— Page 4
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The Top 40 honorees — Pages 5-30
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THE HONOREES Jenny Tyler Baker ............................5 Chuck Barlow....................................6 Sharkey Burke .................................6 David Calder ......................................7 Shundral Cole ...................................8 D. Christopher Daniel ....................8 Jennie Eichelberger.........................9 Kenneth Farmer ............................10 Cheri Green ......................................10 Joshua P. Henry ..............................11 Milton “Dee” Hobbs Jr. ...............12 Jamie G. Houston III.....................12 Gina Jacobs ......................................13 Samuel Kelly....................................14 Judson M. Lee.................................14 David Lord ........................................15 Erik Lowrey ......................................18 George Scott Luter........................18 Ellis “Bilbo” Mitchell....................19 Mary Clay Morgan.........................20 John Nisbett ...................................20 Joe Sam Owen ................................21 J Randall Patterson ......................22 Jeffrey Pierce ..................................22 James Pollan ...................................23 Bill Purdy ...........................................4 Mary Largent Purvis.....................23 David Rueff .....................................24 Ryanne Saucier ..............................24 James Scarff....................................25
Wonder what happened at the LIL banquet? recogLeaders in Finance honorees were at the nized Dec. 10 during a banquet Road. Hilton Jackson on County Line Stegall Photographer Michael Barrett of more phoImagery captured the event. See siness.com/ tos on Pages 16-17 and at msbu w/ esho t-slid even -lawaders events/le
Roy A. Smith ..................................26 Taylor Smith ...................................26 Kevin Stewart .................................27 Adam Stone.....................................27 Alex Taylor.......................................28 Frank Trapp .....................................28 Ronnie Walton................................29 Trey Watkins...................................29 Robert “Bob” Whitwell...............30 Shanda Yates..................................30
THE SELECTION PROCESS The criteria for selection were across four categories: » Professional abilities and success: Most significant professional accomplishments; how their division, department or company grew as a direct result of nominees’ abilities; organization where nominees work or have worked, important dates, titles and responsibilities; roles in decision making and extent of those roles; demonstration of positive growth trends,
2014 Leadershiip in Law
programs, products/services and profits; and, special skills and abilities. » Professional recognition: Licenses, degrees and areas of professional expertise; honors and awards; and, nominees’ promotions, partnerships, published work, etc. » Level of influence and professional organizations: Significance of contribution to the business community
and extent of involvement in professional organizations. » Community involvement: Active service and active membership in community organizations and honors and awards received due to community involvement. Using this criteria, a Top 10 is selected from the honorees. From the Top 10, the Mississippi Business Journal selects its Lawyer of the Year.
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Mississippi Business Journal 2014 Leadership in Law
Lawyer of the Year BILL PURDY Bradley Arant Boult Cummings
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T LEAST ONE prestigious law journal refers to Bill Purdy as the “dean of Mississippi construction lawyers,” a title he earned over a 35-year career in construction and federal procurement law. In fact, the Bradley Arant Boult Cummings attorney is only one of four active lawyers in the nation admitted as a Fellow in both the American College of Construction Lawyers and the American College of Trial Lawyers. Additionally, he is the only lawyer in the United States to have earned a third admission as a Fellow in the International Society of Barristers. Purdy has tried over 35 construction cases in state and Federal courts, and has handled over 50 construction arbitrations. He earned his law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law. A former Marine infantry company commander during the Vietnam conflict, Purdy was recognized as an “Outstanding Mississippian” by unanimous joint resolution of both houses of the Mississippi Legislature.
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Karen Johansson / Stegall Imagery
Bill Purdy of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings receives his lawyer of the year award from Mississippi Business Journal publisher Alan Turner.
2014 Leadership in Law
Jenny Tyler Baker Tindell Law Firm, PLLC
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CCORDING TO Jennifer Tyler Baker, civility is as valuable a skill in the practice of law as a passionate closing argument. A Jackson native, Baker is a partner in the Gulfport-based Tindell Law Firm, where her areas of expertise include personal injury and criminal defense. Additionally, Baker’s practice includes representing the Harrison County Chancery Clerk, the city of Diamondhead and the Orleans
Parish District Attorney. Prior to joining the Tindell Law Firm, Baker was an associate with her late father’s law firm. She graduated Cum Laude from Mississippi State University before earning her law degree from the Mississippi College School of Law in 2004. The secretary for the Young Lawyer’s Division, Baker also was selected by her peers to represent the 2nd Judicial District on the Board of Bar Commissioners. In her leisure time, Baker enjoys the local Mardi Gras season and spending quality time with family.
Congratulations!
2014 MISSISSIPPI ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR
William R. Purdy
RAC.COM | 800.688.4003 | OFFICES IN GULFPORT, JACKSON AND NEW ORLEANS
2014 Leadership in Law
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Chuck Barlow Entergy
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HUCK BARLOW is Vice-President for Environmental Strategy and Policy for Entergy. At Entergy, he has directed the company’s participation in several notable cases, including Massachusetts v. EPA, where Barlow helped Entergy file a Supreme Court amicus brief concerning the regulation of greenhouse gases. Prior to joining Entergy, the Mississippi College School of Law graduate worked as General Counsel of the Mississippi Department of Environmental
Quality and the Jackson office of Phelps Dunbar. Barlow holds the Masters of Law in environmental and natural resource law from the Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College. In 2001, he was awarded a certificate of commendation by the U.S. Department of Justice for his work as lead counsel in the environmental action styled United States of America and State of Mississippi v. Morton International, Inc. In his spare time, Barlow leads a youth Sunday School class and referees amateur soccer games.
Sharkey Burke Anderson Crawley & Burke, PLLC
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HARKEY BURKE is a cofounder and member of Ridgeland law firm Anderson, Crawley & Burke. For the majority of his practice, he’s represented defendants in civil litigation on behalf of insurers, insureds and self-insured corporations in a variety of cases. Over the past 15 years, Burke’s primary focus has been defending employers and insurance carriers in state workers’ compensation claims. He completed his prepara-
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tory education at Millsaps College and received his law degree at Mississippi College School of Law. Active in several professional organizations, Burke is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association, Madison County Bar Association and the Defense Research Institute. Licensed to practice before all state and federal courts in Mississippi, he is an ally with the Alliance Defending Freedom, as well as a trained mediator through Peacemaker Ministries. Burke and his wife Paige are the proud parents of four children.
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David Calder
University of Mississippi School of Law
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F DAVID CALDER could impart one particular bit of wisdom to his young law students, it would be to not only think like a lawyer but act like a lawyer. An associate clinical professor for the University of Mississippi School of Law, Calder also serves as director of the Child Advocacy Clinic. He earned his B.A. in religion from Mississippi College before receiving his law degree from the University of Mississippi in 1986. While at Ole Miss, Calder was a member of the Mississippi Law
Journal and received the Mississippi Law Institute Scholarship. After law school, he served as law clerk for the United States Magistrate Judge Jerry A. Davis for two years before entering private practice. Prior to becoming director of the Child Advocacy Clinic, Calder directed the Fair Housing Clinical Program at the Ole Miss Law School from 1994 to 1996, and served as a part-time visiting clinical professor in the Civil Legal Clinic for two years.
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YEARS EXPERIENCE
William R. “Bill” Purdy Mississippi Business Journal 2014 “Lawyer of the Year”
Mary Clay Morgan
serving Mississippi’s business community with the highest integrity.
Mississippi Business Journal 2014 “Leader in Law”
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2014 Leadership in Law
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Shundral Cole
Harrison County District Attorney Office
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NATIVE OF Jackson, Shundral Cole serves as an Assistant Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Before coming on board in November 2014, Cole worked as an Assistant District Attorney for the Second Circuit Court District in Harrison County. In 2008, she received her law degree from the Mississippi College School of Law after earning her undergraduate degree from the
University of Mississippi. While in law school, Cole was a member of the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Team, President of the Black Law Student’s Association, Women’s Student Bar and a STAR mentor. A board member for Coast Young Professionals, she’s also a member of Junior Auxiliary of Gulfport and the 2014-2015 Leadership Gulf Coast class. Prior to moving to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2012, Cole formerly served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Seventh Court District of Hinds County.
D. Christopher Daniel District Attorney, 2nd Judicial District
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S A YOUNG attorney, Christopher Daniel always appreciated the mentorship provided by older colleagues, even when they were often opposing counsel. Today, Daniel believes his greatest contribution to the legal community is the hours he spends through the mentorship of dozens of young law students. A Louisiana native, Daniel serves as Assistant District Attorney in the Hancock County office for the
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2nd Judicial District. He has successfully disposed of over 500 felony criminal cases and has never lost a felony criminal trial. Daniel received his law degree from the Mississippi College School of Law, where he earned the Amicus Award and was named Young Lawyer of the Year in 2008. In addition to his duties as an ADA, Daniel has served the past 20 years in the Army National Guard and as an officer in the Navy Reserve. An avid outdoorsman, Daniel enjoys hunting, fishing, kayaking and hiking in his spare time.
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Jennie Eichelberger Southern Poverty Law Center
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O HER PEERS in the legal community, Jennie Eichelberger is a dedicated leader in helping underserved Mississippians find justice within the system. Since moving to Jackson, the Virginia native has practiced law in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Currently, Eichelberger serves as a staff attorney with the Southern Poverty Law Center, a non-profit legal organization dedicated to
2014 Leadership in Law
seeking legal solutions for the most vulnerable members of society. Prior to joining the SPLC, Eichelberger worked as an attorney for Chhabra & Gibbs law firm and served as an Assistant Public Defender for Hinds County. A graduate of James Madison University, Eichelberger earned her law degree from the Mississippi College School of Law. Active in the Mississippi Women Lawyers Association and Mississippi Association for Justice, she was named Outstanding New Lawyer of the Year by the MAJ in 2013.
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Kenneth Farmer Young Wells William PA
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S A transactional attorney, Ken Farmer rarely measures success in terms of wins and losses. Farmer is an associate with Ridgeland law firm Young Wells Williams, P.A. and a member of its Business Opportunities Group. He has worked on a number of commercial and real estate transactions, and concentrates his law practice in the areas of business, commercial and corporate law. Farmer received his law degree from the University of Florida’s
Levin College of Law after earning his Master’s in Real Estate from Florida’s Warrington College of Business. The Jackson native attributes his most valuable personal skill as problem-solving and credits his experience as a Signals Intelligence Analyst in the U.S. Army. Active in the community, Farmer is vice-president of Mississippi HeARTS Against Aids and serves as a mentor with Innovate Mississippi. A self-confessed ‘techie’, Farmer enjoys tinkering with new gadgets in his spare time.
Cheri Green Blue Cross Blue Shield
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PROLIFIC AUTHOR and sought-after speaker, Cheri Green serves as VicePresident of Executive Support for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi. Prior to joining the company, Green was a member of Jackson law firm Brunini, where she had a broad litigation practice ranging from commercial litigation, singleplaintiff personal injury and multiplaintiff mass tort dockets. She also maintained an extensive
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insurance practice concentrating on defense of bad-faith claims. As a member of the Defense Steering Committee for the MDL 1553 Silica Docket, Green successfully defended over 10,000 MDL cases and 8,000 state cases. Green’s stellar academic career includes earning her undergraduate degree, summa cum laude at the University of Mississippi and her law degree from the Ole Miss School of Law. While in law school, Green served as the managing and research editors of the Mississippi Law Journal.
2014 Leadership in Law
Joshua P. Henry Wells Marble & Hurst, PLLC
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RIOR TO HIS decision to practice law, Josh Henry worked as a professional writer, director and producer. Today, he uses his expertise in the entertainment industry as a member of Jackson law firm Wells Marble
& Hurst. Henry’s practice is devoted primarily to commercial litigation with an emphasis on intellectual property and securities law. He regularly counsels clients on intellectual
property transactions and advises producers, content creators and artists on the legal aspects of live entertainment, film and production. A native of McComb, Henry received his law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law after earning his undergraduate degree summa cum laude with honors from Ole Miss. Last May, he was elected by the National Register of Health Service Psychologists board of directors to a four-year term as its public representative beginning in early 2015.
Congratulations
Trey Watkins Mississippi Business Journal 2014 Leaders In Law www.fpwkt.com Jackson
2014 Leadership in Law
Dallas
Denver
Detroit
Houston
New Jersey
New Orleans
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Milton ‘Dee’ Hobbs Jr Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, PLLC
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ILTON “DEE” Hobbs strongly believes in giving back to the Oxford community. A partner of the Harris Shelton law firm, Hobbs volunteers his time with an Oxford food pantry and has previously coached inner-city league and church league youth basketball. At Harris Shelton, Hobbs focuses his practice in the areas of corporate law, contract law and negotiations and estate planning. Prior to joining the firm, he
began his career at Baker Donelson as an associate attorney in the Birmingham office. After four years, the Oxford native returned to his hometown, where Hobbs founded DH Sports Management and worked as a National Football League certified contract advisor for three years. A member of the Mississippi Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyer Pro Bono program, he also periodically serves as an adjunct instructor at the University of Mississippi School of Business teaching business law. In his spare time, Hobbs enjoys fishing, golf and traveling.
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Jamie G. Houston III Watkins & Eager
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MISSISSIPPI DELTA native, Jamie G. Houston III is a member of Jackson law firm Watkins & Eager. He focuses his law practice on Estate Planning and Administration, Health Care, Tax Planning, Fiduciary Controversy and Commercial Lending and Finance. Houston names the firm’s senior partner, William Goodman, Jr., as his legal role model and from whom he learned professionalism and the desire to excel.
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A graduate of the University of Mississippi, Houston received his law degree from the Ole Miss School of Law. A certified public accountant, he is a Fellow of both the Mississippi Bar Foundation and the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Additionally, Houston served on the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Trust Laws Study Committee, and is a member of the Mississippi Society of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs. An avid outdoorsman, Houston enjoys hunting and fishing in his leisure time.
2014 Leadership in Law
Gina Jacobs Jones Walker, LLP
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ITH MORE than 28 years in the legal profession, Gina Jacobs is a partner in Jones Walker’s Business & Commercial Transactions Practice Group. Her practice focuses primarily in the areas of commercial finance, mergers and acquisitions and business planning. During her career, Jacobs has been involved in numerous multimillion dollar business transac-
tions, including general company counsel for non-public businesses. She also uses her background in commercial and lending transactions to assist clients with strategies for collecting and maximizing recovery for troubled loans. Jacobs is a graduate of the University of Mississippi and earned her law degree, magna cum laude from the Ole Miss School of Law. A member of the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Business Law Advisory Group, she also is a past member of the board of directors of the Jackson Young Lawyers Association.
GLOVER, YOUNG, HAMMACK, WALTON & SIMMONS, PLLC Attorneys at Law
The Attorneys and Staff of Glover, Young, Hammack, Walton & Simmons, PLLC would like to congratulate
Dean Richard Gershon and The University of Mississippi School of Law proudly congratulate alumni winners of the Mississippi Business Journal 2015 Leaders in Law. Ronnie Walton of our firm on being selected in the Class of 2014 Leadership and Law H. Wingfield Glover, Jr. Post Office Drawer 5514 William C. Hammack 1724A 23rd Avenue (39301) Ronnie L. Walton Meridian, MS 39302-5514 Hampton W. Glover, III (601) 693-1301 Phone William W. Simmons (601) 693-1363 Fax Stephen B. Jackson Reed C. Darsey R. Benjamin McMurtray Matthew R. Watson Of Counsel: Meagan O. Linton Ralph E. Young, Jr. www.gloveryoung.com
2014 Leadership in Law
A special congratulations to
Lawyer of the Year, William R. Purdy www.msbusiness.com
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Samuel Kelly
Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes
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BRUCE NATIVE, Samuel Kelly is a member of the Brunini law firm, where he serves as General Counsel to the Mississippi Associated Builders and Contractors. An active member of the Associated General Contractors of Mississippi, Kelly focuses his practice on the construction industry, including contract preparation and negotiations, bid protests, claim preparation and dispute resolution. In the field of construction
litigation, he has been recognized by several leading legal journals. In 1993, Kelly co-authored Mississippi Construction Law and Bonds and Liens on Mississippi Construction Projects. A 1988 magna cum laude graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law, Kelly is active in several professional associations, including the Capital Area Bar Association and the Madison County School Board. Kelly is also a Sunday School teacher and youth Bible study leader for Broadmoor Baptist Church.
Judson M. Lee Judson M. Lee, PLLC
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INCE 2002, Judson Lee (better known as “Jud� to his friends and family) has focused his work on complex civil litigation matters. Over the last 10 years, he has developed a specialized practice concentrated in securities and financial instrument fraud and negligence, broker-dealer negligence, retirement and investment loss claims, and breach of contract cases. In addition to handling cases in federal and state courts, Lee routinely represents clients in arbitration hearings before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the governing body of securities dealers. As an attorney, Lee believes qual-
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ity representation requires that clients receive effective and efficient service. To this end, he intentionally concentrates in a few practice areas and continually adapts his practice to business and technology evolutions. This philosophy keeps him from trying to be everything to everybody while fostering stronger client relations and a higher quality of time spent. A native of Jackson, Lee graduated magna cum laude from Mississippi College School of Law as well as the University of Alabama. He is a member of the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association and has been quoted in many publications, including Money Magazine.
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David Lord David L. Lord & Associates
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ONSIDERED TO BE the ‘granddaddy’ of bankruptcy lawyers on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, David Lord attributes the moniker mostly to a great ‘bedside manner’ and a willingness to listen. The president of David L. Lord and Associates in Gulfport, Lord admits he will sometimes go so far as trying untested or controversial methods. A devout Catholic, he converted 27 years ago and is past president of the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi
Finance Committee and past chairman of the diocese’s foundation. One of his role models includes former Gov. William Winter, who Lord admires for Winter’s willingness to forge alliances to improve the future of the state. Lord is active in numerous professional organizations, including the Harrison County Bar Association, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Bar Association and the Mississippi Bankruptcy Conference. In his spare time, Lord enjoys collecting art and Ohr pottery.
CONGRATULATIONS JAMIE G. HOUSTON III on his selection to
Mississippi Business Journal’s
2014 LEADERS IN LAW
Jamie G. Houston III, joined Watkins & Eager in 1979, and serves on its Executive Committee. His practice includes corporate and business law, tax law and estate planning and administration. Jamie is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and the Mississippi Bar Foundation and he KDV EHHQ UHFRJQL]HG LQ WKH OHJDO ÂżHOG E\ %HVW /DZ\HUV RI $PHULFD &KDPEHUV 86$ DQG 0LG 6RXWK 6XSHU /DZ\HUV -DPLH UHFHLYHG KLV -XULV 'RFWRU IURP WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 0LVVLVVLSSL 6FKRRO RI /DZ LQ DQG KLV 0DVWHU RI /DZV LQ 7D[DWLRQ IURP 1HZ <RUN 8QLYHUVLW\ LQ
WATKINS & EAGER Attorneys and Counselors at Law
Watkins & Eager PLLC Â&#x2021; The Emporium Building Â&#x2021; 400 East Capitol Street Â&#x2021; Jackson, MS Â&#x2021; 39201 7HOHSKRQH ÄŞ ÄŤ ÄĽ Â&#x2021; www.watkinseager.com
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The banquet Leaders in Finance honorees were recognized Dec. 10 during a banquet at the Hilton Jackson on County Line Road.
\ Photos by Michael Barrett
More photos at msbusiness.com/events/ leaders-law-event-slideshow/
More than 200 attended the Dec. 10 Leadership in L
Bill Purdy, the 2014 Lawyer of the Year, shares a lught and a handshake with last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winner Terry Levy.
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2014 Leadership in Law
aw banquet at the Hilton on County Line Road in Jackson.
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Erik Lowrey Lowrey & Fortner, PA
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S PRESIDENT of his Hattiesburg law firm, Erik Lowrey sees a distinct advantage in being located in the Hub City. Lowrey’s five lawyers are able to travel to at least 15 county seats within an hour or less, while Hattiesburg’s convenient location has spawned one of the most economically active, dynamic and fastest growing areas in the Southeast. Growing up in Hattiesburg during the 1960s, Lowrey earned his
undergraduate degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and later received his law degree from the Mississippi College School of Law in 1978. After graduation, Lowrey worked for Southeast Mississippi Legal Services, where his practice involved commercial litigation. Today, the Erik Lowrey Law Firm concentrates its practice covering criminal and civil areas of the law. Before law school, Lowrey served his country for four years in the United States Navy as a yeoman on a submarine.
George Scott Luter George S. Luter, Attorney at Law
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EORGE S. LUTER has been a solo practitioner in Jackson for more than 30 years, after first clerking at the Mississippi Supreme Court for the Honorable Frances Bowling and the United States District Court for the Honorable Harold Cox. Luter has concentrated his practice in Social Security and PERS disability. He has served as a Commissioner of the Mississippi Commission on Continuing Legal Education since 1998 and a bar exam grader since 1985. He is a sustaining member of the National Organization for Social
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Security Claimants’ Representatives, chairman of the Administrative Practice subcommittee of the Appellate Practice Section of the Mississippi State Bar and a member of the Mississippi Public Defender Association and the Bar Association of the Fifth Circuit. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Mississippi State University, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Mississippi and the Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Mississippi College School of Law where he was Law Student Body president. He and his wife, Janie, are parents of a son and daughter and are members of Northminster Baptist Church.
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Ellis ‘Bilbo’ Mitchell District Attorney, 10th Circuit Court
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ILBO MITCHELL knows what is about to serve the public. He has been doing just that for the last 27 years as the District Attorney for Lauderdale County, where he remains today. A 1979 Graduate from University of Alabama and a 1984
graduate from Ole Miss School of Law, he was elected District Attorney for Tenth Circuit in 1987. He is also the Former President of the Mississippi Prosecutors Association. A father of two boys, Mitchell is presently the Sr. Warden of The Episcopal Church of the Mediator in Meridian.
Sam Kelly 2014 Leader in Law
CONGRATULATIONS! Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC
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Mary Clay Morgan Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, LLP
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PARTNER WITH Jackson law firm Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, Mary Morgan is a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice group, Labor and Employment Practice group and the Financial Services Team. Her practice primarily involves the representation of defendants in both state and federal courts at the trial and appellate levels. The University of Mississippi School of Law graduate has been
involved with a wide variety of matters in her career, including defending against claims involving products liability, mass torts, and commercial contract disputes. Morgan’s financial services litigation and regulatory work includes assisting clients with consent orders issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Reserve Board. A volunteer for the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project, Morgan often handles individual pro bono cases and answering calls at MVLP’s Legal Lines Call Center.
John Nisbett Heilman Law Group
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OR JOHN NISBETT, creativity is a key ingredient in practicing law. Whether its writing a brief or counseling clients from different walks of life, the Greenville native believes an ‘out of the box’ approach is the best approach in his law practice with Heilman Law Group. The focus of Nisbett’s practice is general litigation with an emphasis on healthcare law, commercial/business litigation and administrative law. Nisbett earned his law degree
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from the Mississippi College School of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude in 2008. Active civically in the Jackson metro community, he serves as a board member for Meadowbrook Preschool and represents the Wind Dance Homeowners Association as legal counsel. Married with three children, Nisbett is a former science and biology teacher at Madison St. Joseph Middle School and an avid Mississippi State baseball fan. In his spare time, Nisbett enjoys traveling to the beach and running.
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Joe Sam Owen Owen, Galloway & Myers
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FORMER OLE MISS football player under legendary Rebels coach Johnny Vaught, Joe Sam Owen holds the distinction of serving as Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last para-professional high school baseball coach before retiring in 2010 after 13 years. The managing partner of Gulfport law firm Owen, Galloway & Myers, Owen led the St. Patrick High School Fighting Irish to the 2007 MHSAA Class 1A championship.
Today, Owen devotes his time to a law practice that focuses on personal injury, criminal defense law and medical malpractice. The Mississippi Gulf Coast native has had a storied legal career, having served as Assistant District Attorney for the 2nd Circuit Court District of Mississippi and as a Special Assistant Attorney General handling a designated capital murder case. In recent years, Owen has represented Georgia-Pacific in dioxin litigation, Philip Morris in the tobacco cases, Chiquita Banana and Waste Management.
Proudly congratulates
Kevin T. Stewart
on being chosen as one of Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leaders in Law 2014
781 Liberty Road Flowood, MS 39232 601-948-4444
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J Randall Patterson Baker Donelson
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RANDALL PATTERSON is a shareholder in the Jackson office of Baker Donelson. He concentrates his practice in labor and employment law, and represents employers before the EEOC and other state and federal agencies. Additionally, Patterson advises employers on many topics ranging from policies and procedures, reductions in force and wage and hour issues. The Mississippi College School of Law graduate has experience in a
full-range of employment-related claims, including sexual harassment, age, race and disability discrimination and retaliatory discharge. Patterson also has successfully defended a regional commercial contractor against an unfair labor practices charge brought by a local union and obtained summary judgment for a national restaurant operator. A published writer, Patterson has authored several articles on workplace harassment and best employment practices.
Jeffrey Pierce Law Offices of Jeffrey G. Pierce, PLLC
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EFFREY PIERCE serves as Managing Senior Partner for the Law Offices of Jeffrey G. Pierce, PLLC in Ocean Springs. With over 15 years of experience, Pierce focuses his practice on multiple areas of litigation, including bankruptcy, business services and financial counseling. Additionally, he serves as an adjunct professor at Tulane University, where he teaches business and family law. A Mississippi College School of
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Law graduate, Pierce earned his Masters of Law from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2014. Prior to opening his law firm, Pierce worked as an attorney for the Jackson office of McGlincheyStafford, where his areas of practice included business law and insurance-related litigation. A former collegiate rugby player, Pierce has had multiple legal articles published, most notably by the American Bar Association, and is a sought-after speaker at the local and state levels.
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Jason Pollan Pollan Dobbs, PLLC
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LARKSDALE NATIVE Jason Pollan is a Partner in Pollan Dobbs in Jackson, specializing in civil and individual rights and represents injured workers with workers compensation and healthcare rights
claims. He earned a BA in political science and philosophy from Mississippi State University in 1997, and his JD from Tulane Unversity School of Law in 2001. He has been a lobbyist for AARP, the Mississippi Center for Justice and Mississippi Associaton for Justice.
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He was honored as Advocate of the Year by the Mississippi Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities in 2008. Pollanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s says his most significant accomplishment was conducting the only 82-county investigation in Mississippi of Medicaidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new, annual inperson renewal requirements for the elderly, disabled, and poor children. His report lead to legislative testimony that the office of Medicaid had curtailed or closed offices and accessibility, which was increasing administrative costs for the state by $50 million while removing approximately 80,000 people who were properly enrolled in the system.
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Mary Largent Purvis Mississippi College School of Law
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S THE DIRECTOR of the Academic Success Program at the Mississippi College School of Law, Mary Largent Purvis helps aspiring lawyers reach their academic goals. An MC Law graduate herself, Purvis knows the importance of the program in molding young attorneys. MC Law’s rigorous academic program combines a strong foundation in the law with opportunities to explore areas of personal interest
and engage in hands-on legal work. First year students take basic courses that teach them to think, speak, and write like lawyers. Active in the community, Purvis has served as a Mission First Legal Aid Clinic volunteer and is a current member of the Mississippi Women Lawyers Association. Purvis graduated magna cum laude from Millsaps College before earning her law degree from MC Law in 2001. Prior to joining the MC Law faculty, Purvis served as executive director of the Jackson Young Lawyers Association.
David Rueff Baker Donelson
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N ADDITION TO being a shareholder with Baker Donelson, David Rueff holds the distinction of serving as the firm’s first attorney to implement legal project management in his practice. As LPM officer, Rueff is responsible for the development and implementation of the Baker Donelson’s award-winning legal project management system, BakerManage. Also in his role, Rueff works regularly with the firm’s pricing
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team to evaluate responses to request for proposals, prepare budgets and design alternative fee proposals. His practice also includes unique experience working with state project management offices to administer disaster recovery grants. A regular speaker and writer on the topic of legal project management, Rueff co-authored “The Power of Legal Project Management, A Practical Guide”, which was published by the American Bar Association in 2014.
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Ryanne Saucier Mississippi Public Broadcasting
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HEN SHE’S not talking about intellectual property law, Ryanne Saucier relishes listening to music and watching movies. Of course, the reason might be that before she joined Mississippi Public Broadcasting as the Deputy Executive Director for Support Services and Contracts, the south Alabama native practiced entertainment law. During her over 15 years in the field, Saucier worked with numer-
ous musicians, writers, filmmakers and broadcasters. In 2011, Saucier was a contributing writer to the book, “Entertainment Law for the General Practitioner,” making her one of the youngest attorneys published by the American Bar Association on the topic of entertainment law. A cum laude graduate from the Mississippi College School of Law, Saucier is an associate member of the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences’ Memphis chapter. In her leisure time, she enjoys hanging out with husband, Dan, and their rescue dog Belle.
James Scarff Scarff Law Firm
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S A SOLO practitioner, attorney James “Bubba” Scarff represents individuals throughout the Jackson metro area and the state of Mississippi. Born and reared in Jackson, Scarff attended high school at Jackson Prep and earned both his undergraduate and Master’s degrees from Millsaps College. Practicing mainly in the area of
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family and criminal law, and appellate cases, the Mississippi College School of Law graduate handles cases from the smallest municipal court to the Mississippi Supreme Court. Prior to opening The Scarff Law Firm, Scarff served as an attorney with the Louisiana-based Penton Law Firm, where he managed the class action division. A member of the Mississippi Association for Justice and the American Association for Justice, Scarff launched his own firm in June 2009.
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Roy A. Smith Daniel Coker Horton and Bell
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OY A. SMITH, JR., was elected President of Daniel Coker Horton & Bell, P.A. in 2012 and previously served on the firm’s Executive Committee. He also serves as chair of the Products Liability prac-
tice group. In 2014, 17 of the firm’s attorneys in 20 legal practice areas were named as 2015 Best Lawyers in America. A University of Mississippi School of Law graduate, Smith has
been named to Best Lawyers in America in three practice areas – insurance, products liability litigation (defendants), and professional malpractice law (defendants). He has been a member of Lawyers for Civil Justice since 2011. Smith prefers to be proactive in his approach to cases from the minute a file is referred. He makes an early analysis as to liability and damages, and then works with the client to determine the best and most cost-effective strategy toward a favorable resolution.
Taylor Smith The Kullman Firm
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AYLOR Smith is a resident member of The Kullman Firm in Columbus and has represented clients in various industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, food processing, banking, media, and the restaurant and hotel industry. Smith earned his law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law after graduating cum laude from Mississippi State University in 1962. While in law school, he served on the
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Mississippi Law Journal staff as an editor. A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Smith also is a member of the American Bar Association, Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association and the American Academy of Hospital Attorneys. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Courts of Appeal for the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits, and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi.
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Kevin Stewart Carmody, Stewart & Mixon
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EVIN STEWART would be the first to admit that his legal career got off to a less-than- auspicious beginning. In his first-ever trial, the Jackson native forgot his client’s name in court. Nonetheless, Stewart earned high marks from people involved in the trial and he’s since forged a nice career with the Flowood Law Firm of Vic Carmody, Jr. His area of practice is primarily on representing individuals charged with crimi-
nal offenses such as DUI. One of Stewart’s passions about his job is teaching CLE classes and having the opportunity to teach fellow attorneys about handling DUI cases. A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, Stewart received his law degree from the Mississippi College School of Law. An active member of Cleary Baptist Church, he also serves as a volunteer with the Southwest Rankin Fire Department. Stewart enjoys spending time with his family, and hunting and fishing when he’s not working.
Adam Stone Jones Walker, LLP
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DAM STONE is a partner with Jones Walker’s Business & Commercial Litigation Practice Group in Jackson. He is a U.S. Green Building Council LEED accredited professional and focuses his practice on complex construction, fidelity and surety and commercial disputes. Stone has experience litigating disputes on behalf of contractors, material suppliers and design professionals. A 1996 graduate of the University
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of Mississippi School of Law, Stone’s practice also covers unique aspects of U.C.C. law and disputes related to contracts and payments. Additionally, he has experience in Daubert proceedings and has successfully challenged experts in litigation. Stone has authored several works, including the Mississippi section of the Guide to State Procurement; A 50 State Primer on Purchasing Laws, Processes and Procedures. An active member of St. Columb’s Episcopal Church, Stone also serves on the board of the Mississippi Opera.
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Alec Taylor Krebs Farley
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LEC TAYLOR is a senior associate in the Jackson law office of Krebs, Farley & Pelleteri, PLLC. Since joining the firm, his practice has centered on construction litigation, government contracts, commercial litigation and the representation of sureties. Before graduating magna cum laude from the Mississippi College School of Law, Taylor earned his B.S. in psychology from Mississippi State University. During work on
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his Master’s at MSU, Taylor was charged with operating the psychology lab, where experiments on jury decision making variables were researched. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Bar Association, Construction Industry Forum and Jackson Young Lawyers. Taylor was recognized as one of Mississippi’s 50 leading lawyers by the Mississippi Business Journal in 2012. Married with two sons, Taylor and his family are active members of Highland Presbyterian Church.
Phelps Dunbar LLP
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NATIVE OF Neshoba County, Frank Trapp practices in the area of general litigation for Jackson-based law firm Phelps Dunbar. He has extensive experience in the areas of anti-trust, “whitecollar criminal defense” (including health care, environmental, bankruptcy, tax, and antitrust matters), grand jury investigations, professional malpractice, Federal False Claims Act, and federal and state civil and criminal trial practice.
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Trapp also has worked as an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, Anti-trust Division, and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. He received both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Mississippi, where he played football and earned All-SEC honors as a linebacker. An active member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Trapp served on the Vestry and as Chairman of the annual stewardship campaign. He is married with five children and nine grandchildren.
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Ronnie Walton Glover, Young, Hammack, Walton & Simmons
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RIOR TO LAUNCHING his law career, Ronnie Walton worked as a chemical engineer for Milliken & Company, one of the world’s leading textile and chemical corporations. But after two years, the Carthage native decided he wanted to practice law. Today, Walton is a partner with Meridian law firm Glover, Young, Hammack, Walton & Simmons. His 39 years of experience includes civil litigation, commercial and residential real estate, and wills and
estates. Additionally, the University of Mississippi School of Law graduate served four years as Municipal Court judge for the City of Meridian. A Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation and American Bar Foundation, Walton has served as past president of the Lauderdale County Bar Association. Active in various charitable organizations, he is general counsel and secretary of the Phil Hardin Foundation and past president of the East Mississippi Community Foundation.
Trey Watkins Forman Perry Watkins Krutz & Tardy LLP
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REY WATKINS represents clients based on the belief that creative ideas, dedication to hard work and innovative strategies produce better legal results than traditional approaches. Watkins is a partner with Jackson law firm Forman Perry Watkins Krutz & Tardy, where his main areas of practice include commercial and environmental litigation, personal injury, product liability and construction litigation.
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A University of Mississippi School of Law graduate, Watkins believes in his firm’s philosophy of the joint defense concept to provide clients with high-quality representation. With extensive experience representing clients at the appellate level, he has managed the defense of over 1,500 claims involving alleged exposures to dioxins, PAH’s, and other chemicals involving a local wood treatment facility. Watkins also has delivered several seminar presentations on pretrial settlement matters.
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Robert ‘Bob’ Whitwell
Chancery Judge, 18th Judicial District
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S A CHANCERY judge, Robert Whitwell feels his most valuable personal skill is a good judicial temperament mixed with common sense to make equitable decisions. Whitwell was appointed to serve the 18th Judicial District by Governor Phil Bryant in 2013 to fill the vacated seat of the late Judge Ed Roberts. Prior to his appointment, Whitwell served as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi,
which includes 37 counties. Additionally, the Memphis native has practiced law for 42 years with an emphasis in automobile and negligence law, workers’ compensation and family law. One of Whitwell’s heroes is the late President Ronald Reagan, who nominated the University of Mississippi School of Law graduate for the post in 1985. An active member of the OxfordUniversity United Methodist Church since 1993, Whitwell enjoys playing golf, and duck and quail hunting in his leisure time.
Shanda Yates Burns & Associates, PLLC
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HANDA YATES’ story about meeting her husband could be a scene from a romantic comedy – she met Yancy Burns when he was suing one of her clients. Today, Yates is a partner with her husband at Jackson-based Burns & Associates. Her practice focuses primarily on premises liability litigation, which involves everything from routine slip-and-fall litigation to more complex inadequate security cases.
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She practices in both state and federal courts, and is well-versed in federal practice and procedure. Yates earned a B.A. in English from the University of Southern Mississippi and received her law degree from Mississippi College School of Law, where she graduated cum laude and served as case note/comment editor of the law review journal. A member of the Junior League of Jackson and the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association, Yates served as editor-in-chief of the MDLA Quarterly from 2010-2012.
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