Class Action

Professional Notes

1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, Marriages, Births, In Memoriam

1950s

William A. Allain (50) joined the Oxford office of Timothy R. Balducci, Attorney at Law, as Of Counsel. Allain served as attorney general for the state of Mississippi from 1980-1984; and as governor of Mississippi from 1984-1988.

Lenore Loving Prather (55) was selected as a member of the 2007 Class of Mississippi Trailblazers. This award honors Mississippians who have led the way in breaking down racial and gender barriers to advance diversity and positive race relations.

1960s

Barney E. Eaton III (60) was among 15 attorneys inducted as Fellows of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Lee Davis Thames (60) attended the recent inaugural Best Lawyers Bet-the-Company Form in New York and was listed in the litigation category in the 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. He is a member in the Jackson office of Butler, Snow, O’Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC.

Norman L. Gillespie (61) joined the Oxford office of Timothy R. Balducci, Attorney at Law, as Of Counsel.

Stuart Robinson Sr. (61) joined the Jackson office of Robinson, Biggs, Ingram, Solop & Farris, with his practice focusing on mediation, chancery matters and family law. Prior to joining the firm, he retired from the bench after serving 24 years as Hinds County Chancery Court judge.

Edward J. Peters (62) joined the Oxford office of Timothy R. Balducci, Attorney at Law, as Of Counsel. Peters served as the district attorney for Hinds County from 1972-2000.

James E. Higginbotham (64) joined the Jackson office of Upshaw, Williams, Biggers, Beckham & Riddick, LLP, practicing primarily in workers’ compensation.

Glen H. Davidson (65) took senior status as chief United States district judge of the Northern District of Mississippi.

Reuben V. Anderson (67) received the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award for his devoted service to the public profession and the administration of justice. The award was presented to him at the annual Mississippi Bar Association meeting.

Ralph E. Young Jr. (67) was named a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Membership in this prestigious group is limited to one-third of lawyers licensed to practice in each state. Honorees are nominated by current Fellows in each state and elected by the board of the American Bar Foundation. Young is a partner in the Meridian law firm of Glover, Young, Walton & Simmons.

Derek E. Parker (69) was appointed as county court judge in Yazoo County.

1970s

Rodney E. Shands (72) joined the New Albany office of Timothy R. Balducci, Attorney at Law, as Of Counsel.

H. Hunter Twiford III (72) was selected as president of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. He is the managing partner in the Jackson office of McGlinchey Stafford, PLLC.

Claude F. Clayton Jr. (73) joined the National Arbitration Forum’s national panel of independent and neutral arbitrators and mediators.

William H. Shaheen (73) is serving as the New Hampshire co-chair for presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton.

Robert T. Gordon Jr. (74) announced the establishment of the law office of Robert T. Gordon Jr., PLLC, in Jackson.

Richard C. Roberts (76) is one of 15 attorneys from Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee named a Mid-South Super Lawyer in the field of family law. He is a former president of the Mississippi Bar.

David M. Allen (77) is an attorney in the new Gulf Coast office of Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC, which focuses on commercial matters, including real estate financing and commercial transactions.

Kay B. Cobb (77), a retired Mississippi Supreme Court justice from Oxford, has received the Susie Blue Buchanan Award during the 9th annual Price-Prather Luncheon at the 2007 Mississippi Bar annual meeting. This award honors a female attorney who displays outstanding leadership, dedication and commitment to the advancement of women in the field of law and is named for the first woman sworn into the Supreme Court in 1916.

R. David Kaufman (77) was elected president of the Hinds County Bar Association. He is a shareholder at the Jackson law firm of Brunini, Grantham, Grower, & Hewes, PLLC.

Robert S. Addison (78) was named to the board of directors of the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association. He is a partner in the Jackson office of Daniel, Coker, Horton and Bell.

John M. McCullouch (78) is the recipient of the 2007 Hope Award from the Mississippi Division of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. This award is given to community leaders demonstrating outstanding philanthropic generosity and community service and is the Mississippi Division’s highest award. McCullouch is the retired president of AT&T Mississippi.

Peyton D. Prospere (78) joined the Jackson law firm of Watkins & Eager as a member of the firm.

1980s

Jeff Chostner (80) was elected commissioner of Pueblo County, Colo., and assumed his duties on Jan. 9, 2007. Chostner is a retired colonel from the United States Air Force.

J. Gordon Flowers (80) is now with Brunini, Grantham, Grower and Hughes in their new office in North Mississippi.

James T. Knight (80) and James R. Mozingo formed Knight & Mozingo, PLLC, in Ridgeland, Miss.

Powell G. “Gee” Ogletree (80) was honored with the Hinds County Bar Association’s Professionalism Award.

Amy D. Whitten (80) of The Whitten Group, PA, was selected as one of “Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women” for 2007.

Kathryn H. Hester (82) of Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, PA, was selected as one of “Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women” for 2007.

John T. Kitchens (82) joined the firm of Page, Mannino, Peresich & McDermott, PLLC.

Ann Hannaford Lamar (82) was appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour to the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Richard D. Mitchell (82) is now a member of the Jackson law firm of Wells, Moore, Simmons, Hubbard, PLLC.

J. Tucker Mitchell (83) was selected for membership in the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, an international legal organization. Mitchell was also named one of the Best Lawyers in America.

John Price Sneed (83) is now a shareholder in the Jackson law firm of Wise Carter in the area of commercial litigation.

Timothy W. Lindsay (84) is a senior partner in the Jackson office of The Kullman Firm.

J. Carter Thompson Jr. (84) joined the Jackson office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz as a shareholder.

Wilson H. Carroll (85) joined the Jackson law office of Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP, as a partner.

David Webb (85) joined the Jackson office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, as a shareholder in the tax section.

Laurie Rosenbaum Williams (85) is senior counsel, second vice president of Traveler’s Insurance Company. The Mississippi Business Journal also named her one of 50 leading business women in Mississippi for 2007.

Rick Gibson (86) and his fellow partners of Bingham, Mann, House & Gibson have completed the first year of operation at the firm, which opened in June 2006.

Cheri D. Green (86) of Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes was selected as one of “Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women” for 2007.

Robert Clark Williams (87) was named vice president of legal operations and corporate secretary of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi.

Richard J. Babb (89) joined the New Albany office of Timothy R. Balducci, Attorney at Law.

JoAnne Nelson Shepherd (89) was elected to a two-year term on the board of directors for the State Council of School Attorneys. She is the legal counsel for Jackson Public Schools.

Gina Bardwell Tompkins (89) is now with Page, Mannino, Peresich & McDermott, PLLC, in the Biloxi office.

John Gwin Wheeler (89) was selected as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

1990s

Stephen A. Brandon (90) was named a partner in the Jackson office of The Kullman Firm.

Joe S. Deaton III (90) and Clarence T. Guthrie III (99) opened the Flowood office of Deaton & Guthrie.

J. Scott Newton (90) was named one of the two Pro Bono Attorneys of the Year for the Jackson office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz for his work with the Governor’s Commission for Recovery, Rebuilding and Renewal.

Timothy R. Balducci (91), a New Albany attorney, announces the opening of offices in Oxford and Washington, D.C.

James “Jimmy” McClure III (91) was appointed to the District 17 Circuit Court for DeSoto, Tate, Panola, Tallahatchie and Yalobusha counties by Gov. Haley Barbour.

Robert S. Mink (91) is a partner in the Jackson office of Wyatt, Tarrant and Combs, LLP.

Joe D. Stevens (91) joined the newly established Hattiesburg office of Wise Carter Child & Caraway, PA, as a shareholder. He practices in the areas of business law, banking law, real estate and corporate law.

Wilton V. Byars III (92) was named to the board of directors of the Defense Lawyers Association. Wilton is a partner in the Oxford office of Daniel Coker, Horton and Bell.

Vicki L. Gilliam (92) of The Cochran Firm was selected as one of “Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women” for 2007.

Timothy Hutson Jones (92), Leslie W. Smith (93) and Mary W. Van Slyke (98) are now Page, Mannino, Peresich & McDermott, PLLC. Jones works in the Jackson office, while Smith and Van Slyke are located in Biloxi.

A. Kelly Sessoms III (92) is a partner in the newly opened Pascagoula law office of Mobile-based Lyons, Pipes & Cook, PC.

Michael D. Stevens (93) was named a partner in the Oxford office of Henke-Bufkin, PA.

T. Michael Cronin (95) joined the Jackson office of Adams and Reese as special counsel in the special business services practice group.

David F. Maron (95) was named the Baker Donelson Pro Bono Attorney of the Year. He was recognized for providing more than 120 hours of service for victims of Hurricane Katrina and helping train more than 600 lawyers from around the country who volunteered

their services. Maron is a shareholder in the Jackson office.

Thomas J. Rosser (95) joined the Oxford office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell and Berkowitz, concentrating in the area of employment-based immigration law.

Shawn P. Hammond (96) was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his service and deployment in Afghanistan. He has been reassigned to an army facility in Iraq.

Christopher W. Winter (96) joined the Greenville office of Wilkins, Stephens & Tipton, PA, as a partner.

Mark L. McNamara (97) joined the New Orleans office of Liskow & Lewis in its energy and environmental law practice section. McNamara is an active participant in the Energy Bar Association and the board of Algiers Charter School Association.

Edward R. Balsmann III (98) joined Consulting Services Group, LLC, as general counsel and chief compliance officer in Memphis, Tenn.

Merlyn “Lyn” Butler Dodson (98) is an associate with the Atlanta law firm of Katz, Stepp & Miller, LLC.

Brian A. Hinton (98) is a member of the litigation division at Anderson Crawley & Burke, PLLC, in Jackson.

Charles F. Barbour (99) is a shareholder in the Jackson law firm Bennet Lotterhos Sulser & Wilson, PA.

Claudia Vettel Richardson (99) is an attorney and placement coordinator for Counsel on Call, Inc., in Brentwood, Tenn.

M. Craig Robertson (99) achieved his board certification in family law and opened his own practice with offices in Ridgeland and Madison.

J. Berry Stapler (99) is a senior associate at the Killeen, Texas, law firm of Corbin & Associates.

2000s

David F. Delgado (00) opened his own office, the Delgado Law Firm, PLLC, in Southaven.

Randi Peresich Mueller (00) and Ronald Peresich Jr. (00) now work for Page, Mannino, Peresich & McDermott, PLLC. Mueller is with the Jackson office, while Peresich works in the Biloxi office.

Scott Singley (00) is an attorney with Brunini, Grantham, Grower and Hewes in the North Mississippi office.

Thurston E. “Tad” Wilkes III (00) was named vice president of publishing at Oxford Publishing Inc.

John S. Graham (01) is an associate attorney at the Jackson law firm Harris Jernigan & Geno, PLLC.

Julie Jarrell Gresham (01) is an associate in the newly opened Gulf Coast office of Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes.

Leo J. Carmody (02) relocated with Robinson, Biggs, Ingram, Solop & Farris, PLLC, to their newly opened Oxford office.

James Albert Norris III (02) joined the Jackson office of Copeland, Cook, Taylor and Bush, PA.

Roy A. Nowell, Jr. (02) joined the Laurel law firm of Hortman Harlow Martindale Bassi Robinson & McDaniel, PLLC.

Rhea Hudson Sheldon (02) of Abbott, Simses & Kuchler was selected as one of “Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women” for 2007.

Nuru L. Witherspoon (02) was honored as a Texas Rising Star Super Lawyer. He is co-founder of the Dallas, Texas, law firm Kelly/Witherspoon.

Alison Ketner Goodman (03) joined the Tupelo office of Mitchell, McNutt and Sams.

Jason L. Poulson (03) joined the Jackson law firm of Watkins & Eager as an associate.

William M. Simpson (03) is an associate with Knight & Mozingo, PLLC, in Ridgeland.

William W. Walker (03) is the director of college placement and counseling and instructor of social studies and Latin at Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Mo.

Christopher L. Wansley (03) is a new associate in the Jackson office of Balch & Bingham, LLP.

John Chadwick “Chad” Williams (03) is now associated with the Jackson law firm of MacNeill & Buffington, PA.

Brett F. McCall (04) joined the Jackson office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell, & Berkowitz as an associate in their commercial real estate and lending section.

Diala H. Chaney (04) is an associate in the Tupelo office of Webb, Sanders & Williams, PLLC.

Michael C. Gatling (04) joined the Ridgeland office of Copeland, Cook, Taylor & Bush, PA, as an associate.

William M. Rosamond (04) is an associate with the Jackson law firm Simmons Law Group, PA.

Anthony P. Zana (04) is an associate in the Huntsville, Ala., office of Maynard, Cooper & Gale. Zana was previously with Balch and Bingham until the entire office joined Maynard, Cooper and started the new Huntsville office.

Jebrina L. Johnson (05) is Of Counsel with Kaine & Jones in Atlanta.

James Kutkowski (05) is the senior law clerk with the anti-trust division of the Department of Justice in New York City.

Luke Miller (05) is staff attorney for the Department of the Interior’s Office of the Solicitor, Pacific Southwest Region in Sacramento, Calif.

Andrew P. Rhea (05) joined WealthPartners, LLP, as an adviser focusing on client development.

Leigh Taylor White (05) joined the Memphis office of Glankler Brown, PLLC, as an associate following her clerkship with Mississippi Court of Appeals Judge David Ishee in Jackson.

Jesse T. Hercules (06) moved his software business into the technology incubator in Memphis, a facility that provides resources to help budding entrepreneurs. About 25 startup companies are currently located at the incubator.

Dorothy Elizabeth “Beth” Houston (06) completed a judicial law clerkship for Judge Arthur B. Briskman, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Florida in Orlando. She is now clerking for U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald P. Dietrich in the Middle District in Orlando.

Edricke “Edd” L. Peyton (06) was selected to the Mississippi Economic Council’s Leadership Mississippi 2007 Class.

Marriages

Chad M. Doleac (01) and Joanna Stewart, June 16, 2007.

Jennifer Robbins Guckert (03) and Adam Chrestman, April 14, 2007.

William F. Longwitz (03) and Leigh Ann Cox, April 21, 2007.

Emily Elaine Cox (04) and Ross Emerson Webster (05), May 6, 2006.

Kimberly J. Lawrence (05) and J. Kurt Guthrie, July 21, 2007.

Amelia Smith Morrison (05) and William Harris Murphree, February 17, 2007.

Kimberly Walker (05) and Preston Nailor, Dec. 31, 2005.

E. Hyde Carby (06) and Lee Sturdivant, Jan. 6, 2007.

Rebecca Gurner (06) and Sgt. Christopher Smith, Jan. 29, 2007.

George S. Haymans IV (06) and Ann M. Powers, Oct. 6, 2007.

Elizabeth H. Hoffman (06) and Jared Bryce Chesser, Aug. 4, 2007.

Steven S. Kilgore (06) and Marjorie J. Britt, May 19, 2007.

Russell Latino III (06) and Anne Harlan Phyfer, June 30, 2007.

Catherine L. Layfield (06) and Robert Keith Semmes IV, May 28, 2006.

David Logan McPhail (06) and Jennifer S. Abdo, March 30, 2007.

Elizabeth A. Mills (06) and H. Barber Boone (06), March 31, 2007.

Melissa Poynter (06) and Jeffrey A. Powell, March 11, 2006.

Ronni Frances Stuckey (06) and Joseph Stack, Jan. 5, 2007.

Births

Elise Leona Burns, daughter of Amy Burns and David A. Burns (90), July 9, 2007.

Robert Wayne “Hob” Carleton IV, son of Melissa Thrash Carleton (93) and Robert W. Carleton III, May 1, 2007.

Sandrine Juliet Bennett, daughter of Jessica Jurney Bennett (94) and Christopher Bennett (96), Feb. 21, 2007.

William Maxwell Hill, son of Kathryn Goss Hill (00) and Sidney Ray Hill III (00), Feb. 22, 2007.

Joshua Calvin Randall, son of Cyndi Randall and R. Paul Randall Jr. (00), April 5, 2007.

Carter Broom Wilkes, daughter of Amy Wilkes and Thurston E. Wilkes III (00), July 3, 2007.

Brooks Coulter May, daughter of Windy May and G. Kirby May (01), Feb. 3, 2007.

Natalya Elizabeth Salvo, daughter of Jennifer Evans Salvo (01) and Frederick N. Salvo III (01), Sept. 25, 2006.

Preston James Perkins, son of Lisa Perkins and J. Ryan Perkins (02), April 30, 2007.

Cooper Aubrey Scott, son of Cara Scott and Shea S. Scott (06), Aug. 14, 2007.

Caroline Adams Kirk, daughter of Amy Kirk and Adam Kirk (03), Sept. 27, 2006.

Sarea Ani Martin, daughter of Vaterria L. McQuitter Martin (03) and Deshun T. Martin (04), March 22, 2007.

Gibson Raegan Walker, son of Shanna Garrison Walker and William W. Walker (03), Jan. 17, 2007.

Cameron Nicholas Nailor, son of Kimberly Walker Nailor (05) and Preston Walker, Oct. 24, 2006.

Sawyer Beck Egger, son of Dawn Egger and Daniel L. Egger (06), July 3, 2007.

Robert Anthony Harrison Jubera, son of Holly D. Jubera and Steven P. Jubera (06), Feb. 22, 2007.

Noah Kyle Peyton, son of Kara Peyton and Edricke “Edd” L. Peyton (06), Sept. 2, 2006.

In Memoriam

Sincerest condolences are extended to the families and friends of alumni who are no longer with us.

John E. Aldridge (35) of Jackson, April 22, 2007.

Robert C. Cannada Sr. (42) of Jackson, July 5, 2007.

Joseph Dale (48) of Prentiss, Aug. 1, 2007.

Dan M. McCullen (49) of Jackson, Aug. 26, 2007.

James Hugh Ray (52) of Tupelo, March 15, 2007.

Harvey S. Buck (56) of West Point, August 11, 2007.

Charles M. Deaton (58) of Greenwood, June 6, 2007.

Gerald E. Braddock (61) of Vicksburg, July 1, 2007.

James Everette Rankin (61) of Oxford, June 7, 2007.

Donald Edwin Walsh (63) of Woodville, April 14, 2007.

William S. Weems (68) of Jackson, July 29, 2007.

Joseph W. Gex Sr. (69) of Waveland, and native of Bay St. Louis, Aug. 28, 2007.

Roy H. Woody III (71) of Atlanta, Sept. 7, 2007.

R. Charles Robb III (79) of Vicksburg, June 3, 2007.

Harvey G. Hudspeth (81) of Pine Bluff, Ark., formerly of Oxford, March 7, 2007.

Gerry M. Blaker II (95) of Holly Springs, formerly of Long Beach, Sept. 1, 2007.