1001 West Fourth Street, Winston-Salem, NC USA 27101
4208 Six Forks Road Suite 1400, Raleigh, NC USA 27609
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 has 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 Law and Securities/Capital Markets Law in 2019 and the six years immediately preceding, for Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and Securities/Capital Markets Law in 2020, for Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, and Securities Regulation in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and 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 a 2017 "Greensboro Lawyer of the Year" in the area of Securities/Capital Markets Law and a 2022, 2023 and 2025 "Triad Lawyer of the Year" in the area of Mergers and Acquisitions Law by The Best Lawyers in America®. 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 2015, 2017, 2023 and 2024 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. He is AV® rated by Martindale-Hubbell.*
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 La Tortilleria, one of the largest Hispanic food distributors on the East Coast, in connection with a strategic alliance with a group of private investors to help finance further expansion.
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 angel investor in connection with Series Seed preferred stock investment in health care IT company.
Represented a minor-league baseball team in connection with a securities offering to private investors.
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.
Represented a Chinese public company in connection with its equity investment in a U.S. venture-backed software company.
Insights View All
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)
North Carolina (1996)
Old Salem Museums and Gardens, Board Chair
Greater Winston-Salem Inc., Former Board Member
Winston-Salem Tech Council, Executive Committee Member (Past Chair)
Creative Corridors Coalition, Board Member
Flywheel Foundation, Board Member
Old Town Club, Former Board Member and Club Secretary
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
Disclaimer
While we are pleased to have you contact us by telephone, surface mail, electronic mail, or by facsimile transmission, contacting Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP or any of its attorneys does not create an attorney-client relationship. The formation of an attorney-client relationship requires consideration of multiple factors, including possible conflicts of interest. An attorney-client relationship is formed only when both you and the Firm have agreed to proceed with a defined engagement.
DO NOT CONVEY TO US ANY INFORMATION YOU REGARD AS CONFIDENTIAL UNTIL A FORMAL CLIENT-ATTORNEY RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
If you do convey information, you recognize that we may review and disclose the information, and you agree that even if you regard the information as highly confidential and even if it is transmitted in a good faith effort to retain us, such a review does not preclude us from representing another client directly adverse to you, even in a matter where that information could be used against you.
