About Will
Will Stafford trained first as an economist and later as a lawyer. He earned a B.S. in Economics from Tulane University in 2005 and stayed at Tulane to complete an M.A. in Policy Economics in 2006. He then attended the University of Pennsylvania Law School, receiving his J.D. in 2009. Those years set the technical and legal foundation he would bring into private practice and in-house roles.
His early legal career began at Haynes and Boone, LLP, where he joined as an associate in 2009. He moved on to Schwartz, Page & Harding, LLP as an associate in 2012. Those years in firm practice involved transactional work and corporate matters that drew on his economics background. In 2019 he shifted to an in-house role as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at NextSeed. The position put him squarely in the intersection of corporate governance, securities issues, and compliance programs. In 2020 he took an of counsel role at Crain, Caton & James PC, returning to a firm setting while maintaining an eye toward regulatory and transactional work.
Stafford is licensed in Texas and holds current memberships in the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association, and the Houston Young Lawyers Association. Those affiliations reflect an ongoing connection to the Texas legal community and to local professional networks. He has combined firm-side practice and in-house counsel experience, which gives him a practical perspective on how companies manage compliance and legal risk.
Colleagues and clients have looked to him for advice on securities-related questions and for guidance on corporate compliance programs. His academic training in economics informs the way he evaluates business problems and structures transactions. The mix of private practice and corporate counsel roles has shaped his approach to contract negotiation, regulatory filings, and internal policy development.
Stafford’s work is practical and matter-oriented. He has handled matters that require coordinating between outside counsel, corporate executives, and regulatory bodies. He has also worked on agreements and filings that are common to startups and small issuers seeking capital, reflecting his time at NextSeed and his experience in transactional law.
He serves as of counsel at Crain, Caton & James PC in Houston, Texas, where he advises clients on corporate compliance, securities matters, and general corporate law. He is currently practicing law in Texas with an emphasis on corporate compliance and securities-related matters.
