James B. "Rus" Sykes III

Consistently recognized by Best Lawyers in America® and Mid-South Super Lawyers® in the areas of Product Liability and Commercial Litigation, Mike is also among an elite group of lawyers recognized by Who’s Who Legal: Product Liability Defense as the best in the United States. Mike is AV®-Preeminent™ Peer Review rated by Martindale-Hubbell® , is a member of the Product Liability Advisory Council and International Association of Defense Counsel and serves on the Ste...

John Giddens is the founding member of Giddens Law Firm, a personal injury law firm in Jackson, Mississippi. He established the firm in 1999, dedicated to those who cannot help themselves. Mr. Giddens is a victim’s rights advocate who chooses to represent the interests of individuals over corporations. His practice is devoted to helping Mississippians seek justice after an accident caused by negligence. Mr. Giddens has extensive experience in several areas of legal practice, including l...

Spencer J. Flatgard is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative / Regulatory Law and Government Relations Practice. Spencer J., who practices law in Jackson, Mississippi, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Spencer J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Bill Creel was born in Biloxi, Mississippi and has been licensed to practice in the State of Mississippi since 1990. Bill has litigated matters in state and federal courts. Bill has a varied litigation practice involving, among other things, personal injury defense, premises liability and insurance coverage matters. Bill and his wife are proud parents of three boys. The Creels attend Pear Orchard Presbyterian Church.

Barber focuses his practice on commercial litigation issues including intellectual property, trade secrets, false advertising, breach of contract, and cybersecurity issues, as well as a variety of other types of commercial and environmental litigation. Barber has experience defending third party administrators in bad faith litigation. Barber’s practice includes matters with complex e-discovery issues, including handling issues relating to identification, preservation and collection of e...

LaToya Merritt, a community leader and experienced litigator, aims to assist her clients make the best decisions whether that includes taking a case to trial or working to resolve a case through alternative resolutions. She has been recognized by a number of media outlets as an active and engaged member of the Jackson community through devoting her time to volunteer with Mississippi organizations. For nearly 20 years, LaToya has practiced exclusively in the area of labor and employment with a...

Parker serves as the Practice Group Leader of the Firm’s Regulatory and Government Relations Practice Group. Parker’s practice includes representing a variety of state and local governmental bodies or private parties needing regulatory approvals and/or economic development incentives before such bodies. As a result, Parker has a breadth of experience and knowledge in navigating regulatory, administrative economic development and litigation matters for both public and private clients.

Elizabeth Boone advises clients on business transactions and compliance matters domestically and internationally, including contract negotiation, establishment and maintenance of legal entities, establishment of terms and conditions for the sale of goods, privacy compliance matters, employment matters and real estate transactions. She also has assisted with private entity mergers, acquisitions and divestitures in various industries with purchase prices in varying ranges, including a deal valu...

For over 30 years, Tim has represented businesses and management in employment litigation, restrictive covenant litigation and strategic counseling throughout the country. He is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Attorneys, and has been recognized by Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America and Mid-South Super Lawyers for many years.

Paul L. Gunn was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1983. His experience spans from real estate and commercial finance to corporate and securities, including representation of developers, lenders and title companies on commercial, multifamily and tax credit projects. Paul's legal work has earned him many honors, including The Best Lawyers in America , Chambers USA -America's Leading Lawyers for Business (Real Estate) and Mid-South Super Lawyers . Paul was also elected to fellowship in the Ame...