R. Scott Wells

Jennifer West Signs is a partner in Balch & Bingham LLP's Gulfport, Mississippi, office and practices primarily in the area of commercial real estate acquisitions, development, and financing as well as general real estate law. She is an authorized signatory with the firm's Mississippi agency with First American Title Insurance Company and has extensive experience in negotiating and issuing complex land title policies for both lenders and owners in multi-million dollar transactions. Ms. Si...

Stephen G. Peresich is a senior member of Page, Mannino, Peresich & McDermott, PLLC. He has extensive experience handling complex insurance defense, medical defense, and personal injury defense litigation. Stephen represents a wide variety of hospitals, medical clinics, physician practice groups, and insurance companies in complicated medical- legal issues. He has represented many business and personal clients throughout his career. Stephen has also been selected as panel counsel for a va...

Leo E. Manuel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Energy Law. Leo E., who practices law in Gulfport, Mississippi, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Leo E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Michael is an experienced litigator who practices in the firm’s Pharmaceutical, Medical Device and Healthcare Group. He has spent the majority of his career defending clients in the pharmaceutical, medical device, biologic, and chemical industries. Michael also served as a JAG Officer in the Army National Guard where he tried numerous cases and presided as a judicial advisor.

Scott Ellzey practices in the areas of commercial litigation and general insurance defense matters involving both third-party liability claims and first-party coverage issues in state and federal court. Additionally, he has extensive experience defending tort claim liability matters, as well as transportation litigation, municipal liability defense claims, products liability claims and professional liability matters. Scott served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Mississippi as pa...

H. Rodger Wilder is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Energy Law. H. Rodger, who practices law in Gulfport, Mississippi, has been recognized since 2001. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which H. Rodger is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

GENERALWilliam Earnest Whitfield, III2449 Summerwood Circle (Home) Gulfport, MS 39507 (228) 896-6933 Copeland, Cook, Taylor & Bush, P.A. (Office) 2781 C.T. Switzer Sr. Drive, Suite 200 Biloxi, Mississippi 39531 P.O. Box 10 Gulfport, Mississippi 39502 228.863.6101 (Switchboard) 228.867.0827 (Direct/Secretary)FAMILY Wife - Anita Robertson Whitfield (married in 1979) Children: Stacey R. Whitfield (20) W. E. Whitfield IV (16) W. M. Whitfield (11) EDUCATIONUniversity of Mobile - B.A. (History-...

Heather Murphy is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law and Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants. Heather, who practices law in Gulfport, Mississippi, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Heather is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Kristi Rogers Brown is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Kristi Rogers, who practices law in Gulfport, Mississippi, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kristi Rogers is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

WILLIAM L. MCDONOUGH, JR., was born in Oxford, Mississippi, July 1, 1950 and graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1972. Following service in the U.S. Navy, returned to the University of Mississippi School of Law, graduating in 1979, joining the firm of Bryant & Stennis in Gulfport, Mississippi. Member: Mississippi State Bar (Board of Bar Commissioners, 1999-2002); Harrison County Bar Association (President, 1996); Captain, United States Navy Reserve, 1972- 1996. Member of the B...