas of law important to this segment of society. This culminated in his recruitment of Rebekah Grafton from the Department of Homeland Security and Fay & Grafton was born.

Now practicing in immigration law conducting consultations, writing appellate briefs, and preparing applications for the firm, Mr. Fay continues to maintain a robust criminal practice in Asheville. He serves as the Co-Chair of the CLE Committee for the Criminal Justice Section of the North Carolina Bar Association and serves on the Education Committee for the North Carolina Advocates for Justice.

Mr. Fay is a staunch defender of the Constitution, and as a result, a staunch defender of an individual’s rights. He prides himself on offering potential clients an honest assessment which, in some cases, may result in a referral for more specialized representation or simply advising an individual on how to best represent themselves. When he takes a case, it’s not just that he feels confident he can give a client his best, but that he can provide some of the best representation available. Even with that, he understands that sometimes the process can be intimidating, emotional, or simply uncertain, and he does his best to make his office and himself accessible.

• North Carolina Bar Association
  • Criminal Justice Section Co Chairman of CLE Committe 2017, 2018
• North Carolina Advocates for Justice (NCAJ)
  • Education Committee
• North Carolina State Bar
• National College for DUI Defense (NCDD)

• Saint Louis University School of Law, St. Louis, Missouri
  • J.D. cum laude – May, 2005
  • Honors: class rank: 6/312

• National Trial Lawyers – Top 100 Trial Lawyers – Criminal Defense
• NAJ Premier 100 Criminal Attorney
• Lead Counsel Rated – Criminal Law – State Felony & Misdemeanor
• Humanitarian of the Year – NAACP
• Law Journal Editor

• Eat a Hammer and Take a Shotgun Blast Standing – North Carolina Bar Association Criminal Section Annual CLE
• (R)evelotutions in Criminal Practice – North Carolina Bar Association Criminal Section Annual CLE
• Over The Legal Limit: Defending a DWI in North Carolina – Law Review CLE
• Round Table Q&A on Defending on DWI in District Court – WCACTL
• Understanding and Attacking Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus – WCACTL