Lanny Pace

Kathryn Hester is special counsel in the Litigation Practice Group. She focuses her practice on commercial disputes in state and federal courts and before Mississippi state agencies. Kathryn advises and represents clients in litigation, healthcare administrative proceedings, estate challenges, zoning, and gaming law. She has served as adjunct professor at Mississippi College School of Law, where she taught a course in pre-trial practice. She is also a regular lecturer and writer on gaming and...

Thomas R. Julian is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law, Litigation - Insurance, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Thomas R., who practices law in Madison, Mississippi, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Thomas R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Molly Jeffcoat Moody is a partner in the firm’s Real Estate and Banking & Financial Services practice groups with a focus on commercial transactions and complex financing matters. Her work includes significant representation of lenders and borrowers alike in commercial loans and developers in the development, construction, and operations of complex real estate projects. Molly has considerable experience with loan syndications, derivatives (interest rate swaps), and participations. M...

Kathy K. Smith was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1996. She has represented local and national clients in all types of litigation, including mass torts, intellectual property, commercial, personal injury, insurance, products liability, medical malpractice, and environmental matters. She has defended manufacturers of lead paint, mobile homes, and heavy equipment. She has defended an employer involved in extensive PCB litigation and an insurance company sued in asbestos litigation. She has ...

Charles G. Copeland is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law. Charles G., who practices law in Ridgeland, Mississippi, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Charles G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jim Neeld concentrates his practice in: Business and corporate matters Mergers and acquisitions Telecommunications Commercial transactions Corporate finance including early-stage venture financing structures and debt and equity offerings. He has extensive experience and counsels clients in the following: Sales and purchases of businesses Antitrust, distribution and marketing/advertising issues Shareholder and partnership disputes Vendor/customer relationships Executive employment arrangements...

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.

Michael Bentley is a partner in the Jackson, Mississippi office, where he concentrates his practice on appellate and commercial litigation. In addition to his responsibilities at the firm, Michael was elected Chair of the Mississippi Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Section (2013-2014) and currently serves on the Board of Governors for the Bar Association of the Federal Fifth Circuit. Prior to joining the firm, Michael clerked for Judge Leslie H. Southwick at the Fifth Circuit Court...

Walter Willson practices in the areas of commercial litigation, lender liability, insurance defense and complex litigation. He has extensive experience representing consumer credit institutions, banks, finance companies, and other lenders in cases involving consumer and commercial loans, and the purchase of debt protection instruments and/or credit insurance, and advises clients on regulatory issues related to the development and marketing of debt protection products, and has drafted contract...

F. Hall Bailey is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Workers' Compensation Law - Employers. F. Hall, who practices law in Ridgeland, Mississippi, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which F. Hall is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.