About William K. Chip
William K. Chip Bradford graduated from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 1990 after earning a B.S. in Paralegal Science from Mississippi College in 1988. He entered the profession at a time when litigation was changing, and he built a practice shaped by courtroom work and appellate writing. He has maintained ties to legal education and professional organizations throughout his career.
Bradford launched his solo practice early. In 1993 he opened the Law Office of William K. Bradford. He later worked as an associate at David S. Luker and Associates, P.C. in 1996 and then at Gorham & Waldrep, P.C. in 1998. In 2000 he became a partner at Austill, Lewis & Simms, P.C. and in 2007 he formed William K. Bradford, LLC. He joined Bradford Ladner, LLP as a partner in 2010.
He is licensed to practice in Alabama and before the Eleventh Circuit. He is also admitted to the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Alabama. Those admissions reflect a practice that has ranged from trial work to appellate filings, and he has handled matters in state and federal forums over the years.
Bradford’s professional memberships reflect an interest in both criminal defense and written advocacy. He is a member of the Alabama State Bar Appellate Section and the Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He also belongs to national groups that focus on legal writing, including The Legal Writing Institute, Scribes: The American Society of Legal Writers as an associate member, and Clarity International.
Colleagues describe him as methodical in briefs and attentive in courtroom settings. He has taken roles that alternate between solo practice and firm partnerships, suggesting a willingness to change his practice model as cases and client needs require. That trajectory also gave him experience in firm management, client development and appellate procedure.
Throughout his career Bradford has mixed trial litigation and appellate work. He has filed briefs in state and federal courts and handled criminal defense matters through various stages of litigation. He continues to accept work that involves complex legal writing and oral advocacy.
He is based at Bradford Ladner, LLP, where he serves as a partner and continues to handle appeals and criminal defense matters in state and federal courts.
