Professional Notes

Gov. Haley Barbour (JD 73) was honored at the Madison County Foundation’s 14th annual meeting and was awarded the Dudley R. Bozeman Leadership Award, the foundation’s highest award. The honor recognizes “a Mississippian who has worked for the betterment of the community or region; has served as a catalyst for positive action; exhibits the highest standards of community leadership, dedication, ability and innovation; and is a person of selfless character and a visionary focused on the road ahead.”

William Wright (74) is the first and only Mississippian to be named to the American College of Family Trial Lawyers. The college is limited to only 100 members of the top family trial lawyers from across the country. Members are chosen based on their recognized litigation skills and courtroom abilities.

John C. Henegan (JD 76), a partner in the Jackson office of Butler, Snow, O’Mara, Stevens & Cannada, was asked to join the Academy of Appellate Lawyers, an organization whose membership is by invitation only with just 228 fellows nationwide.

Jamie G. Houston (JD 76), a partner in the Jackson law firm of Watkins & Eager, was selected to serve as co-chair of the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Business Reform-Trust Laws Study Group.

M. James Chaney Jr. (JD 77) of Vicksburg was appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour to serve as Ninth District Circuit Court Judge.

Richard A. Courtney (JD 77) of Jackson was named the recipient of this year’s Theresa Award, a community service award presented annually by the Theresa Allessandra Russo Foundation. The presentation is made by the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys in recognition of the recipient’s advocacy of individuals with disabilities. Courtney is one of the founding partners of Franscogna Courtney in Jackson.

James O. Palmer Jr. (JD 77) rejoined Butler, Snow, O’Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC. He also completed a presidential appointment as regional administrator for Region IV of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Ret. Rear Adm. Jamie Barnett (JD 84) was appointed to the position of bureau chief of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau in Washington, D.C. Barnett retired in 2008 after 32 years of service in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve.

Felicia Dunn Burkes (JD 84) was sworn in as a full-time municipal judge for Harrison County. She previously served as a city prosecutor for Gulfport, served one year as assistant special counsel for the Louisiana Judicial Commission and has been in private practice.

J. Carter Thompson Jr. (JD 84), a partner at Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz in the Jackson office, was promoted to leader of the product liability and mass tort group. He will oversee more than 70 professionals across from the firm’s 15 offices. Lynn Fitch (JD 85) was appointed executive director of the State Personnel Board. She previously served as deputy executive director of external affairs and support services of the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.

Joey Shelton (JD 85), pastor at Galloway United Methodist Church, was the commencement speaker at Pearl River Community College in May. He is a 1980 graduate of PRCC and practiced law for nine years before entering the ministry.

Arthur C. Rhodes (JD 85) serves as president and CEO of the Church of God Benefits Board, Inc., in Cleveland, Tenn. The board oversees $250 million in investments and manages pension plans for ministers and church-related employees. He previously served for 10 years on Capitol Hill as chief of staff, legal counsel and adviser on legislative matters to U.S. Rep. Mike Parker.

Paula Graves Ardelean (JD 86) was selected a fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. She is a partner in the labor and employment group in the Jackson office of Butler, Snow, O’Mara, Stevens and Cannada.

Rodney Faver (JD 87) was appointed municipal court judge for the city of Starkville.

R. David Marchetti (JD 89) was selected as president of the Estate Planning Council of Mississippi. He is a partner in the Jackson firm of Wells Marble & Hurst.

Dinetia Hamilton Newman (JD 89) joined the Jackson office of Balch & Bingham and is a partner in the Health Law Practice Group. She is secretary of the American Health Lawyers Association’s board and chairs the organization’s Practice Groups Board Committee. Richard W. Wackerfuss (JD 89) is a member of the Germantown, Tenn., law firm of Stewart & Wilkinson, PLLC. He practices in the areas of civil litigation and insurance defense.

Kim C. Bouchillon (JD 91) has become a board-certified specialist as recognized by the Florida Bar. This is Florida’s highest level of recognition of competency and professionalism and is awarded to fewer than 2 percent of the state’s attorneys. He is an attorney with Lilly, O’Toole & Brown, with a practice focusing on plaintiff’s personal injury, insurance disputes and commercial and construction litigation.

M. Kemmerly Thomas (JD 91) of McConnaughhay, Duffy, Coonrad, Pope & Weaver, PA, was selected as a Florida Super Lawyer for the third consecutive year in recognition of her practice in worker’s compensation defense.

Patricia E. Herlihy (JD 92) joined the Jackson office of Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis. She is a litigator with 16 years of experience in the areas of family law, insurance defense and construction law.

Keith Pearson (JD 93) opened The Pearson Firm in Oxford, practicing in the areas of criminal defense, domestic relations, personal injury and worker’s compensation.

Neely C. Carlton (JD 94) joined the Mississippi State Medical Association.

Jason S. Ehrlinspiel (JD 95) is an assistant U.S. attorney in Sacramento, Calif.

Curtis Ivy Jr. (JD 95) is an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi in Oxford.

Julie Ratliff (JD 95) joined the Jackson law firm of Jeffery P. Reynolds, PA. Her areas of practice include construction litigation, collection litigation, bankruptcy, insurance defense, corporation litigation and civil defense litigation.

Adam Stone (JD 96) earned LEED Professional Accreditation through the U.S. Green Building Council. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design professionals are those who have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices. Stone is a shareholder in the Jackson law firm of Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis and is one of only two LEED professionals in the state.

Maj. Lanny Acosta Jr. (JD 98) and his wife, Tabitha Gray Acosta (JD 98), are relocating from Arlington, Va., with the U.S. Army JAG to Fort Leavenworth, Kan. While there, Lanny Acosta will attend the Army’s Intermediate Level Education Advanced Warfighter Operations course. He was one of only 23 JAG majors selected to attend the program this year.

John C. Gargiulo (JD 98) was recently sworn in as circuit court judge for the Second Circuit Court District after being appointed to the bench by Gov. Haley Barbour to fill the position vacated by retiring judge Jerry O. Terry Sr.

Dustin N. Thomas (JD 98) opened his own law firm in Pascagoula.

M. Craig Robertson (JD 99) returned to solo practice, Robertson & Associates, PLLC, in family law and litigation and mediation in Ridgeland.

Derek H. Moreton (JD 00) is an academic account manager at Thomson Reuters in Oxford.

Lisa A. Repetto (JD 00) earned LEED Professional Accreditation through the U.S. Green Building Council. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design professionals are those who have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices. Repetto is a shareholder in the Jackson law firm of Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis and is one of only two LEED professionals in the state.

Daniel “Danny” Scott Andersen (JD 01) is an attorney with the CIA’s Office of General Counsel. Following his graduation from law school, Andersen was a U.S. Naval JAG officer for four years, clerked for a judge and worked two years in the OGC’s Litigation Department. He has spent the past seven months in operations in the Near Eastern and South Asian Division of the agency.

Jason Richard Bush (JD 01) was elected a shareholder at Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz. He practices primarily in the area of commercial property and product litigation and is based in the Jackson office of the firm.

Benjamin S. Dorfman (JD 01) is an associate in the Atlanta law firm of Hawkins & Parnell, LLP. His areas of practice include civil litigation, environmental law and toxic torts.

Matthew G. McLaughlin (JD 01) is an associate in the Atlanta law firm of Hawkins & Parnell, LLP. His areas of practice include business litigation, bad faith and coverage litigation, professional negligence, transportation and legal malpractice.

Amanda Tyre Watson (JD 01) was named acting state law librarian overseeing the state law library in the Gartin Justice Building in Jackson.

David Brooks (JD 02) practices real estate law in Macon, Ga.

Samuel D. Wright (03) is an assistant U.S. attorney in Oxford.

Douglas B. Hargett (JD 05) is an associate with the Tuscumba, Ala., law firm of Hall & Tanner, PC.

LaToya Funchess Cherry (JD 06) is an attorney adviser for the Social Security Administration’s Office of Disability Adjudication and Review in Jackson.

Nicholas Denson Garrard (JD 06) is a law clerk to Judge Richard A. Smith of the Fourth Circuit Court District in Greenwood.

Lynn Parker (JD 06) is a special assistant to the chief privacy officer at the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C.

R. Fant Walker (JD 06) was sworn in as full-time municipal judge for Harrison County. He previously served as an assistant district attorney for Harrison County.

Joshua S. Kyle (07) joined the New York office of Sullivan & Cromwell, LLP. Kyle was previously a clerk to Judge Rhesa H. Barksdale on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Bethany C. Bryant (JD 08) joined the Tupelo law firm of Mitchell, McNutt & Sams, concentrating on the practice areas of medical and other professional liability claims and personal injury and general litigation matters.

Nicholas J. Greene (JD 08) is an associate with the Jackson law firm of Carroll Warren & Parker.

Jennifer Watts Wright (JD 08) is an associate with Holcomb Dunbar in Oxford.

Price Wilson Donahoo (JD 09) is an associate at Copeland, Cook, Taylor, and Bush.

Marriages

Shelia Jo Hendricks (JD 94) to Christopher Courtland Hode, May 16, 2009

Charity Hilderbrandt (JD 05) to Randy Rohifs, March 15, 2009

Christopher Sinclair Lydick (JD 07) to Craig Hey, July 14, 2009

Kristina M. Edwards (BA 09) to Joshua S. Kyle (JD 07), May 23, 2009

Ann Marie Mayers (JD 07) to Austin Brady Pate, Feb. 28, 2009

Ann Marie Dykes to Heidle Carter Smith (JD 07), June 6, 2009

Laurel Diana Miller to Price Wilson Donahoo (JD 09), May 23, 2009

Lauren Elizabeth Lee to Brant James Ryan (JD 09), Aug. 8, 2009

Births

George Walter Anthony, son of Joan Lucas Anthony (JD 05) and R. Cory Anthony (JD 04), Nov. 22, 2008

Thomas Spencer Yeichan Bomar, son of DeAnn Thomas Bomar (JD 98) and Spencer A. Bomar, born July 25, 2008, at home June 4, 2009

Mary Laurel Boykin, daughter of Lorraine Walters Boykin (JD 03) and T.L. “Smith” Boykin III (JD 03), Sept. 9, 2009

Teagan McKenna Buck, daughter of Tameka Wilder Buck (JD 04) and Tondre T. Buck (MD 05), May 11, 2009

Mason Gray Edmonson, son of Macey Lynd Edmonson (JD 01) and Simpson “Gray” Edmonson (JD 01), Aug. 11, 2009

May Cannon Garrard, daughter of Mary “Beebe” S. Garrard (JD 06) and Nicholas Denson Garrard (JD 06), April 27, 2009

Joseph Reed Kilgore, son of Beth Kilgore and D. Joseph “Joey” Kilgore (JD 03), July 16, 2009

Katherine Alexandra Paine, daughter of Elizabeth and Robert H. Paine (JD 02), June 12, 2009

Biven Barksdale Patterson, son of Tresa Barksdale Patterson (JD 07) and Eric L. Patterson (JD 07), May 13, 2009

Bailey J. Prestage, daughter of Jessi Prestage and William Daniel Prestage (JD 05), Sept. 9, 2009

Emily Jane Reynolds, daughter of Rebecca Taylor Reynolds and Jeff Reynolds (JD 85), June 5, 2009

Emma Claudia Waits, daughter of Michelle Clingan Waits (JD 04) and Samuel J. Waits Jr. (MD 96), Feb. 3, 2009

Noah Ellis Williams, son of Erica Williams and Juan T. Williams (JD 08), Aug. 28, 2009

In Memoriam

David Michael Holly (JD 89) of Madison, April 23, 2009

Crawford Denton Gibbes Jr. (LLB 48) of Laurel, Aug. 29, 2009

Retired Circuit Court Judge Robert L. Goza Jr. (LLB 56) of Canton, Aug. 22, 2009

Tommy E. Furby (JD 77) of Brandon, April 11, 2009

Eaton A. “Beadie” Lang Jr. (LLB 50) of Gulfport, Sept. 19, 2009

Chancery Court Judge Kennie E. Middleton (JD 74) of Fayette, Sept. 17, 2009

Brig. Gen. Edmund Warren Montgomery II (LLB 47) of Jackson, April 14, 2009

Laura Dean Eaves Murphy (JD 00), of Booneville, May 2, 2009