William M Cox Jr Law Office

Will Cox founded the Law Office of William M Cox Jr PLLC in August 2012.  Will has extensive experience and knowledge of Kentucky municipal law and management, Kentucky election law, government affairs, and crisis communications and management.  Additionally, Will provides professional legal services in general civil litigation, criminal defense, estate planning, business organization and management, and real estate transactions.

Will graduated from the University of Kentucky and the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville. He is admitted to practice in the courts of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.  Will is a member of the Kentucky Bar Association and the Hopkins County Bar Association, where he has previously served as President, Vice President, and Treasurer, respectively.

Prior to founding the firm, Will worked in government relations and external affairs for a top national cable television operator. His duties included coordinating and negotiating with the company's local franchising authorities in his geographic area of responsibility.

Will served two two-year terms on the Madisonville City Council, being first elected in 2002 and reelected unopposed in 2004. Will was then elected Mayor of Madisonville in November 2006 and served from January 2007 to December 2010. As mayor, Will developed and implemented all executive branch strategic initiatives and oversaw the management of all day-to-day operations of city government.

Will's greatest management challenge came as he directed the preparation and submission of the annual city budget proposal for legislative enactment and administered same once adopted. Will also served as the City's liaison with other local, state, and federal government entities and related organizations, and coordinated the City's negotiations and interaction with other local and state government units to secure funding for the South Main Sewer Project and the South Main Sidewalk Project.

During his term as mayor, Will directed the City's response to the devastating Ice Storm of 2009, the worst natural disaster in Kentucky's history. Through the combined efforts of Will and his dedicated team of city department heads and employees, the City of Madisonville won two national awards for emergency response and communication efforts and was recognized by the Kentucky Public Service Commission as a model for disaster preparation and response. Media outlets ranging from ABC World News to the Fox News Channel profiled Will for his innovative leadership and communication efforts during the Ice Storm. Wills efforts were also profiled by the Michigan Municipal League.

Prior to his city government experience, Will practiced law across Western Kentucky with the firm of Whitfield & Cox, PSC.