Devin R. Bates

Devin Bates is an Associate in the Litigation Practice Group. Before joining the firm, he served as a law clerk for Chief U.S. District Judge P.K. Holmes, III. Mr. Bates has experience in business litigation, education law, and appellate advocacy. While in law school, he served as the Managing Editor of the William & Mary Business Law Review and traveled with the William & Mary Moot Court Team, winning first place in a national moot court competition. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Bates taught math at Lakeside High School in Lake Village, Arkansas, where he served as Dean of Students.

Experience

• Write appellate briefs and motions for appeals in state and federal appellate courts.
• Conduct depositions, manage document production, and oversee discovery in cases of varying degrees of size and complexity. Engage in litigation of offensive and defensive discovery motions.
• Challenge administrative actions at the state and federal level by drafting written complaints, navigating various procedural systems, and by assisting in the development of a strategy for pursuing relief.
• Assist in the defense of companies and individuals accused of employment discrimination, and engaged in complex commercial litigation relating to the enforceability of covenants not to compete.
• Served on defense team representing an international energy company after mass tort resulting in injuries and death. Prepared complex briefs related to exclusion of expert witnesses, venue challenges, and critical trial tactics.
• Serve on defense team representing financial and administrative services company in a class action lawsuit alleging state and federal constitutional violations. Prepared complex briefs related to justiciability of the lawsuit, disputes under the Freedom of Information Act, and constitutional issues.
• Assisted in the representation of nonprofit organizations and educational institutions, including advising as to legal compliance, finding swift legal solutions without extensive litigation, and seeking the civil recovery of embezzled funds.

Education

• William & Mary Law School J.D., cum laude (2016)
• University of New Hampshire B.S., Economics, summa cum laude (2009)

Professional Recognition

• The Order of the Barristers (2016)
• 1st Place, Hassell National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition (2015)

Involvement

• Member, Pulaski County Bar Association
• Member, Arkansas Bar Association
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Eighth Circuit Bar Association

News & Articles

Firm News

• Mitchell Williams Announces Bates, Branscum, Dodd and McElroy Join Firm

Articles

• Under the Hood of Liability in the Age of Self-Driving Vehicles
• Sovereign Immunity in Arkansas: Absolute or Only a Bar to Monetary Recovery?
• What is Arkansas' Pre-Judgment Interest Rate? A Vexing Question with No Clear Answer.

Publications