William S. Painter

David Ayers was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1983 and is admitted to all state and federal courts in Mississippi and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He also has handled cases in a number of other states under pro hac vice privileges. David's experience includes commercial litigation, premises litigation and general personal injury litigation, with an emphasis on automotive, heavy equipment, industrial equipment and recreational product litigation. His cases of ...

William L. Smith, Sr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Environmental Law and Litigation - Real Estate. William L., who practices law in Jackson, Mississippi, has been recognized since 1995. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Christopher Solop leads the firm’s Construction Litigation and Government Contracts sections. Chris has extensive experience representing clients in all areas of construction and government contracts, including pre- and post award protests, equitable adjustment and claim preparation, and litigation. Chris’s practice also includes arbitration and mediation of complex construction claims. Chris's experience in construction law and litigation spans more than thirty (30) years. Repres...

Mark D. Jicka was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1991. He is currently on the Steering Committee for DRI's Products Liability Committee and serves as the Expert Witness Chair for that Committee. His practice focuses on defending manufacturers at trial and on appeal. He has handled cases for clients in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana and Kentucky. His cases of note include Bailey v. Lockheed Martin Corp., 261 Fed. Appx. 713, 2008 U.S. App. LEXIS 1006, January 17, 2008;...

Jennifer is a partner in Balch’s Jackson office and holds licenses in Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi. She is an experienced litigation attorney who practices primary in the areas of product liability, toxic and environmental torts, wrongful death, and negligence cases. For more than 18 years Jennifer has defended a myriad of product manufacturers and possesses specialized knowledge in silica litigation defense. Jennifer has defended thousands of silica claims across the Southeast for l...

Eric Toney is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Eric, who practices law in Ridgeland, Mississippi, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Eric is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Rick is a member of the Tort, Transportation and Specialized Litigation Group. He represents companies, businesses, property owners, individuals, and insurers defending various types of personal injury and product liability claims throughout the United States. He has been recognized by BL Rankings, The Best Lawyers in America® and Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers® and is AV®-Preeminent™ Peer-Reviewed Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®.

Todd Butler represents clients in matters involving employment, civil rights and appellate issues. He is general counsel to the Mississippi Municipal Liability Plan, the Mississippi Municipal Workers’ Compensation Group, and the Mississippi Municipal Service Company. Todd has successfully represented municipalities, law enforcement officers and companies, serving as counsel in nearly 100 reported decisions and having presented oral arguments in both federal and state courts throughout t...

C. Phillip Buffington, Jr. advises financial institutions throughout the United States on federal and state banking laws and regulations. For more than 30 years, he has served as a trusted advisor to community, regional and national financial institutions, helping them to assess and analyze regulatory and litigation risks. Phil advises on a full range of issues, including corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, expansion and divestitures, de novo formations and charter conversions, ba...

Jason L. Poulson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Finance Law, Economic Development Law, Real Estate Law and Securitization and Structured Finance Law. Jason L., who practices law in Jackson, Mississippi, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jason L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.