Holmes Adams joined Adams and Reese in 1996 and helped to open the Jackson office. With more than 30 years of experience in a wide range of federal and state court litigation, Holmes has focused his practice on education law and estate and tax matters.
He has been named in Best Lawyers® in the field of estate and probate work and has litigated in federal and state courts throughout Mississippi. He also has experience in the area of health care.
His significant contributions include:
· Serving as defense counsel on employment and labor issues and successfully defending §1983 actions in federal court. He has argued several cases before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has also taken cases to the United States Supreme Court.
· Handling unitary status hearings in federal court to remove school districts from continued court supervision.
· Advising families on their business and estate matters.
· Representing public bodies in almost every phase of their business, especially in defense of civil rights lawsuits and labor and employment matters.
· Serving as past Chair of the Mississippi Law Institute. He was also recently selected as one of the Mid-South Super Lawyers in trusts and estates.
Holmes is a former Chair of the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Museum of Art, where he also served as President of the Museum Foundation. He served as general counsel for the Metro Jackson United Way and was Chair of the Board for 2003-04. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Junior League of Jackson and serves on several foundation boards, including the Eudora Welty Foundation and the Luckyday Foundation. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Stewpot Community Services, which helps homeless and needy people in Jackson.
Professional Memberships / Affiliations
American Bar Association
Mississippi Bar Association
Capital Area Bar Association
Mississippi School Boards Association
Mississippi Economic Council, Board of Governors
President, Mississippi Museum of Art Foundation
Metro Jackson United Way
Stewpot Community Services, Chairman
Eudora Welty Foundation, Chairman
Junior League of Jackson, Advisory Board
Luckyday Foundation, Chair, Board of Managers
St. Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral, Senior Warden, Vestryman
Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi, Trustee
Other Distinctions
AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Best Lawyers® - Trusts and Estates
Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year - Trusts and Estates 2011
Mid-South Super Lawyers® - Estate Planning and Probate
Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corporation, Advisory Board