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Areas of Emphasis
- Employee Benefits
- ERISA
- Executive Compensation
- Labor and Employment
- Professional Entities
- Taxation
Distinctions
- AV-rated, Martindale-Hubbell
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Employee Benefits Law (since 1999)
- Certified Public Accountant, 1981
- Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants' Silver Medal, 1981
Education & Honors
- University of Florida, LL.M., in Taxation, 1986
- University of Mississippi, J.D., cum laude, 1985
- University of Southern Mississippi, B.S., Business Administration, summa cum laude, 1981
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Associations
- American Bar Association
- Taxation Section
- Employee Benefits Committee
- Mississippi Bar
- Taxation Section
- Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants
- Board of Governors, 1994-96 and 2002-04
- Capital Area Bar Association
- Community Grants Committee, 2003-08
- University of Southern Mississippi Foundation
- Board of Directors, 2010-
Bar Admissions
- Mississippi, 1985
- U.S. Tax Court
- U.S. District Court
- Mississippi: Southern District
- U.S. Court of Appeals
- 5th Circuit
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Legal Experience
- Represented employee stock ownership plan sponsor on ESOP matters in connection with multi-million dollar sale of company.
- Represented independent trustee of employee stock ownership plan in multi-million dollar leveraged purchase of company to become 100% ESOP-owned company.
- Represented an associational multiple employer welfare arrangement in examination by Employee Benefit Security Administration of Department of Labor.
Papers, Presentations, & Publications
- Speaker, Mississippi Employment Law Seminar (University of Mississippi; May 2009), Employee Benefits in an Uncertain Economy: Implementing Cost Saving Strategies and Other Administration Issues.
- Speaker, Central Chapter of the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants (September 2008), What CPAs and Their Clients Should Know About Section 409A.
- “Best Practices for Minimizing the Potential for Retirement Plan Fiduciary Liability,” Benefits Commentary, July 2008.
- “U.S. Supreme Court Permits Individual Lawsuits for Retirement Plan Fiduciary Breach,” Benefits Brief, March 2008.
- “The Section 415 Regulations on Post-Severance Compensation,” Benefits Brief, February 2008.
- “Plan Amendment Deadline Extended For Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Arrangements,” Planning Notes, November 2007.
- Speaker, Mississippi Bankers Association Trust Conference (November 2007), The Coming Storm: Best Practices for Minimizing the Risk of Fiduciary Liability in Bank Trusteed Retirement Plans.
- "IRS and Treasury Department Issue Regulations on Section 409A of IRC,” Planning Notes, August 2007.
- Speaker, Greater Memphis Employee Benefits Council (July 2007), Best Practices for Minimizing the Potential for Retirement Plan Fiduciary Liability.
- “New Regs Establish Deadline for Implementing Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan Changes,” High Points, June 2007.
- "Implications of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 for 2007 Plan Administration,” Benefits Brief, December 2006.
- Speaker, MetroJackson Chamber (August 2006), Methods to Contain Employee Benefits Costs.
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