Managing Member: MBinford Williams, Jr
Senior Member: William F Goodman, Jr
- Number of members: 47
- Number of other lawyers: 23
FIRM OVERVIEW: Established in 1895,Watkins & Eager PLLC is a full-service, diversified law firm, specializing in a multitude of practice areas.These areas include an extensive real estate, banking, corporate and business practice, as well as the firm’s broad trial and appellate practice. Watkins & Eager is proud of the academic achievements and honorary qualifications of its lawyers. Charles Clark, the retired Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, was a member of the firm for 14 years and is now of counsel.Another firm member, George Fair, is the president of the Mississippi State Bar. The firm’s lawyers are members of prestigious professional organizations, including the American College of Trial Lawyers, American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, American Board of Trial Advocates, American College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, American College ofMortgage Attorneys,American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, and the Product Liability Advisory Council.Watkins & Eager has been selected to author the annual digest of Mississippi law in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory since 1936. In September 2009, the firm was featured by the National Law Journal in an article entitled “Small Mississippi Firm Makes Big Name for Itself,” which recognized the firm for its representation of five of the top ten Fortune 100 companies. The firm is composed of graduates in law from the University of Mississippi,Mississippi College, Columbia University, Florida State University, Georgetown University, New York University, Louisiana State University, Tulane University,University of Arkansas at Little Rock,University of California (Hastings),University of Florida,University of North Carolina,University of Virginia, and Vanderbilt University. Today,Watkins & Eager has inherited a century’s legacy of excellence, and the firm’s name has become synonymous with integrity, experience, dedication, responsiveness, critical thinking and creativity.The firm honors its heritage and is committed to the future prosperity of the entire community, striving every day to merit its reputation for results and professionalism.
MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE:
Commercial & Business Litigation: The firm is fully engaged in all aspects of contract and business litigation and arbitration, including a large variety of commercial controversies and business tort disputes, as well as antitrust, lender liability, consumer fraud and securities litigation. Several members of the firm serve as arbitrators and mediators of various business disputes.
Tort/Mass Tort Litigation: Firm lawyers defend tort claims of all types. A substantial part of the firm’s tort practice is the defense of product liability actions, representing a number of manufacturers of aircraft, automotive products, chemicals, farm implements, firearms, heavy equipment, tires, tools, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals throughout the state and beyond its borders.As defense attorneys, the firm’s lawyers assume leadership roles on a local, regional and national basis in mass tort litigation of matters such as pharmaceutical products, chemical exposure, asbestos, and welding. The defense of professional malpractice claims against doctors, dentists, lawyers, architects, engineers and accountants is another significant segment of the firm’s tort practice.
Banking & Finance: The firm represents various financial institutions both in and out of state, maintaining a regular clientele of the state’s leading financial institutions. The firm’s banking work includes advice and counsel, transactional work, letters of credit, regulatory guidance, drafting bank forms, litigation and loan workouts.
Corporate: The firm’s corporate practice covers a broad range, including mergers and acquisitions, commercial finance, the formation of and counsel to business entities, securities and capital formation, and the drafting of commercial contracts.
Tax: The firm has four lawyers who are experienced tax attorneys, two of whom are also CPAs. In addition to providing tax counsel and advice to businesses, individuals, and foundations, firm members have also represented clients in tax disputes before the IRS, the State Tax Commission and local public bodies.
Wills, Trusts & Estates: Estate planning,wills, trusts and probate are an integral part of the firm’s practice. Public Utility Law: The firm has extensive experience representing utilities before the Public Service Commission,which regulates public utilities in Mississippi.
Construction Law: The firm represents owners, architects, engineers, contractors and sureties in construction disputes, project development, and general business activities.
Bankruptcy: The firm represents various lenders and other creditors in workouts and in bankruptcy proceedings.
Labor & Employment: The firm possesses considerable experience in representation of management in various employer-related transactions and disputes, including day-today employment issues, litigation, collective bargaining and proceedings before the federal and state regulatory bodies.
Environmental: The firm’s environmental practice includes representation of clients in litigation in both federal and state courts, as well as before the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, the EPA and other administrative agencies. Representation includes the defense of toxic claims, environmental permitting and compliance matters, and negotiating and drafting of environmental related contract provisions.
Real Estate: The firm has a broad Real Estate Practice with extensive depth and expertise. The real estate practice includes representation of local residential and commercial developers, and involves new urbanism,multifamily, commercial developments and tax credit financing in Mississippi and neighboring states.The firm also serves as local counsel for numerous out of state lending institutions.
Insurance: The firm has considerable experience in insurance matters. Firm members possess experience in handling claims involving fire, property, casualty, workers' compensation, fidelity and surety, officers and directors, errors and omissions insurance, as well as matters regarding life, health and accident insurance.
Government Entities: The firm represents a number of governmental bodies on various matters, including municipal law, annexation, housing, and public finance.The firm possesses expertise in tax and economic development incentives, and has been involved in a variety of public/private projects.The firm provides legal services related to the post- Hurricane Katrina Restoration of the Port of Gulfport,Mississippi, a $1.5 billion project, which both current Governor Barbour and former Governor Winter describe as "the most important economic development project in the history of the state.”
CLIENTS
Watkins & Eager’s client base includes banks and financial institutions, manufacturers, oil and gas companies, pharmaceutical companies, commercial real estate developers, healthcare providers, investors, insurers, institutions of higher learning, and government agencies at the municipal, county, state, and federal levels.