Associations · Mississippi Bar Association · Texas Bar Association Legal Experience · Over twenty-five years experience in commercial litigation in State and Federal trial and appellate courts. · Took lead in representing Receiver of a Federal Land Bank seeking to rescind sale of 1.8 million acres of mineral rights to sister bank. Seven-figure settlement reached after one week of State Court bench trial. · Took lead in representing Estate in Tax Court trial re: valuation of controlling interest in closely-held corporation. Settlement reached after trial and before ruling from Court reduced multi-million dollar tax deficiency by over 98%. · Examined all environmental experts in Tax Court case involving the value of a Mississippi site used for underground atomic bomb tests. Settlement reached after trial and before ruling from Court transformed multi-million dollar tax deficiency into multi-million dollar tax refund. · Extensive experience counseling insurance companies and insureds on duty to defend, duty to indemnify, duty to settle, and related coverage questions. · Extensive experience assisting heavy equipment, truck, automobile dealers and other retailers in resolving customer disputes prior to litigation. · In re Oxford Expositions, LLC, 2011 WL 3510907 (Bkrtcy.N.D.Miss.) (motion to dismiss defamation and related claims). · U.S. v. 73.92 Acres of Land, 2011 WL 3471096 (S.D.Miss.) (motion to compel) · Double Quick, Inc. v. Lymas, 50 So.3d 292 (Miss. 2010) (reversing and rendering $4 million premises liability verdict). · Reunion, Inc. v. F.A.A., 2010 WL 1759562 (S.D.Miss.) (FOIA). · Reunion, Inc. v. F.A.A., 719 F.Supp.2d 700, 702 (S.D.Miss. 2010) (APA, Bivens). · Reunion, Inc. v. United States of America, 90 Fed. Cl. 576 (Fed. Cl. 2009) (striking government insufficient defenses, and granting summary judgment on liability for just compensation under the Fifth Amendment). · Mississippi Phosphates Corp. v. Furnace and Tube Serv., Inc., 2010 WL 384735, 3 (S.D.Miss.) (lost profits). · Mississippi Phosphates Corp. v. Furnace and Tube Service, Inc., 2009 WL 1448967 (S.D. Miss.) (coverage, under CGL, for lost profits due to construction mishap). · Frankin Corp. v. Tedford, 18 So.3d 215 (Miss. 2009) (rejecting substantial certainty test for intentional tort exception to worker s comp exclusivity rule). · U-Save Auto Rental of America, Inc. v. Furlo, 608 F.Supp. 3d 718 (S.D. Miss. 2009) (enforcement of arbitration agreement, and resulting arbitration award; federal jurisdiction amount in controversy). · Jordan v. Burlington Northern Santa Fe R. Co., 2009 WL 112561 (TN App.) (affirming $4 million FELA verdict). · Barbour v. State ex rel. Hood, 974 So.2d 232 (dispute between Governor and Attorney General over special election to fill U.S. Senate vacancy). · Watts v. Radiator Specialty, 990 So.2d 143 (Miss. 2008) (affirming j.n.o.v. on benzene lymphoma claim) (amicus brief re: Daubert). · Paint Plus Pro Center v. PPG Architectural Finishes, Inc., 2008 WL 241595 (S.D. Miss.) (good faith and fair dealing; franchise agreement). · Canadian National/Illinois Central R. Co. v. Hall, 953 So.2d 1084 (Miss. 2007) (affirming $1.5 million FELA verdict). · Lexington Ins. Co. v. Hattiesburg Medical Park Management Corp., 2007 WL 2011288 (S.D. Miss.) (duty to defend, bad faith). · H&E Equipment Services, LLC v. Floyd, 959 So.2d 578 (Miss. App. 2007) (heavy equipment lease-purchase dispute). · Paz v. Brush Engineered Materials, Inc. 2007 WL 14891 (Miss.) (rejecting independent claim for medical monitoring) (amicus brief). · Ferrara v. Walters, 919 So.2d 876 (Miss. 2006) (amicus, on motion for rehearing) (marketable title). · Sanderson Farms Inc. v. Ballard, 917 So.2d 783 (Miss. 2005) (arbitration, chancery jurisdiction, and venue in poultry growers contract dispute). · Home Ins. Co. v. Mississippi Insurance Guaranty Association, 904 So.2d 95 (Miss. 2004) (declaratory judgment). · U-Save v. Moses, 80 Fed. Appx. 929 (5th Cir. 2003) (trade secrets and non-compete). · Booker v. American General Life and Accident Ins. Co., 257 F.Supp.2d 850 (S.D.Miss. 2003) (insurance sales practices). · Toxco, Inc. v. Transchem, LLC, 42 Fed. Appx. 712 (6th Cir. 2002) (breach of contract). · American Bankers Ins. Co. v. Booth, 830 So.2d 1205 (Miss 2002) ("equitable class action" and lender-placed property insurance). · Gipson v. Fleet Mortg. Group, Inc. 232 F. Supp. 2d 691 (S.D. Miss. 2002) (lender-placed insurance). · Reed v. American General Life & Acc. Ins. Co., 192 F.Supp.2d 641 (N.D.Miss. 2002) (insurance sales practices). · American Bankers Ins. Co. v. Wells, 819 So.2d 1196 (Miss. 2001) (lender-placed property insurance). · American Bankers Ins. Co. v. Alexander, 818 So.2d 1073 (Miss. 2001) (lender-placed property insurance). · Byrd v. Pioneer Life, 214 F.3d 1350 (5th Cir. 2000) (fraudulent joinder of insurance agent). · Olexy v. Interstate Assurance Co., 113 F. Supp. 2d 1045 (S.D. Miss. 2000) (Fair Credit Reporting Act). · Fulgham v. Woodmen of the World, 212 F.3d 594 (5th Cir. 2000) (fraternal benefit society life insurance). · Gulf Guaranty Insurance Co. v. Connecticut General Life Ins. Co., 957 F. Supp. 839 (S.D. Miss. 1997) (arbitration under reinsurance treaty). · Baptiste v. Archway Cookies, Inc., 675 So.2d 316 (Miss. 1996) (worker's compensation; statute of limitations). · Loe v. Howard, 617 So. 2d 999 (Miss. 1992) (business broker fee dispute). · LTV Energy Products Co. v. Chaparral Inspection Co., 827 S.W. 2d 593 (Tex. App.-Hous. [1 Dist.] 1992) (down-hole failure of oil well casing). · Mercantile Nat. Bank at Dallas v. Bradford Trust Co., 850 F.2d 215 (5th Cir. 1988) (declaratory judgment re: lost stock certificate). · Equitable Mortgage Corp. v. Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Co., 791 F. Supp. 620 (S.D. Miss 1990) (recission of mortgage insurance policy for material misrepresentation). · James Myers & Associates, Inc. v. National Development Co., Inc. 722 S. W. 2d 491 (Tex.App-Dallas 1986) (business broker fee dispute). Papers, Presentations & Publications · "Dating our Briefs and Opinions '1999' - Bench and Bar Overlook Two Big Changes to the Scope of Discovery," The MDLA Quarterly (Winter 2010). · "Improper Closing Argument in Civil Trials" The Mississippi Lawyer (July/September 2009). · "Profile of Hon. Rhesa Hawkins Barksdale", Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Lawyer (January 2008). · "You Watch Your Phraseology," For the Defense (January 2007). · "Tell Me a Story!" Certworthy (Winter 2006). · "The 'First-to-File' Rule and Parallel Litigation," Contract Litigation from A to Z (March 2006 seminar). |