Tommy W. Defer

Attorney

Tommy W. Defer is a practicing attorney with over 24 years of experience in the legal field. Tommy’s areas of practice offer a wide range of options that include criminal defense, family law, personal injury litigation, debt collections, and estate planning.

Tommy is licensed to practice in the State of Mississippi and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. He has proudly served as the Municipal Court Judge for the city of Coffeeville, Mississippi since 2015, and was the former Municipal Prosecutor for the Town of Oakland, Mississippi from 2008-2016. Over the past two decades, Tommy has practiced in the 17th Circuit Court District of Mississippi as public defender for Panola, Tallahatchie, Tate, and Yalobusha Counties. He also serves as pro-temp Municipal Judge for the cities of Batesville, Oxford, Senatobia, and Southaven, Mississippi. Tommy also teaches American National Government as an adjunct professor at Northwest Mississippi Community College - Oxford Campus. He currently serves as President of the Mississippi Municipal Court Judges Association. In 2025, Tommy completed his three-year term as a member of the Mississippi Board of Bar Commissioners.

Attorney Tommy W. Defer was born and raised in Water Valley, Mississippi, where he attended Water Valley High School. He continued his education at the University of Mississippi graduating Summa Cum Laude in Criminal Justice. Following his undergraduate studies, Tommy pursued his Juris Doctorate at The University of Mississippi School of Law where he graduated in 2001. That same year, Tommy was hired by The Law Offices of David L. Walker in Batesville, Mississippi where he gained valuable experience as a young lawyer, studying under the likes of some of Mississippi’s finest attorneys.

In 2003, Tommy decided to go out on his own and established The Law Office of Tommy W. Defer, PLLC. Over twenty years later, he has grown his practice into one of the most respected and well-known firms in the area.

Tommy is happily married to his wife of sixteen years, Stacie. Together they have four sons: Patrick (U.S. Army Staff Sergeant), Andrew, Daniel, (former U.S. Navy Submariner), and Presley.

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Will S. Phillips

Attorney

Will S. Phillips is a practicing attorney with over four years of experience in the legal field. Will’s areas of practice include criminal defense, family law, personal injury, and estate planning.

Will is licensed to practice in the State of Mississippi and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi.

Attorney Will S. Phillips was born and raised in Columbia, Mississippi, where he attended Columbia High School. He graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2013 with a B.B.A. in Managerial Finance. Following his time at Ole Miss, Will worked with his father, who is also a lawyer, before pursuing his Juris Doctorate at the Mississippi College School of Law where he graduated in 2019. He served as an extern for the District Attorney’s Office for the 17th Circuit Court District in 2018.

Will joined The Law Office of Tommy W. Defer, PLLC in May 2021 as junior partner. He currently serves the 17th Circuit Court District of Mississippi as a public defender for Panola Tallahatchie, Tate, and Yalobusha County, Mississippi. He is also a public defender for the City of Water Valley.

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