Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A.

In the 1960's Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A. became Mississippi's first nationally recognized bond counsel through the efforts of William F. Winter, who later became Governor of Mississippi, and John Hampton Stennis. We served as underwriter's counsel for the first Industrial Development Revenue Bonds issued in Mississippi in 1961, and Public Finance has been a central part of the Firm's practice ever since. As bond counsel and as issuer's counsel, we have pioneered innovative financing for issuers such as the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District, the Pearl River Basin Development District, the Mississippi Higher Education Assistance Corporation, the Jackson Redevelopment Authority, and various Regional Economic Development Districts, often helping to create the financing structure and the issuer, and draft the enabling legislation.

Public Finance continues as a major focus with the Firm acting as counsel for around one billion dollars of bond issues each year. Today the Public Finance practice is led by Randy Wall (thirty-three years of experience), Zach Taylor (twenty-six years of experience), and Bob Lazarus (twenty-seven years of experience). In 2002, Keith Parsons, who has over twenty years of experience in corporate, securities and finance matters, joined the Public Finance Practice Group. Larry Clark, formerly State of Mississippi Deputy Attorney General, provides assistance on local government and education issues. The Public Finance Practice Group is supported by the Firm's tax and securities practice, which is the largest in Mississippi. The Firm's Public Finance attorneys are active in the National Association of Bond Lawyers, the Mississippi Association of County Board Attorneys, and the Mississippi Municipal Attorneys Association.

Driving down any highway in Mississippi, one can see the tangible results of our Public Finance practice - factories, streets and bridges, hospitals, schools, and waterways. We highly value our relationships with Mississippi's communities. In no other area of our practice is the Firm's motto: "Building Relationships with Clients and Communities" more important. The technical requirements for public finance have changed dramatically since William Winter and John Hampton Stennis began this practice in the 1960's, but the principles they taught us - deal fairly with clients, put the interests of the client first, provide leadership and service to Mississippi's communities - have not changed. These principles have been the basis of our success in Public Finance for over four decades, and we are committed to maintaining this legacy in the decades to come.