Joseph E. "Jody" Varner III

Eric Toney is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Insurance Law and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Eric practices law in Ridgeland, Mississippi Best Lawyers has recognized Eric Toney since 2018. 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 Eric Toney is held by other lawyers.

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...

John T. Rouse represents corporate clients in private civil litigation in state and federal courts throughout the Southeast. He focuses a substantial portion of his practice handling complex civil litigation filed against financial institutions, domestic and foreign product manufacturers, automotive finance and insurance companies, and national insurance companies. John has extensive experience handling matters for banks, mortgage lenders, and mortgage servicers surrounding federal and state ...

Kristina Johnson is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. She provides sophisticated counsel in complex and what are often cross-jurisdictional bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, workouts, receiverships, commercial litigation, and collection matters. Described as "an expert bankruptcy litigator" in Chambers USA 2020, Kristina has represented secured and unsecured creditors, buyers of assets in bankruptcy sales, contract parties, trustees, and unsecured creditors' committees and deb...

Lynn Thompson has practiced extensively in construction law and litigation, government contracts and procurement (federal state, and local) law, grants law, commercial litigation and transactions, and business consulting for over 26 years. Lynn is deeply skilled in these areas of practice—as counsel for plaintiffs and defendants—and has successfully represented prime contractors, subcontractors, private and public owners, and suppliers in scores of lawsuits, arbitrations, bid prot...

JoJo Adams is a partner in the Labor & Employment Practice Group. He focuses his practice on discrimination, harassment, and other employment-related litigation. JoJo has extensive experience in employee and supervisor training related to workplace conduct issues and litigating wage-and-hour collective actions. He also has experience in unfair labor practice litigation against unions and in collective bargaining negotiations. JoJo also provides daily employment advice to clients in public...

Mike Ellingburg has been engaged in the active practice of law since May 1976. He practiced at Daniel Coker Horton & Bell, P.A. from that date until December 31, 2019, when he left and started his own firm. While at Daniel Coker he led the firm's Appellate Law and Commercial/Business Litigation practices and was active in advancing the firm’s technological capabilities and usage. He has litigated complex matters in nearly every industry, with extensive experience in banking, closely...

A business lawyer with a primary focus on middle market transactions, Jeff has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, finance and commercial transactions, corporate law, bank regulation, and legal opinions.

Tommie is a member and former Practice Group Leader for the Regulatory and Government Relations Group. His practice is focused on redistricting and voting rights, administrative law, government relations and environmental law.

Susan L. Steffey was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1987 and to the Mississippi Bar in 1991. She is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Mississippi and Florida and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Before joining Watkins & Eager in 1991, Susan practiced in Tampa, Florida, with the law firm of Sessums & Mason (1987-1990), and served as law clerk to the Honorable Rhesa H. Barksdale, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (1990-19...