William R. Rakes

William Rakes is Senior Counsel with Gentry Locke. During Bill’s more than 50 years of service at Gentry Locke, with more than 20 serving as Managing Partner, the firm grew from nine attorneys to its current scale of more than fifty-five. Bill’s practice largely consists of advising banks and other financial entities on governance, regulatory and securities matters, and handling commercial litigation matters for a wide range of businesses. Bill is a fellow in The American College of Trial Lawyers and in The American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. He has served as President of the Virginia State Bar and on the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association. Bill is consistently noted as a Virginia Super Lawyer in Business Litigation and is recognized among the Best Lawyers in America in several categories, including Antitrust Law, Appellate Practice, Banking and Finance Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Litigation - Banking and Finance, and Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions.

A quick handshake

•Had you not chosen law, what career might you have pursued?

I considered nothing but law. I was on the high school debate team; I liked speaking; I watched Perry Mason; and the man I most admired in our community (aside from my father) was a lawyer. All of this had a great influence on my career choice.

•You take great pride in the work you do. Tell us what this firm means to you.

We are a law firm made up of real people with a strong diversity of services. One thing we all focus on is being a great law firm that puts our clients at the forefront. I take enormous pride and pleasure in the quality of the lawyers and the reputation the firm has earned.

•What advice do you share with new lawyers joining the firm?

There is no substitute for thorough preparation.

•What is the most important step in your morning routine that you try to never skip?

I may skip a lot of things, including breakfast on occasion, but I never skip putting on a necktie.

Awards

•Inaugural recipient of the William R. Rakes Leadership in Education Award established by The Section on the Education of Lawyers in Virginia of the Virginia State Bar (2012)
•Listed as a Local Litigation Star by Benchmark Appellate (2012-2013)
•Recipient, Frank W. “Bo” Rogers, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award, Roanoke Bar Association (2010)
•Named by The Best Lawyers in America as “Roanoke Lawyer of the Year - Banking” (2009, 2013), “Roanoke Lawyer of the Year - Appellate” (2014), “Roanoke Lawyer of the Year - Bet-the-Company Litigation (2014), and “Roanoke Lawyer of the Year - Banking and Finance Law” (2025); repeatedly listed with The Best Lawyers in America in Antitrust Law (2003-2026), Appellate Practice (2011-2026), Banking and Finance Law (2011-2026), Bet-the-Company Litigation (2010-2026), Commercial Litigation (1993-2026), Corporate Law (2006-2026), Financial Services Regulation Law (2011-2026), Banking & Finance Litigation (2011-2026), and Mergers & Acquisitions Litigation (2011-2026), also listed in Best Lawyers in America - Business Edition (2016)
•Named a Top Rated Lawyer for Commercial Litigation, Business & Commercial, Appellate law by American Lawyer Media (2013)
•Designated one of the “FrontList 2008 Best of Business” by Valley Business Front magazine
•Named “Leader in the Law” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (2007)
•Named to Virginia Super Lawyers in the area of Business Litigation (2007-2021), included in Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel edition (2010) and Super Lawyers Business Edition US in the area of Business Litigation (2012-2014)
•Designated as one of the Legal Elite in the Civil Litigation field by Virginia Business magazine
•Named a “Legal Eagle” for Antitrust Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Litigation - Banking & Finance, and Litigation - Mergers & Acquisitions by Virginia Living magazine (2012)
•Inducted into the Virginia Lawyers Weekly “Hall of Fame” - Class of 2020
•Designated as a fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation (1993)

Published Work

•Twenty Years of Change, But Many Issues Remain, Virginia Lawyer, October 2012
•The Care and Feeding of Directors in Uncertain Times: What Directors Expect from their Bank Management; Virginia Association of Community Banks, September 2008
•Law Schools Must Act on Commitment to Diversity; ABA Student Lawyer, May 2007
•Multidisciplinary Practice: A Paradigm Shift from Client Protection; Virginia Lawyer, April 2002
•Mediation of the Business Divorce; Virginia Lawyer, July 1997
•Conclaves on Legal Education: Catalyst for Improvement of the Profession; 72 Notre Dame Law Review 1119, 1997
•Ethics and Professionalism: Starting in the Law Schools; Virginia Lawyer, October 1996
•Family Feuds, Shareholder Oppression and Judicial Remedies, Virginia State Bar (2014)
•Many articles on the legal profession and professionalism published mostly in Virginia Lawyer

Library

•31 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers 2026 Lists
News
Aug 2025
•35 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers 2025 Lists
News
Aug 2024
•30 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers 2024 Lists
News
Aug 2023
•Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Recognizes 18 Lawyers on 2021 Lists
News
May 2021
•22 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2021
News
Aug 2020
•20 Gentry Locke Lawyers Named as Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
News
Apr 2020
•21 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America
News
Aug 2019
•25 Gentry Locke attorneys named 2019 Virginia Super Lawyers or Rising Stars
News
Apr 2019
•20 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2019 'Best Lawyers in America '
News
Aug 2018
•27 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named 2018 Virginia Super Lawyers or Rising Stars
News
Apr 2018
•21 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2018 Best Lawyers in America
News
Aug 2017
•28 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named 2017 Virginia Super Lawyers or Rising Stars
News
Apr 2017
•Twenty-Two Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 'The Best Lawyers in America'
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Oct 2016
•Supreme Court of Virginia Chief Justice Lemons Receives 2016 William R. Rakes Leadership in Education Award
News
Jul 2016
•Twenty-six Gentry Locke Attorneys Named '2016 Virginia Super Lawyers'
News
Apr 2016
•Fourteen Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to “Best Lawyers in America Business Edition/Winter 2016” by Best Lawyers
News
Jan 2016
•23 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2016 “Best Lawyers in America”
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Aug 2015
•28 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named 2015 Virginia Super Lawyers
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Apr 2015
•13 Gentry Locke Attorneys Featured in '2014 Super Lawyers' US Business Edition
News
Nov 2014
•Twenty-One Gentry Locke Attorneys Earn Best Lawyers Designations and One Lawyer of the Year
News
Aug 2014
•Ten Recurring Themes and Techniques in Defending Breach of Contract Cases
Articles
Jun 2014
•27 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to Lists of 2014 Virginia Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
News
Jun 2014
•Thirteen Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 'Super Lawyers Business Edition US'
News
Nov 2013
•Twenty-two Attorneys named to 2014 Best Lawyers in America list; Firm Ranked in Tier 1 for Best Law Firms
News
Aug 2013
•Twenty-five Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 'Virginia Super Lawyers' for 2013
News
Jun 2013
•2013 'Top Rated Lawyers' at Gentry Locke
News
Oct 2012
•Three Gentry Locke Attorneys Named '2013 Roanoke Lawyer of the Year'
News
Oct 2012
•Super Lawyers Business Edition US Lists Thirteen Gentry Locke Attorneys
News
Sep 2012
•Twenty-four Gentry Locke Attorneys Named 'Best Lawyers'
News
Sep 2012
•Twenty-four Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 'Virginia Super Lawyers' for 2012
News
Jun 2012
•Gentry Locke Attorneys Listed in 37 'Legal Eagle' Categories
News
Apr 2012
•Gentry Locke Involved with First Significant E-Discovery Decision in Western Virginia
Articles
Feb 2007

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