William Cahalan

William J. Cahalan (born 1854 in Lexington, Kentucky; died February 1891 in Birmingham) was an attorney specializing in criminal defense.

Cahalan was one of seven children born to Michael and Catherine Cahalan, both natives of Ireland. He graduated from Spring Hill College in Mobile in 1876 and read law under R. H. Pearson. He was admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 1883 and quickly gained a reputation for effective defense in criminal cases.