Stanley Q. Smith

Art is the coordinator of our 24-Hour Accident Investigation Team and our Autonomous Vehicle Technology Group. He has extensive experience in Product Liability Law, Transportation Law/Trucking Defense, and Automotive/Recreational Vehicle Law.

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...

Joseph G. Baladi was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 2000 and the Mississippi Bar in 2001. Since joining Watkins & Eager, Joe's experience has included numerous pharmaceutical litigations, medical malpractice bench and jury trials, and product liability trials. Joe's involved in several professional organizations and serves as co-chair of Watkins & Eager's Mass Tort and Repetitive Exposure practice group. Joe regularly speaks and presents on the subjects of science at trial, Daubert i...

Margaret Oertling Cupples writes briefs and motions, and manages other lawyers who write them, in civil appeals and commercial litigation. As litigators and their clients know, a vanishingly small percentage of cases actually get to trial; for the rest, a great brief is the way to win. As national legal writing counsel in major litigation for 3M Company, Margaret’s individual contributions and her strong collaboration with colleagues have brought significant value to 3M for two decades....

Haley’s practice is focused on commercial litigation, business torts and unfair competition, and insurance coverage. She has been named a Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers Mid-South Rising Star in Business Litigation since 2016 and among the BL Rankings, Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch in Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, and Appellate Practice.

Jet has served as investor counsel, counsel to community development entities, leverage lender counsel, and QALICB or Developer counsel in over $800 million in Historic Tax Credits, New Markets Tax Credits and Renewable Energy Tax Credit transactions, including numerous twinned tax credit transactions combining a variety of leverage sources. In addition, Jet has recently focused a large amount of his practice on advising developer and investor clients on Opportunity Zone transactions both est...

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.

Dale G. Russell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law, Litigation - Insurance and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Dale G., who practices law in Ridgeland, Mississippi, has been recognized since 2017. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Dale G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

Dennis Miller is a partner in and co-leads the Government Relations Practice Group, where he focuses on legislative and governmental relations, as well as public utility law. Dennis combines his corporate and public service experience to serve clients across a broad range of industries. Dennis has previously held the position of senate sergeant-at-arms for the Mississippi State Senate and served as a staff attorney in the Senate Legislative Services office. He has also served as senior attorn...