Will E. Messer

Will E. Messer is Of Counsel in Dentons' Lexington office, specialising in Commercial Litigation. He represents businesses and organisations in complex litigation involving corporate law, construction law, employment law, creditors' rights, and appeals, as well as workers' compensation matters including federal black lung litigation.

Will has obtained summary judgment dismissals in federal and state courts across a range of matters, including federal and state civil rights claims, breach of contract and inverse condemnation claims, and claims against the IRS for wrongful levy. He has more than a decade of experience defending coal producers against workers' compensation claims under the federal Black Lung Benefits Act, handling all aspects of claim defence from administrative proceedings through settlement and case management. Before entering private practice, Will served as a law clerk for Judge Eugene E. Siler Jr. of the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and as staff attorney for Chief Judge Thomas L. Clark of Fayette Circuit Court.

Will holds a J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law (2006) and a B.A. in Journalism, magna cum laude, from the University of Kentucky (2003).

He is selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in Commercial Litigation (2025–2026).