Firm Overview
At the turn of the twentieth century, H. Vaughan Watkins hung his shingle and rapidly established himself as one of Mississippi's most distinguished business attorneys and civic leaders. His simple yet effective principle was, "We will well, properly, and promptly attend to all business entrusted to us." From this firm base, Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A. has grown and served clients and produced significant results for 100 years.
Founded in 1905, and now having more than seventy attorneys, our firm is one of the largest and most well-established firms in the State of Mississippi. Our lawyers, licensed in ten states and the District of Columbia, and graduates of forty-eight different law schools, colleges and universities, bring a diversity of talents and backgrounds to serve our clients' needs. We are a full-service firm with offices in Jackson, the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and the Memphis Metropolitan area.
Capitalizing on the latest technology, adapting to the changing market and building relationships with clients and communities are all driving forces behind the firm's success. Our attorneys are committed to providing public, civic and professional leadership while offering the highest caliber of legal services to our clients.
Our commitment to clients demands that we hire and retain the best and the brightest in the legal profession. Our team of attorneys and staff is dedicated to and focused on expanding the firm's range of services in ways that meet clients' needs and expectations. As a technology-driven organization, the firm is committed to developing cutting edge internal technology systems to aid in the delivery of legal services in the most timely and efficient manner. We have developed a widespread reputation for creative problem-solving on behalf of our clients and have over the years worked on some of the most complex legal issues and projects that have arisen.
To meet the complexity and intricacy of today's legal and business environments, the firm is organized into six industry groups whose members are knowledgeable not only of the substantive law relating to various practice areas but also of the business practices and litigation climate in those industries. The industry groups are:
- Closely Held Business and High Net Worth Individuals
- Construction
- Finance and Development (Including Bond Financing, Environmental Law, and Real Estate)
- Financial Institutions (Including Banks, Insurance and Creditors)
- Gaming and Resort
- Manufacturing/Distribution
The industry groups are an example of the teamwork approach that is fostered and encouraged within the firm.
The firm is a member of Meritas*, the world's largest affiliation of business law firms. Meritas member firms provide business clients worldwide access to sophisticated legal advice and exceptional service. The firm is also a member of the highly respected State Capital Law Firm Group*, an organization comprised of leading domestic and international law firms occupying leadership positions in their respective states and countries. Our membership in these organizations enables us, by either referring to or associating a member firm, to assist our clients in having their legal matters competently handled throughout the United States and virtually anywhere in the world.
*Member firms of these groups practice independently and not in a relationship for the joint practice of law.
Client List
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Banking and Finance
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American Express Cos.
AmSouth Bank
Bankers Compliance Task Force
Bank of America
BankPlus
Citigroup, Inc.
Citizens Bank, Byhalia
Commercial Credit Corporation
Community Bancshares of Mississippi
First South Farm Credit, ACA
General Electric Capital Corporation
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General Motors Acceptance Corporation
Hancock Holding Company
Merchants and Farmers Bank
Merrill Lynch Business Financial Services, Inc.
Regions Bank
State Bank and Trust Company
The Peoples Bank
Trustmark National Bank
Union Planters Bank, NA
Wachovia Corporation
Washington Mutual Bank, FA
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Construction/Surety
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ANCO Construction
Dynasteel Corporation
Ellis Construction
The Haskell Company
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The Pickering Firm, Inc.
Water & Power Technologies, Inc.
St. Paul Travelers Surety
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Energy and Natural Resources
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Bell Exploration Company
Paramount Petroleum Company, Inc.
Dresser Industries, Inc.
Georgia-Pacific Corporation
Hunt Refining Company
International Paper Company
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Occidental Petroleum
Weyerhaeuser Company
Municipal Energy Agency of Mississippi
PGAE National Energy Group, Inc.
Northcentral Mississippi Electric
Power Association
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Gaming and Resorts
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Alliance Gaming Corporation
Aristocrat Technologies, Inc.
Bally Gaming, Inc.
Barden Mississippi Gaming, LLC
Boyd Gaming Corporation
Copa Casino
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Mikohn Gaming Corporation
Mississippi Hotel & Lodging Association
New Palace Casino and Resort, LLC
Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc.
Resorts International
Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise
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Government/Education
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Central Mississippi Library System
Central Mississippi Planning
and Development District
City of Olive Branch, Mississippi
Education Services Foundation
Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau
Jackson-Hinds Library System
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Jackson Redevelopment Authority
Jackson State University
Mississippi Higher Education
Assistance Corporation
Mississippi Valley State University
Pearl River Valley Water Supply District
The Piney Woods Country Life School
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Health Care
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Baptist Memorial Health Care System
C.R. Bard
Invacare
Mississippi Methodist Hospital
& Rehabilitation Center
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Prime Health of Alabama, Inc.
Rhone Poulenc Rorer
Sofamor Danek
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Insurance
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American Capitol Insurance Company
American Fidelity Assurance Company
American National Insurance Company
American Pioneer Insurance Company
American Public Life Insurance Company
AmFirst Insurance Company
CNA Global Specialty Lines
Colony Group
Comprehensive Health Insurance Risk Pool
Association
Employers Mutual Companies
Freedom Life Insurance Company of America
Great American
Hartford Steam Boiler and Inspection
Company
Harford Mutual
ING
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Insurance Company of North America
Life Insurance Company of Alabama
Magna Insurance Company
MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company
Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance
Mississippi Life and Health Insurance
Guaranty Association
MS Life Insurance Company
New South Life Insurance Company
Premium Assignment Corporation
Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.
Progressive Insurance Group
Ross & Yerger Insurance Agency
Southern Guaranty Insurance Group
The Medical Protective Company
Versant Life Insurance Company
United HealthCare
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Native American Tribes
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Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
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Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
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Manufacturers
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American Plastic Toys, Inc.
Brown Bottling Group, Inc.
Calgon Carbon Corporation
ChemFirst
Haas Outdoors, Inc. (Mossy Oak)
Hormel Foods
General Electric Company
General Motors Corporation
Jim Walter Homes, Inc.
Levi Strauss and Company
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Lextron Corporation and Affiliates
Mack Trucks, Inc.
Maytag Corporation
Nissan North America, Inc.
Peavey Electronics, Inc.
Sunbeam Products, Inc.
Trex Company, Inc.
Volvo Trucks North America, Inc.
Wellman, Inc.
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Media
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Associated Press
Bay St. Louis Newspaper, Inc.
Cablevision, Inc.
Clear Channel Communications, Inc.
Comcast
Gannett River States Publishing
Corporation (The Clarion-Ledger)
Gulf Publishing Company, Inc.
(The Sun Herald Newspaper)
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Mississippi Center for Freedom of Information
The Lamar Company, LLC
WAPT (ABC 16, Jackson)
WDAM (NBC 7, Hattiesburg)
WLBT (NBC 3, Jackson)
WLOX (ABC 13, South Mississippi)
WXXV (FOX 25, South Mississippi)
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Public Utilities
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Bell Utilities of Mississippi, LLC
Crescent Utility Company, Inc.
Cypress Utility Company, Inc.
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Earthtech Utilities of Mississippi, LLC
Tunica County Utility District
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Real Estate
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CAL Realty Group, Inc.
First Allied Corporation
General Growth Properties, Inc.
Jim Wilson & Associates
Maurice H. Joseph, Inc.
Mattiace Properties, Inc.
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Mississippi Baptist Health Systems, Inc.
Sam Ware & Associates
StateStreet Group, LLC
The Mills Corporation
Underwood Commercial Real Estate
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Telecommunications
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ALLTEL
CenturyTel
CommuniGroup, Inc.
MCI
Mississippi Independent Telephone Companies
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NOW Communications, Inc.
Rural Cellular Corporation
Telephone and Data Systems
Telephone Electronics Corporation
XFONE, Inc.
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Transporters/Distributors
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Associated Transportation Services, Inc.
Conway Southern Express
Menlo Worldwide Forwarding, Inc.
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Mississippi Export Railroad Company
Turan-Foley Chevrolet Buick, Inc.
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Other
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Auto Zone, Inc.
Central Hockey League
Discount Auto Parts Distribution, Inc.
Downtown Jackson Partners
Dunavant Enterprises
Federal Compress
FedEx Corporation
FedEx Ground Package System, Inc.
Foundation for the Mid South
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Great Southern Tractor Company
IBM
Institute for Technology Development
Jackson Metro Housing Partnership
Jimmy Whittington Lumber Company
Memphis Stone & Gravel Company
MINACT, Inc.
Mississippi Baptist Foundation
Worldwide Labor Support
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