G. William Joyner III
Partner

1001 West Fourth Street, Winston-Salem, NC USA 27101

4208 Six Forks Road Suite 1400, Raleigh, NC USA 27609

Overview

Will Joyner is an experienced deal lawyer who represents clients in their most important business transactions. He focuses his practice on business and corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity. In his M&A practice, he regularly represents public companies, private equity funds, major nonprofit organizations and private middle market businesses across a wide range of industries.

In addition, Will maintains an active practice in the technology and life sciences sectors, and, over the course of his career, has counseled hundreds of startups and investors in connection with business formation, equity structure, investor negotiations, commercial agreements, and exit events.

In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, he led several webinars regarding the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and has advised numerous clients on their PPP loans. Will's other recent speaking engagements have covered topics such as Ten Mistakes Businesses Make when Buying or Selling a Company, Smart Contracts and Blockchain, and How to Protect a Startup.

He is very active in the community and has served in many key leadership positions. Will was recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation, and Venture Capital Law in 2024 and 2025. He was also named "Triad Lawyer of the Year" in the area of Mergers and Acquisitions Law by The Best Lawyers in America® in 2022, 2023 and 2025. Will was listed in the 2024 and the 11 immediately preceding editions of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions. He was recognized as a North Carolina “Super Lawyer” for Business/Corporate Law in 2025 and the nine years immediately preceding by Super Lawyers magazine. Will was selected as a North Carolina "Legal Elite" in 2023, 2024 and 2025 for Corporate Law by Business North Carolina magazine. In addition, he was named one of the Triad area's "Movers & Shakers" for 2010 by Business Leader Magazine and was named one of the Triad Business Journal's "40 Leaders Under 40" in 2007.

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Experience

Represented Teall Capital, a private equity company focused on investments in innovative, high growth potential lifestyle brands and services, in connection with the following portfolio company investments: Riddle & Bloom, Sunshine Beverages, Tailgate Guys, Dyehard Fan Supply, and Complex Sports and Entertainment.

Represented Hanesbrands in connection with the divestiture of its women’s hosiery business and the sale of such business to Windsong Brands.

Represented Numeracle, Inc., in connection with a $6.0 million Series A financing led by Ballast Point Ventures. Numeracle is a telecommunications technology company which was founded to solve the problem of erroneously blocked and labeled critical, wanted, and legitimate business calls.

Represented Sunbelt Rentals, a leading equipment rental company, in connection with its investments in Series C and Series D Preferred Stock of Viridi Parente, an energy storage systems company.

Represented DataMax Corporation, a provider of revenue enhancement and debt collection services, in connection with the sale of its business in two separate transactions.

Regularly represent a leading heavy equipment supplier in connection with dealer/distributor and other commercial matters.

Represented Hanesbrands Inc. in the acquisition of Alternative Apparel, a marketer of “better apparel” basics, in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $60 million.

Represented Castle Worldwide, Inc., a privately-owned full-service licensure and certification testing company based in Morrisville, N.C., in its sale to Scantron Corporation, a global provider of market-leading assessment and technology solutions.

Represented Tiger Capital Group and joint venture entity in acquisition of wholesale bicycle business in a 363 sale in the bankruptcy case of Performance Bicycle filed in the Middle District of North Carolina. Case No. 18-80856 (Bankr. M.D.N.C. 2018).

Represented a Joint Committee of the Boards of Directors of the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce and Winston-Salem Business, Inc., in connection with a combination transaction resulting in Greater Winston Salem Inc., a unified organization focused on promoting economic growth and development in the greater Winston-Salem and Forsyth County area and Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina.

Represented regional auto dealership in connection with several dealership acquisitions.

Represented leading financial services law firm in connection with several acquisitions of other law firms.

Represented the Winston-Salem Dash minor league baseball team in connection with the sale of the team and related assets to Diamond Baseball Holdings.

Represented leading commercial truck warranty company in connection with its sale to a private-equity backed company in the same industry.

Represented Emergys LLC, an IT services and staffing company for business critical software, in its sale to Future Tech Holding Company.

Represented Miracles In Sight, one of the largest eye banks in the U.S., in its acquisition of the eye banking assets and operations of LifePoint, Inc., a provider of organ and tissue donor services to hospitals throughout South Carolina.

Represented MedCost, LLC, an integrated benefits solutions company offering customized programs to help employers lower their health plan costs and provide more affordable benefits for their employees, in its acquisition of Virginia Health Network, a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO).

Represented ISP Sports in its acquisition by IMG Worldwide Holdings to form IMG College, an approximately $500 million business unit, as the leading college sports media rights company in the country.

Represented Bioptigen, Inc., a technology leader in the field of optical coherence tomography (OCT), in its acquisition by Leica Microsystems, Inc., a global leader in microscopy and imaging systems and a subsidiary of Danaher Corporation.

Regularly represents one of the largest U.S. professional associations on a wide range of corporate governance, commercial contract, and transactional matters.

Represented the Whitaker Park Development Authority (WPDA) in connection with agreements with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company for the donation of Reynolds’ Whitaker Park manufacturing facility to WPDA for economic development purposes.

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Insights
Education

Wake Forest University School of Business M.B.A. (1996)

Wake Forest University School of Law J.D. (1996) Order of the Coif, cum laude

Princeton University A.B. (1992)

Admissions

North Carolina (1996)

Professional & Community Activities

Old Salem Museums and Gardens, Board Member (Past Chair)

Creative Corridors Coalition, Board Member

Flywheel Foundation, Former Board Member

Old Town Club, Former Board Member and Club Secretary

Greater Winston-Salem Inc., Former Board Member

Winston-Salem Tech Council, Past Chair

Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership, Former Board Member

Stratford Rotary Club, Former Board Member

Mental Health Association in Forsyth County, Former President

North Carolina Bar Association, Former Member of Business Law Section Council

Wake Forest Law Review, Executive Editor (1995-1996)

American Bar Association, Business Law Section, Member

North Carolina Bar Association, Business Law Section, Member

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