J. Stephen "Steve" Kennedy

Chad Hammons is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. He focuses on creditors’ rights and bankruptcy law, shopping center litigation, agribusiness litigation, and general commercial litigation. Board certified in creditors’ rights law, Chad regularly represents lenders, landlords, and suppliers in state and federal courts in Mississippi in litigation arising out of the debtor/creditor relationship, including commercial and consumer collections, possessory actions, commercial...

Benjamin Bryant is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. Benjamin practices law in Jackson, Mississippi Best Lawyers has recognized Benjamin Bryant since 2026. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Benjamin Bryant is held by othe...

Sai has extensive experience counseling businesses dealing with a wide variety of antitrust issues, from pricing and distribution issues to issues relating to collaborations, joint ventures and acquisitions. He also represents buyers and sellers in business transfers, management buy-out transactions, and business reorganizations. Sai has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America and Mid-South Super Lawyers for his corporate law work.

Julie is an equity shareholder at Hagwood and Tipton. She holds a Master's Degree in Health Law (LL.M. Health Law). As an attorney whose primary focus is health care law, Ms. Mitchell's practice encompasses such matters as: stark, fraud and abuse, Medicare and Medicaid payment issues, corporate compliance, CON law, provider and physician contracts, healthcare corporate matters, hospital law, DMEPOS matters, licensure and certification, HIPAA, nursing home law and healthcare integration. Ms. M...

Stephanie M. Rippee is admitted to the Mississippi and Tennessee Bars. For more than 20 years she has sought to creatively and efficiently resolve legal matters for clients. Her practice focuses on commercial litigation and product liability litigation. She is a recognized public speaker and author and has been selected by Mid-South Super Lawyers as one of the Top 50 Lawyers in Mississippi.

Aileen Thomas is a partner in the Tax Practice Group and a member of the firm’s board of directors. Aileen is a nationally recognized finance attorney with a focus on New Markets Tax Credit transactions, Historic Tax Credit transactions, tax exempt bond transactions and other sophisticated debt financing transactions. Aileen’s clients include national, regional and community banks, underwriting firms, investment funds, community development entities and community development finan...

Alex’s experience includes litigation matters in state and federal courts across the country. He is currently handling disputes in Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, Minnesota, and Kentucky, and has prior litigation experience in Oklahoma, Missouri, Louisiana, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He is comfortable litigating beyond Mississippi and working with local counsel as necessary to achieve the client’s goals. Alex’s ...

Jim Pettis is a member of the Firm’s Trust, Estates & Personal Planning Service Team. He concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning, probate, Elder Law, ERISA and employee benefits, state and federal taxation, business law including contracts, general corporate merger, reorganizations and acquisitions.

Ben serves as General Counsel representing the firm on a variety of issues, including ethics and risk management matters. Ben is also a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Group where he focuses his practice on director and officer defense, trade secret litigation, contract litigation, intellectual property litigation, administrative law, and aviation law.

Spencer Ritchie focuses his practice on political advocacy and political law compliance with substantial experience in general and appellate litigation. Following law school, Spencer clerked for both a federal district court judge (Eastern District of Texas) and a federal appellate court judge (Fifth Circuit). Spencer also has an extensive background in federal, state, and local politics, having worked for a U.S. congressman and U.S. senator, as executive director of a state political party, ...