Columbus Business Lawyers

American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Member.
AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell as Preeminent.
University of Alabama School of Law, J.D., 1991.
Mississippi State University, B.B.A., 1988.
Admitted to practice in all state and Federal Courts in Mississippi, 1991.
Admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Alabama, 1997 .
Certified as Family Law Mediator by the Atlanta Justice Center.
Member of the Mississippi Bar.
Member of the Alabama Bar.

William T. Ashley, III, graduated cum laude from Birmingham-Southern College in 2005, with a Bachelor of Arts in English. In 2008, he earned his Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson, Mississippi. While in law school, Mr. Ashley received the Business Law Section of the Mississippi Bar Award, served on the Moot Court Board, and won the American Jurisprudence Award in Admiralty Law. Mr. Ashley began his career with an insurance defense firm in his hometown of Montgomery, Alabama in August 2008. While practicing in Alabama, Mr. Ashley tried numerous personal injury...

I have 41 years legal experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants. This year I have had over $8,000,000 in legal settlements in just 4 cases. My top paralegal has been with me for 39 years and is considered by her peers to be the best in the area. I often start my workday at 4 am when it’s quiet and I can do my research and writing. I’ve been fortunate to represent not only individuals but several local, national and international companies as well as our State and 7 different Indian Tribes nationwide. I often work by...

Hale has practiced law since 1986..He is known for his elder law practice. working with estate, trusts, probate and advising family regarding the issues of aging, as well as fiduciary and trust litigation and complex business litigation. He also assists small businesses in transactions and problem solving. Hale is licensed in Mississippi and Tennessee.

Kevin is a leader in both his profession and community:
- In April 2019, Kevin was honored as one of Mississippi’s Top 50 Under 40 by the Mississippi Business Journal;
- In 2017-2018, Kevin served as President of the Lafayette County Bar Association, overseeing the interests of local attorneys;
- In November 2015, Kevin was elected to serve as Lafayette County District 1 Supervisor;
- Kevin has been voted “Oxford’s Favorite Attorney” by readers of The Local Voice newspaper for eleven consecutive years, beginning in 2009;
- Additionally, Kevin has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Mississippi in the practice...

Taylor's practice covers most every area of law; however, a large portion of his work involves advising business across a range of industries on all manner of transactions and representing them in complex commercial litigation, often involving multi-million dollar disputes. In addition to his commercial practice, Taylor also routinely represents clients with respect to all manner of personal injuries and defends clients from felony and misdemeanor charges in federal and state courts.

Mr. Davis is admitted to practice before all Mississippi State and Federal Courts, as well as the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Davis is a member of The Mississippi Bar Association, American MENSA, Defense Research Institute, American Inns of Court, William C. Keady Chapter, and the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association. While in college, Mr. Davis was a member of Phi Delta Phi, and while in Law School served on the Editorial Board of the Mississippi Law Journal, as well as working with the public interest Housing Law Clinic; and served on...

Sam McHard has practiced law for 45 years. He is admitted to practice in the following jurisdictions: 1976, Illinois and U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois; 1983, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit; 1985, U.S. Supreme Court; 1999, Iowa; 2001, Mississippi, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Sam received his B.A. at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL and his Juris Doctor at Northwestern University. Sam is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and maintains membership with the following professional associations: Mississippi Bar Association; Iowa Bar Association; Illinois Bar Association; Mississippi Association for Justice; American Association for Justice; Texas Bar Association; and...

Robert Quimby practices in the litigation section of the firm. His practice includes general litigation, business/commercial litigation, general business and corporate representation, personal injury litigation, and representation related to land use, zoning, and eminent domain. Mr. Quimby has represented numerous governmental entities, businesses, and individuals on a wide range of civil matters.

In May 2002, Casey received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Mississippi State University where he graduated cum laude. In December 2004, Casey received his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law, with honors. After passing the February 2005 Mississippi Bar Exam, Casey began practicing law with his father, Duncan Lott. He was admitted to Practice in the State and Federal Courts of Mississippi and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2005. He was also admitted to practice in Alabama in 2006. Since entering the practice of law, Casey has secured multi-million...

Jay is the founding partner of Hughes Brown, PLLC. He was raised in South Louisiana, and then served as an enlisted soldier in the U. S. Army and graduated from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. He moved to Oxford in 1988 to attend law school and fell in love with Oxford, Ole Miss, and a girl from Natchez. He earned his law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1991, with a semester spent at Downing College, Cambridge University, Cambridge, England. He married his college sweetheart, Cris, and they proudly continue to call Oxford...

The Law Office of Marc Boutwell is one of Mississippi's top law firms. We take pride in our team of experienced attorneys who are committed to the success of our clients. Our trial attorneys have the litigation and experience to handle large class-action suits and the personal touch to handle local legal matters in Oxford, MS. The Law Office of Marc Boutwell prides itself on providing quality legal services to its clients. Our trial attorneys take ample time to understand our clients' needs and what outcome they want while educating them on legal issues.

James is the managing partner of Harper Little in Oxford, Mississippi. He has 23 years of experience in civil litigation with a focus on employment, business, contract and construction law. James has represented businesses and people in state and federal courts throughout the southeast and is licensed in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Arkansas. He has a master’s degree in conflict resolution and provides mediation services and negotiation training for legal and organizational conflict. Prior to forming Harper Little, James served as a founding partner of Stroud & Harper, P.C., in Southaven, Mississippi, where he focused on employment,...

Located in Madison, Mississippi, Saxton Law, PLLC epitomizes the phrase, "Bigger is good. Smarter is better" and practices in issues from Business Formation and Estate Planning, including wills, to IRS Tax Installment Agreements and Bankruptcy, both business and personal.

Jeff Arnold is a native of Jackson, Mississippi. He obtained a Bachelors of Business Administration/Accounting from Belhaven University. After graduating from Belhaven, he worked as a CPA for the accounting firm Barlow, Walker and Company. With Barlow, he worked in the areas of tax and compliance. Following his work in accounting, Jeff earned his Juris Doctorate from the Mississippi College School of Law, where he graduated cum laude and achieved two American Jurisprudence Awards in Evidence and Legal Writing.

Keith B. French, Jr. is a seasoned litigator with experience leveraging outstanding research, writing, and analytical abilities to effectively defend and represent clients before state and federal courts. In the course of his practice, Mr. French has acquired experience on a wide variety of civil cases, managing matters from inception through resolution, developing case and trial strategies, preparing discovery, taking and defending depositions, drafting dispositive motions and appellate briefs, and negotiating settlements. Mr. French also has criminal trial experience. As a former Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) with the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Mississippi, Mr. French was involved...

Jason Savarese focuses his practice on civil litigation, corporate law, eminent domain, construction disputes, wills, estates, probate, mediation, debt collection, business formation and litigation, drafting and interpreting contracts, civil litigation appeals, public bid disputes, gun owners’ rights, gaming law, casino site development and licensing, lemon law vehicle warranty claims, and landowners’ rights. Jason has assisted in the management of Community Development Block Grants totaling approximately $235,000,000, by acquiring some 300 parcels of land for the Harrison County Utility Authority as part of the funds allocating by the U.S. Congress for Hurricane Katrina rebuilding and renewal. Jason is rated “A/V...

Ben is native of DeSoto County. He is a graduate of Southaven High School and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi with a concentration in Human Resource Management. Upon completion of his undergraduate studies, Ben was accepted to the University of Mississippi School of Law. He spent a summer semester of law school at the University of Hawaii before graduating early. Ben is licensed to practice law in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas. He has been practicing since 2007. He opened The Murphy Law Firm in Hernando in 2012. Ben specializes...

Adam is the founder of Woods Law Firm, PLLC, a Brandon, Mississippi law firm that serves clients throughout Mississippi and Tennessee. He is licensed to practice before all state courts in both Mississippi and Tennessee and has represented people from all walks of life, zealously advocating for his clients in numerous areas of the law, including personal injury, contract negotiation, real estate, consumer and commercial law, wills and estates, and family law.

Adam graduated college from Mississippi State University with a Bachelors in Business Administration. While completing his degree, he negotiated numerous contracts for events held on campus,...

Manion Anderson was born and raised in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Manion graduated from Pascagoula High School before going to the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. While enrolled at Southern Miss, Manion was an active member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, the Inter-Fraternity Council, and the Society of Physics Students – holding numerous officer positions within each. Manion graduated from Southern Miss in four years with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics. Manion received his law degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He spent one year as a visiting student at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma. As...

William "Bill" Cruse grew up in Pearl River County. He graduated from Picayune Memorial High School in 2001 and originally attended Pearl River Community College in 2003. He transferred to Mississippi College, where he graduated with a chemistry degree in 2005. Then, he graduated from the Mississippi School of Law in 2009 and began practicing that same year. His parents, Fred and Dianne Cruse, founded Fred’s Westside Pharmacy in Picayune, and his brother, Gordon Cruse, owns the pharmacy. He opened Cruse Law Firm, PLLC in 2017 to focus on real estate transactions, estate planning, probate, and other forms of transactional law....

Proudly practicing since 2001 in Hancock, Harrison, Stone, Pearl River Counties, Bay St. Louis, Waveland, Pearl River, Picayune, Gulfport, Biloxi, Kiln, and Saucier. Personal Injury, Criminal, Estate, DUI-DWI, Divorce & Family Law, Felony, Small Claims Court, Misdemeanor, Domestic Violence, Business law, Probate, Wills, Simple Legal Documents.

Lee Watt is a native of Batesville, MS. He practiced law on the Mississippi Gulf Coast until 2005 when Hurricane Katrina caused his relocation to the Jackson metro area.
Lee has tried over 100 cases, mostly jury cases, in state and federal courts across Mississippi. These cases involve banking, corporate, product liability, real estate, probate, construction and employment matters. His clients include both leading national manufacturers as well as local small businesses, governmental entities, health care professionals and financial institutions.
Lee enjoys helping businesses and ministries grow and become better managers of their human and financial resources. Lee also enjoys helping...

Madison County Attorney Pamela L. Hancock proudly serves the people of the Greater Jackson area. As the founder of the Hancock Law Firm, she takes pride in her ability to guide clients through a number of complex or emotional matters, including family law, personal injury, criminal defense, estate planning, and much more. She uses her diverse background and education, as well as her commitment to the law, to create comprehensive case strategies that look at the matter from multiple angles. She has earned a positive reputation within the community and among her former clients and can skillfully handle issues in...

Born in New Orleans, but a life-long resident of Jackson County, Stephen obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service in 1988, where he received a Certificate in German Public and International Affairs with Distinction. In 1993, Stephen graduated from Tulane University's School of Law, acquiring both a Juris Doctor Degree and a Certificate in European Legal Practice. While at Tulane, he served as Tulane Law School President, an extern clerk for U.S. District Judge Martin L. C. Feldman of the Eastern District of Louisiana, as a senior member of the Tulane Journal of International and...

James S. Beam is a native of Baton Rouge, LA and an Eagle Scout (1992). Mr. Beam is a 1999 graduate of Louisiana State University and a 2002 graduate of the Mississippi College School of Law where he earned his J.D. Mr. Beam is admitted to practice in all Federal and State courts in the State of Mississippi and the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, LA. Mr Beam has experience in a wide range of subjects including insurance investigations and litigation, personal injury, workers’ compensation, social security and opioid claims. His clients include everyone from...

Terence attended Mississippi State University on athletic scholarship and played college football. He received his B.A. in Accounting from Mississippi State University in 1992. Also, he received his M.A. in Accounting from the University of Mississippi in 1995. In 1999, he received his Juris Doctorate from Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio. Terence was an associate with the law firm of Mitchell, McNutt & Sams in their Jackson, MS office from 1999 to 2001. He was an associate with the Jackson office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz from 2002 to...

Erica McHard is admitted to practice in the following jurisdictions: 2001, Iowa; 2002, Illinois, Mississippi and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 2013, Texas. Erica received her B.A. in Business, Political Science and Public Administration at Augustana College, Rock Island, IL. She received her Juris Doctor at the University of Iowa. Erica is a member of the Dillon Inn of Court and served as a Law Clerk for the Iowa District Court. She was also listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Law Students. Erica is a member of the following professional associations: Mississippi Bar Association; Iowa Bar Association; Illinois Bar Association; Mississippi Association...

I am an attorney with a practice focused on meeting the legal needs of business owners and real estate owners and investors.

My business planning practice involves advising companies and individuals on business matters, including taxation, mergers and acquisitions, choice of entity and company formation, and corporate governance. I have also been lead attorney on several multi-million dollar business acquisitions in the Southeast.

My estate planning practice involves helping clients pay less taxes and protect their assets through the use of trusts, partnerships, closely held businesses, private foundations, and charitable trusts. I have served in various capacities with the Real Property, Trust...

Joseph D. Songy, PLLC is a small, locally operated law firm in Purvis, Mississippi. Our goal is to meet the legal needs of all our Clients, no matter how large or small, and to provide aggressive representation at every stage of their cases. Our mission is to provide each Client with a professional and confidential relationship. We devote our time to figuring out the needs and goals of our Clients, so we can be their strongest advocate. We handle a broad range of legal matters for individuals, Mississippi companies and foreign companies. We represent plaintiffs and defendants in matters including,...