MBJ_Sept21_2018 by Journal Inc

INSIDE — CRAWFORD: Good policies without adequate funding won’t close skills gap — Page 4

AGRICULTURE

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September 21, 2018 • Vo. 40 No. 38 • 16 pages

TOURISM

Early results of conservation project in Delta said positive — Page 3

MBJ FOCUS

Law & Accounting {Section begins P7}

» Messaging platform gives lawyers a place of their own » Document sifting gets welcome assist from e-discovery tools » LAW ELEVATED: The Autonomous Vehicle (AV) revolution expands to trucks

One of three hotels planned for Fondren moving upward — Page 2

{The List P14} » Tax Preparers

JACK WEATHERLY/MBJ

Homewood Suites under construction on State Street in Fondren.

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2 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q September 21, 2018 TOURISM

One of three hotels planned for Fondren moving upward By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com The most-recent of three hotels announced for the Fondren District in Jackson is in ﬁrst place in development. Steel has risen on the Homewood Suites project site by the Ridgeland-based Heritage Hospitality Group, while two other projects announced two years earlier have

yet to break ground, though spokesmen for both said about a year ago that dirt would be turned by the end of 2017. Efforts reach Roy Decker of Duvall Decker Architects of Jackson were unsuccessful. Decker’s nine-story, 102-room hotel to be called “The Fondren” is planned for State Street at Mitchell Avenue and is to incorporate the Kolb Cleaners building

and ﬂy the Starwood Aloft brand. The Desai Hotel Group of Jackson announced plans for a 110-room Hampton Inn at 3111 North State. Likewise, Desai did not respond to efforts to talk about the project for this article. Its website states that the developer is “honored to make Inc. Magazine 5,000 fastest-growing companies [for 2018] for the third time.” It lists about a dozen hotels

in its portfolio. The Heritage Hospital Group’s CEO Chico Patel, said Tuesday that he expects the 125-room Homewood Suites to be completed by mid-August 2019. The prospect of three hotels in the district was met with mixed feelings by some in the area known for its small, independent shops and restaurants. To sweeten the pot, Heritage Hospitality awarded a $10,000 check to the Friends of Children’s Hospital and $2,500 to the Fondren Renaissance Foundation at a ground-breaking ceremony in late October of 2017. The Homewood Suites hotel will have about 4,000 square feet of retail space, but Patel said Tuesday that he has not signed up tenants yet, and will wait till the project is complete. Heritage Hospitality was founded in 2006 and has hotels in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

New developer takes over mall site with state tax aid A new developer is taking over a plan to build a large shopping center on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Local news outlets report that Rise Partners has taken over development in D’Iberville with plans to begin construction next summer and complete the ﬁrst phase in summer 2020. The new company, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, says it has agreed with landowner Bob Mandal to build a 600,000 square-foot development including stores, restaurants, offices and hotels on an 80-acre (30-hectare) site at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Interstate 110. Mandal, a car dealer who built a dealership elsewhere on the property, had originally planned an indoor mall, not the outdoor development now planned. Founding partner Geoff Smith formerly worked with retail developer CBL & Associates, which developed the nearby Promenade shopping center. That center includes the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s only Target store. The state has granted a sales tax rebate worth $96 million to the project under a since-repealed tax provision. Developers would have to invest $326 million and generate $1.9 billion in sales over 15 years to get all $96 million. D’Iberville Mayor Rusty Quave says the development shows his city is a growing retail market. The city has helped induce retail development by creating tax increment ﬁnancing districts, which divert tax money to help developers pay for the cost of infrastructure. State and local officials have also invested tens of millions in improving road access to the area.

— MBJ Staff & Wire Reports

September 21, 2018

Mississippi Business Journal

AGRICULTURE

Early results from Delta water conservation project said positive

Aquifer — one of two major aquifers in the region and the one that is closer to the surface and is the source for agricultural irrigation — has dropped dramatically in recent years. Since the water from that formation is high in iron, it is not good for drinking water or for industrial use, according to the Yazoo Mississippi Delta Joint Water Management District. Irrigation got underway on a large scale in the 1970s in the Delta and since the 1980s water wells there have proliferated — from about 3,000 to 18,000 using the aquifer as of 2015, or 80 percent of the wells in the state, according to the district. More than 36,200 farms covering 10.7 million acres, much of it in the Delta, produce products ranging from cattle to catﬁsh, poultry to pecans and horses to horticulture, according to the Mississippi Development Authority. Nick King said managing water resources will help an industry that employs 29 percent of the state’s workers and generates over $7.6 billion annually for Mississippi’s economy. “We need to do more with less and IoT technology-based innovations will help farmers deliver on that promise.”

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com Preliminary results from a water conservation experiment in the Mississippi Delta are encouraging, according to partners in the field trial. A collaboration by PrecisionKing, C Spire and the JF Phillips Farm shows water usage already has been reduced by up to 53 percent for corn fields and from 50 to 65 percent for soybean plots since the beginning of the 2018 growing season, according to a news release. “We’re optimistic this approach will save water and improve overall productivity and crop yields,” Nick King, president of the Yazoo City-based PrecisionKing, said in the press release. PrecisionKing makes remote monitors to measure water distribution and absorption. While the final results won’t be known until the end of the growing season, the plan is to compare standard irrigation practices on row crops such as corn, soybeans and cotton with the new automated system that features moisture sensors monitored from a computer, smart phone or tablet. “Agriculture is the state’s No. 1 industry

tors that will help us deliver on that promise.” Recent research shows IoT can increase yields by up to 15 percent and revenue by $100,000 annually for a typical 1,000-acre farm, according to the release. The Mississippi River Valley Alluvial

sector and we need to help growers embrace precision farming practices and Internet of Things (IoT) systems that can increase efficiency, boost yields and conserve groundwater resources,” said Stephen Bye, president of Ridgeland-based C Spire. “Automation and analytics are the key fac-

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MBJPERSPECTIVE September 21 2018 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 4

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WISE COUNSEL: ALWAYS THINK BEFORE SPEAKING

Website: www.msbusiness.com September 21, 2018 Volume 40, Number 38

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» INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

Good policies without adequate funding won’t close skills gap

ears before Fox News and Rush Limbaugh, conservatives would regularly tune in to hear Paul Harvey on the radio. Admired for his unique voice and storytelling talent, Harvey broadcast his conservative messages for over three decades. He was particularly known for revealing to his audiences “the rest of the story.” During the remainder of this year’s national political season and next year’s state election cycle, voters would do well to adopt Harvey’s approach. Don’t let politicians get away with only telling part of the story. Get the rest of the story too. An example of this emerged at last week’s Summit on Career Education and High-Paying Jobs, held at Itawamba Community College’s Belden Center in Tupelo. Listen and you will hear state politicians touting Mississippi’s “lowest ever” unemployment rate and recent job growth. At the summit, Lewis Whitfield, Senior Vice President of the CREATE Foundation in Tupelo, played Paul Harvey and told approximately 300 business leaders, educators, economic developers, and elected officials the rest of the story. “Only 56 percent of civilians are working or looking for work,” he said, as reported in the Northeast Missis-

Bill Crawford

sippi Daily Journal. “So 44 percent either aren’t working or not looking for work. So when you hear we have a 4 percent unemployment rate, that’s great – but it only applies to that 56 percent.” As for job growth Whitfield said, “While the U.S. economy has grown 16.8 percent from 2009 to 2017, Mississippi has grown only 3.4 percent. The fundamental reason for our lack of growth is the lack of a qualified workforce.” The underlying issue for both labor participation and job growth is workers lacking needed skills. This fact was highlighted at the summit by Ron Wanek, founder and chairman of Ashley Furniture Industries, the world’s largest furniture manufacturer and retailer that employs 3,200 people at its facilities in Ecru, Ripley and Verona, and Hassell Franklin, founder and CEO of Franklin Corp., a motion furniture plant that employs 1,000 people in Chickasaw County. So, politicians, what are y’all doing to get our lowest-in-the-nation labor participation rate and skill levels up? Not nothing, but clearly not enough. State policies addressing the issue are pretty good. Gov. Phil Bryant’s State Workforce Investment Board designed its compreSee CRAWFORD, Page 5

here was a time when children who were taunted on the playground or in neighborhood backyards would offer up a response: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Perhaps in the moment those words may have somehow softened the verbal blows dealt by mean spirited playmates, but in reality, the age-old phrase is nothing but a profound untruth. To say words do not bring harm is one of life’s largest lies. In most cases, after a person – no matter his or her age – utters those words, they likely retreat to a quiet place to nurse a breaking heart. These days, many people in politics and other professions that thrust them into public life don’t seem to understand the compelling importance of thinking before speaking. True, it’s also important that such people be able to sometimes speak spontaneously, off script in order to prove they are authentic human beings. Even then, thoughtful speech is required. Why? To quote a Chinese proverb, “If you wish to know the mind of a man (or woman), listen to his words.” There are examples of high-proﬁle persons who, after speaking, blame the hearers of their words for misinterpreting what was said. Certainly, for good or bad, a person’s thoughts on another’s words are always open to interpretation. That’s one of life’s great givens. And that’s on the listener. Still, the burden of speaking one’s own truths is on the speaker. And once words are spoken, they can never be recalled. As author Jodi Picoult has written, “Words are like eggs dropped from great heights; you can no more call them back than ignore the mess they leave when they fall.” And apologies – sincere or otherwise – if offered, may fail to bring about reconciliation or understanding. In the fall of 2012 at the University of Maryland, a campaign commenced to help students become more aware of how words can hurt. The purpose was not to police; nor was it to squelch spontaneous speech. It was simply to offer insight into certain words and phrases, and how they might seem offensive or hurtful to others. Other universities, like Penn State and the University of Michigan, have started similar programs with the goal of educating and encouraging future generations to think before they speak. Most human beings could beneﬁt from such enlightenment. But certainly those in public office – or those considering the possibility – should give such training some thought. Words give others a glimpse into the hearts and minds of the speaker. Words wield a great deal of power. For good or for ill. They have the power to heal and to help. They also have the power to hurt and to divide. Thought should always precede speech.

— Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

PERSPECTIVE

September 21, 2018 I Mississippi Business Journal

» RICKY NOBILE

CRAWFORD

Continued from Page 4

hensive Mississippi Works Smart Start Career Pathway Model to address these problems. It covers the spectrum from basic skills for high school dropouts to high-tech skills for advanced manufacturing. It involves all kinds of partners, including community colleges, schools, rehabilitation centers, and WIN Job Centers. Bryant’s Third Grade Reading Gate and the Mississippi Department of Education push to reduce high school drop-out rates and improve graduation rates have had some success. And Bryant led a revamp of the state’s Early Childhood State Plan. But state funding to implement these policies is inadequate. Partner agencies budgets keep getting cut by the Legislature. There’s not enough money to hire the number of third grade reading coaches needed or retain the effective teachers needed for drop-out prevention in many schools. And there is virtually no state money to address critical early childhood development needs. “Closing the skills gap is our biggest challenge,” said David Rumbarger, CEO of Tupelo’s Community Development Foundation. Policies without adequate funding won’t close the gap, and that’s the real rest of the story. Bill Crawford can be reached at crawfolk@gmail.com.

»INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

Legislative transparency a matter of perspective

Republican leader of the Mississippi House says the Legislature operates more transparently now than ever. But a longtime Democratic senator says the Legislature falls short of even its own past practices of conducting public business out in the open. House Speaker Pro Tempore Greg Snowden of Meridian and Sen. Hob Bryan of Amory presented contrasting views last week at a forum sponsored by the Capitol press corps and Mississippi State University’s Stennis Institute of Government. Snowden was elected to the House in 1999. He said when he first arrived at the Capitol, the only way to read a bill was to fetch a paper copy. Now, he said, bills are posted online, and amendments that are offered during House or Senate debates often appear online within minutes. The floor debates themselves are available live on the legislative website . “It’s really, from my view, a much more open process than it’s ever been,” Snowden said. Bryan was first elected to the Senate in 1983, and served about the first half of his Capitol career in the majority party when Democrats controlled the Legislature. Republicans gained control of the Senate before the House, and they have held a majority in both chambers since the 2011 election. Bryan said that during a special session in late August, too little time was spent debating important details of bills, including one authorizing a state lottery. Final versions of bills are supposed to be negotiated by six people — three from the House and three from the Senate who are appointed to a conference committee. In the special session, House and Senate leaders negotiated privately on the lottery bill for hours before House Speaker Philip Gunn

and Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves named conferees. “There’s certainly nothing wrong with House members talking to Senate members whenever,” Snowden said. Bryan said he remembers in the 1990s, when Democrat Billy McCoy of Rienzi was chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Democrat Bill Minor of Holly Springs was chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, the two men negotiated the final version of a bond bill in a “room full of people — legislators, lobbyists, reporters, hangers-on.” “Nowadays, in violation of joint (legislative) rules, they don’t even make a pretense of having public conference committees,” Bryan said. Snowden said open conference committees are not always useful. He pointed to a 2002 special session that lasted nearly three months. Then-Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, a Democrat, asked lawmakers to limit lawsuit awards, but talks bogged down amid lobbying from business and medical groups who wanted the changes and trial lawyers who opposed them. “There were plenty of conference meetings and nothing happened because people weren’t talking to each other in leadership,” Snowden said.

Emily Pettus

One key example of public accountability is changing: The Joint Legislative Budget Committee is holding only a single day of hearings this month to question a few state agency leaders about spending requests for the year that begins next

... it’s always worth remembering that the Mississippi Legislature exempts itself from the state Open Meetings and Public Records laws ... July. The committee used to conduct several days of budget hearings each September. The two Appropriations Committee chairmen — Republican John Read of Gautier in the House and Republican Eugene “Buck” Clarke in the Senate — say they often meet privately with agency leaders. That gives them information they need, but the public loses the benefit of watching questions being asked. On transparency, it’s always worth remembering that the Mississippi Legislature exempts itself from the state Open Meetings and Public Records laws that city councils, school boards, and county boards of supervisors are expected to follow. Emily Wagster Pettus covers Capitol matters for the Mississippi Associated Press in Jackson.

Septbmber 21, 2018 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS: Law & Accounting

The light is always on at LawyerSmack » Messaging platform gives lawyers a place of their own By TED CARTER mbj@msbusiness.com Most lawyers aren’t comfortable discussing their work in public. But that changes when they click on a place exclusively for them, LawyerSmack.com. “It’s their water cooler,” says Keith Lee, a Birmingham lawyer and self-confessed tech geek who created the messaging platform two years ago from non-proprietary software pulled from the shelf. For some lawyers, LawyerSmack is more a happy hour place to swap stories and make acquaintances. For others, it is a classroom for enhancing professional expertise. Whatever the reason, lawyer members exchange about 15,000 messages a week on the site, Lee says. You can’t come in and kick the tires – unless you’re a lawyer, says Lee, a self-confessed tech geek who thought up LawyerSmack as a way to indulge his fondness for both technology and the legal profession. “It’s like a cocktail hour that never ends,” Lee says. “They are always able to chat or

talk shop.” And do so in private, at least among themselves, Lee says. “It’s not like being on Twitter having a conversation and someone pops in out of nowhere,” he adds. The site’s 100-plus Lee channels give lawyers a host of specialty categories in which to camp, including Criminal, Domestic, FRCP, In-House, Intellectual Property, Finance, Solo/Small Firm and others. Vendors offering products and services are also a big part of the site’s attraction, according to Lee. Channels are also dedicated to non-legal topics such as fashion, gaming and pop culture. In developing LawyerSmack, Lee struggled with whether to keep the ownership open to anyone affiliated with the legal profession. But in the end, he decided it best to limit membership to lawyers. This helps to maintain the platform as a true community, he said. Lee launched LawyerSmack.com two years ago, initially under the name LawyerSlack.com. The ﬁrst year, with no fee required, membership reached around

1,000. The site processed one million messages. Now, in his ﬁrst year charging a $99 annual fee, membership is around 300 but messaging volume shows no sign of declining. On Sept. 12, the platform had handled 1,688,228 messages. “I went back and forth,” he says. “Everyone was very adamant, they wanted it to be just lawyers.” In addition to limiting membership, Lee requires each member to use a real name, real ﬁrm name and real photograph. “Having to have some skin in the game changes how people behave,” he says. Like Facebook, using LawyerSmack can become a home away from home for members. Millions of billable hours can be idled away, Lee concedes. But he adds relationships can be established and referrals exchanged. This is especially true for IT and patent lawyers, Lee notes. They “are really keen on helping each other.” One reason? “They are not in competi-

tion,” he says. Lee’s goal, he says, is to make the platform “so sticky” it becomes part of members’ lives. The secret sauce is not the technology, it is the culture that can be created, he adds. Monthly events around the country and frequent speaker events are also part of LawyerSmack’s strategy to grow its popularity, according to Lee. But otherwise, marketing and promotion is word-of-mouth, he says. “People join, they tell other people.” LawyerSmack.com is taking on a life of its own, Keith notes, and adds vendor are calling out of the blue to become part of it. He even did an interview for a Norwegian legal publication a few weeks back, he says. The platform is beneﬁtting from the preferences of millennials who are joining the lawyer ranks. This is why LawyerSmack has become a “modern day bar association” of sorts, Lee says. “A lot of bar associations are considered to be out of touch with millennials,” he adds. “What appeals to a 63-year-old lawyer doesn’t appeal to a millennial.” Lee, who is 35, says he estimates the average age for a member is 34 or 35.

Law & Accounting

September 21, 2018

Mississippi Business Journal

Document sifting gets welcome assist from e-discovery tools

» Early entry Logikcull gaining with pay-as-you-go model By TED CARTER mbj@msbusiness.com Lawyers deciding whether to take a case must ﬁgure-in discovery costs and the time and money expected to be spent on analyzing documents and other data. Fortunately for lawyers and the people and businesses that hire them, the arrival of the cloud and digital-discovery tools have made those costs much more manageable. Time spent immersed in documents and data is far less, as well. In fact, says e-discovery software marketer Robert Hilson, discovery costs can account for up to “70 percent of total costs of any case.” Three-hundred-thousand emails “are not all uncommon” in litigation discovery exchanges, he says. It’s especially important to keep the data organizing and discovery costs down as digital documents and data proliferate, says Hilson, senior marketing director for 5-year-old San Francisco-based Logikcull. Hilson’s company is an early innovator in development

of digital discovery tools. It began life as a data processing vendor in 2004 but shut down that part of the operation with the launch of its proprietary software platform, Logikcull.com, in 2013. Assisting with a law firm’s discovery documents is a main – but not sole – target of Logikcull’s software development, Hilson says. With its Logikcull.com platform, the company offers law firms and other businesses, institutions and governmental entities a cloud service for secure document uploading and automatic processing and review. From there, Logikcull. com earns its living by culling, searching and reviewing the documents for relevance and confidentiality. The uploaded docs the software identifies as relevant come back assembled, indexed and ready to share with another party. “Full text indexing is one of the things we specialize in,” Hilson says. “When you dump this data, we are going to extract and organize.” Logikcull.com’s data organizing capacity often gets the

platform compared to Amazon.com, Hilson says. A switch to a “pay-as-you-go” model last year brought Logikcull a 500 percent increase in customers and $40 million in new investment capital. Lawyers and other users of the platform pay $40 for each gigabyte of documents they upload. The cost is prorated, the company says. The $40 price goes down in relation to the amount below one GB the customer uses, Logikcull says. No subscription is required, Hilson says. In pre-digital days, a typical exchange of documents in, say, a civil litigation would involve boxes and boxes full of paper documents. And the time of legal professionals to wade through them for information and materials that matter. Today’s e-discovery software now does that job. Logikcull says it didn’t get the users in has in Mississippi and elsewhere through any planned marketing strategy. “Most of our business is what we call ‘inbound,’ or customer referrals,” Hilson says.

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Law & Accounting

LAW ELEVATED

The Autonomous Vehicle (AV) revolution expands to trucks

he race is on for the mass rollout of self-driving, Autonomous Vehicles. Google (now Waymo) and Nissan hope to get there by 2020. Ford and Volvo hope to have a fully autonomous vehicle on the road by 2021. You have probably begun to take more than a passing glimpse at the seemingly daily news about AV technology. The reality is that the technology is here (subject only to being ﬁne-tuned), but the current federal and state regulatory schemes (or lack thereof ) are causing confusion and delays. In other words, our existing automobile laws are becoming more outdated day-by-day as AV technology continues to advance, and are creating barriers to the development, testing and deployment of AVs. While the “non-traditional” auto manufacturers (Google/Waymo, Apple, Uber, Tesla) raced to a quick lead in AV technology, the major auto manufacturers quickly ramped up their AV development to keep pace. Now, GM, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Volvo, BMW, Mercedes, etc., are all in the race to see who can bring AVs to the commercial market ﬁrst. Traditional auto parts suppliers like Continental, known for its tire division, are also pioneering innovations in the autonomous vehicle race. Continental opened a Silicon Valley business unit called Continental Intelligent Transportation Systems in 2014. The race has resulted in a series of mergers, acquisitions and partnerships between the auto manufacturers and a variety of start-ups, software companies and product suppliers. General Motors recently invested $500 million in ride-share company Lyft, and then invested $1 billion to pur-

chase Cruise Automation, a self-driving vehicle startup. Among technology/software companies, Delphi recently branded its AV program under the name Aptiv (which has a plant in Brookhaven), and Aptiv is partnering with Lyft to provide self-driving taxi rides in Las Vegas, with a ﬂeet of 30 self-driving cars, having provided more than 5,000 self-driving public rides. Intel recently acquired Mobileye, and Nvidia is providing self-driving software to Audi, among others. In May 2016, Google announced the construction of a 53,0000-square-foot facility in Michigan to test its AV technology, and Google/Waymo is testing its self-driving cars in Phoenix through its “early rider” program.

Toyota recently announced a $1 billion investment in its AV program. Prior to its well-published crash in Arizona, Uber was operating autonomous cars in Phoenix and Pittsburgh, and acquired self-driving truck start-up, Otto, in August 2016 in a deal reportedly valued at about $680 million. However, Uber has now apparently shelved its self-driving truck division. As a group, several of the companies recently banded together to form the Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets, a lobbying group, to ensure that AVs hit the market sooner than later. The Coalition is promoting one clear set of federal laws, which they intend to help develop, as the best way to evolve the technology. Safety. There were about 40,000 deaths

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in the U.S. in 2016 due to automobile accidents (an increase of 6 percent), including some 4,000 fatalities (11 per day) related to truck and bus crashes. In addition, there were Art Spratlin 2.5 million injuries and more than 6 million accidents. And, more than 90 percent of those accidents are caused by human error. Estimates show that AV technology could reduce traffic deaths by about 80 – 90 percent. So, the obvious problem is the human driver. Humans get tired, sleepy, and distracted, they text, they look at Facebook – and they drink. In fact, one theory is that our children and grandchildren will look back one day with shock and disbelief as they consider the number of deaths and accidents during the first 100 years of the automobile when we actually drove them ourselves! On the other hand, the highly publicized Tesla accident in Florida in 2016, believed to be the first fatality involving a vehicle in autonomous mode, has been a wake-up call to the industry. But, statistically, Tesla points out that its Autopilot mode, when used in conjunction with driver oversight, reduces driver fatigue and is still safer than purely manual driving. Tesla also notes that its system was still in the beta testing phase and that it provided warnings to the drivers that they remain engaged and ready to take the wheel. Other benefits expected to come about as a result of AVs include reduced traffic congestion, offsite parking, fewer cars on the road and less individual car ownership, as society moves to a ride-hailing and ride-sharing mentality. Who wants the cost, maintenance and insurance expenses and other hassles of car ownership, when the vehicle sits unused in the garage depreciating 90 percent of the time? Studies show that the members of our younger generation do not want to be bothered by driving anyway. They much prefer the freedom to text and use social media. And, AVs will give new freedom to the elderly and people with disabilities.

How will it work? The AVs are loaded with radar, lidar, cameras, sensors, software, maps and computers with 360-degree awareness that can see around corners, over hills and otherwise anticipate things that humans cannot, and they can react faster. And, the AVs will be connected to each other by Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) technology, and to the world around them by Vehicle-to-InSee AV, Page 9

Law & Accounting

be updated annually, if not sooner.

AV Continued from Page 8

frastructure (V2I) technology, via dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) links to a wireless spectrum band similar to Wi-Fi. The merger of these technologies will allow the AV to become part of an integrated transportation ecosystem. In fact, NHTSA proposed a rule mandating the deployment of connected V2V communications in December 2016. One of the biggest debates among the manufacturers is the issue of how much autonomy the car needs to have and whether to pursue â&#x20AC;&#x153;Semi-Autonomyâ&#x20AC;? (human driver required to take over in emergency, i.e., GM) or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Full Autonomyâ&#x20AC;? (no steering wheel, no brake pedals, i.e., Waymo). Waymo argues that Semi-Autonomy is actually more dangerous, because the whole point is to get the humans from behind the wheel, because humans cannot be relied upon to act quickly enough in emergency situations.

A â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Vision for Safetyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

On Sept. 12, 2017, the DOT/NHTSA, under the Trump Administration, issued a new federal AV policy entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Automated Driving Systems: A Vision for Safety 2.0â&#x20AC;? (A Vision for Safety), replacing the FAVP. The non-regulatory framework refers to Automated Driving Systems (ADSs), whereas the original guideline referred to Highly Automated Vehicles (HAVs). The new NHTSA guideline continues to adopt the SAE Automation Levels, speciďŹ cally focusing on vehicles falling within levels

Federal Regulation/Guidance With the support of the federal government, the manufacturers and the states have the support to move the AV technology, testing and development along at a brisk pace. Former President Obama carved out $4 billion in the 2017 budget for AV development, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is bullishly advocating for AVs. In order to get around the patchwork of various state laws that are already developing, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and NHTSA have issued two recent operational guidelines for AV testing and regulation, and a â&#x20AC;&#x153;modelâ&#x20AC;? policy for the states to help end the mish-mash of regulations that threaten to stymie the development of AVs.

three through ďŹ ve, which are considered to be conditional, high and full automation, and include vehicles with no human driver. The new policy is â&#x20AC;&#x153;technology neutralâ&#x20AC;? in that it does not favor traditional auto manufacturers over software companies, rather it encourages one and all to enter the space in order to develop AV technology sooner. A Vision for Safety is a much leaner 36page document with only two sections. Section 1 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Voluntary Guidanceâ&#x20AC;? offers recommendations and suggestions by NHTSA for industry discussion among designers of ADSs to help analyze, identify, and resolve safety considerations with regard to

Mississippi Business Journal

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design best practices prior to deployment. The new policy simpliďŹ es the process for manufacturing, testing and deploying AVs, and discourages states from drafting conďŹ&#x201A;icting legislation of their own. The policy attempts to strike a balance between competing groups by giving the manufacturers the ďŹ&#x201A;exibility they need to allow the private sector to lead the charge on technology, while maintaining federal oversight over the process to appease the critics who are voicing safety concerns over the new technology. As for trucks, the voluntary

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Newsmakers

10 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q September 21, 2018 235 Bradley attorneys recognized by The Best Lawyers in America

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP announced that 19 of the ﬁrm’s Jackson attorneys have been listed in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, one of the most highly regarded attorney referral publications. In addition, Best Lawyers named three of the ﬁrm’s Jackson attorneys as “Lawyers of the Year.” In each metropolitan area, only a single attorney in each legal practice area is designated as the “Lawyer of the Year.” Firmwide, 235 attorneys at Bradley were listed by Best Lawyers. Now in its 25th edition, Best Lawyers lists attorneys who are selected through extensive surveys of leading lawyers who assess the legal abilities of their peers. Lawyers are not permitted to pay a fee to participate or be recognized. The 2019 edition is based on more than 7.8 million evaluations and recognizes over 60,000 attorneys in 145 practice areas. The Jackson attorneys selected by Best Lawyers as “Lawyers of the Year” for 2019 (as well as their recognized practice areas) are: » W. Rodney Clement was named Land Use and Zoning Law “Lawyer of the Year.” He also is listed for Corporate Law and Land Use and Zoning Law. » W. Wayne Drinkwater was named Appellate Practice “Lawyer of the Year.” He also is listed for Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants. » William R. Purdy was named Construction Law “Lawyer of the Year.” The other Jackson attorneys listed as 2019 Best Lawyers (as well as their recognized practice areas) are: » Michael J. Bentley » Jeffrey R. Blackwood » Roy D. Campbell III » David W. Clark » Margaret Oertling Cupples » Jason Fortenberry » Ralph B. Germany, Jr. » J. William Manuel » Mary Clay W. Morgan » Wendy R. Mullins » Dinetia M. Newman » Alan W. Perry » Alex Purvis » Joseph J. Stroble » Stephen L. Thomas » Stephen M. Wilson

34 Baker Donelson attorneys recognized by The Best Lawyers in America Baker Donelson announced that 34 of its Mississippi attorneys have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Six of the Firm’s attorneys were also recognized as “Lawyers of the Year,” a designation given to individuals in high-proﬁle specialties in large legal communities. Only one attorney in each community for each specialty is honored. Nationally, Baker Donelson had 277 lawyers recognized, including 42 as “Lawyers of the Year.” In addition to the individual attorneys recognized, Baker Donelson is top-listed in the nation in seven practice areas: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses

Brown, Mitchell & Alexander, Inc. merges with Garner Russell & Associates Brown, Mitchell & Alexander, Inc. (BMA), with offices in Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula, and Garner Russell & Associates, located in Gulfport, are excited to announce the merger of their firms into one. Each firm has served the Mississippi Gulf Coast for more than 50 years. Combined they will operate as Brown, Mitchell & Alexander, Inc., offering clients more experience and expertise. Over the years, BMA and Garner Russell have provided similar services, including engineering and surveying. Dax Alexander, President of BMA, feels the merger is an opportunity to provide a broader range of services to their combined clients and complete larger projects. He says, “Both firms have vast experience and are dedicated to exceeding client expectations. Together, we’ll be a strong player on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.” Scott Burge and Doug Rackley of Garner Russell & Associates look forward to the merging of their firm into BMA, wherein each firm has been independently very well recognized for extensive experience and long tenured history of providing quality professional engineering services throughout the Mississippi Gulf Coast region. They say, “Combining our experience, local knowledge, history and values will further enhance our services to clients and communities.” Their areas of focus will include design and construction management of roads, bridges, drainage, water, wastewater, site improvements, coastal, industrial, surveying for public and private clients. The merger is expected to be complete in early fall at which time BMA will have 35 employees in Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula offices. Dax Alexander will remain President of BMA.

Law, Litigation–Construction, Non-Proﬁt/Charities Law, Personal Injury Litigation–Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law–Defendants and Transportation Law. Missisippi lawyers recognized are: » John B. Beard » Jonell B. Beeler » Heather J. Camp » Michael T. Dawkins » Alfrado D. Donelson » James K. Dossett Jr. » Brooks Eason » Amy Kebert Elder » Charles W. Ferguson » Jennifer G. Hall » Robert E. Hauberg Jr. » Wilton J. Johnson III » James L. Jones » Jon Stephen Kennedy » David F. Maron » Leonard C. Martin » Dan M. McDaniel Jr. » William S. Mendenhall » J. Scott Newton » William S. Painter » Scott W. Pedigo » William N. Reed » David A. Rueff Jr. » Jon D. Seawright » Bradley W. Smith » Stacy E. Thomas » J. Carter Thompson Jr » D. Jeffrey Wagner » Robert F. Walker » David P. Webb » Richard F. Yarborough Jr. Mississippi “Lawyers of the Year” are: » Barry K. Cockrell: Jackson Health Care Law » David P. Webb: Jackson Business Organizations » James K. Dossett, Jr.: Jackson Tax Law » Michael T. Dawkins: Jackson Litigation–Environmental » William S. Painter: Jackson Corporate Law » Wilton J. Johnson III: Jackson Economic Development Law

39 McGlinchey Stafford attorneys recognized by The Best Lawyers in America McGlinchey Stafford PLLC has announced new attorney and practice area listings in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. The firm was top-listed in Louisiana in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Additionally, the firm is the top-listed in Baton Rouge in the areas of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Insurance Law, and Litigation - Banking & Finance, rankings reflecting the number of McGlinchey Stafford attorneys listed and the firm’s depth in those practice areas. Four McGlinchey Stafford attorneys received recognition as “Lawyer of the Year.” Only one attorney in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as a “Lawyer of the Year,” and those recognized with this honor are selected based on voting averages received during peer-review assessments for The Best Lawyers in America® for their legal acumen, professionalism, and integrity. McGlinchey Stafford attorneys receiving this designation for 2019 include: » Katherine Conklin, New Orleans Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law “Lawyer of the Year” » R. Andrew Patty II, Baton Rouge Patent Law “Lawyer of the Year” » Michael H. Rubin, Baton Rouge Litigation – Banking and Finance “Lawyer of the Year” » H. Hunter Twiford III, Jackson Litigation – Banking and Finance “Lawyer of the Year” McGlinchey Stafford attorneys listed in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® include: ALBANY, NY » Marc J. Lifset BATON ROUGE, LA » Rodolfo “Rudy” J. Aguilar, Jr. » Brad J. Axelrod » Samuel A. Bacot » Richard A. Curry » Michael D. Ferachi » Jon Ann Giblin » Marshall Grodner

» Ronnie L. Johnson » Mary Terrell Joseph » Christine Lipsey » Andrew “Drew” Patty II » Jean-Paul Perrault, Insurance Law » Anthony Rollo » Michael H. Rubin » Stephen P. Strohschein » Dan E. West BIRMINGHAM, AL » Christopher Bottcher » Christopher P. Couch » Michael B. Odom CLEVELAND, OH » Mark S. Edelman » Richik Sarkar FORT LAUDERDALE, FL » Manuel Farach » G. Dewey Hembree III » H. Hunter Twiford III NEW ORLEANS, LA » Ricardo “Richard” A. Aguilar » J. Patrick Beauchamp » Magdalen Blessey Bickford » Mark N. Bodin » Rudy J. Cerone » Katherine Conklin » Larry Feldman, Jr. » Kathleen A. Manning » Deirdre C. McGlinchey » Colvin “Woody” Norwood, Jr. » Erin Fury Parkinson » Stephen W. Rider » Eric Shuman

Six Brunini attorneys recognized by The Best Lawyers in America Six attorneys with Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC, were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Brunini lawyers were recognized in the following categories: The following attorneys were chosen as the Lawyer of the Year: » J. Gordon Flowers: Best Lawyers 2019, Tupelo, Product Liability Litigation-Defendants » Lynne K. Green: Best Lawyers 2019, Jackson., Elder Law » R. David Kaufman: Best Lawyers 2019, Jackson, Bet-the-Company Litigation » M. Patrick McDowell: Best Lawyers 2019, Jackson, Litigation-Securities » John E. Milner: Best Lawyers 2019, Jackson, Miss., Environmental Law and Litigation-Environmental » Walter S. Weems: Best Lawyers® 2019, Jackson, Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Burr & Forman adds Jackson attorney to construction practice

Burr & Forman LLP announced the addition of Jackson-based associate Joshua Stover, who joins the ﬁrm’s Construction Practice Group. Stover will represent clients including general contractors, owners, subcontractors, developers, architects and engineers in complex construction cases in trial and arbitration. Stover earned his undergraduate degree from Mississippi State University and his law degree from Mississippi College School of Law.

Newsmakers Heidelberg recognized by The Best Lawyers in America Pascagoula attorney Jimmy Heidelberg has been named to the 25th edition of Best Lawyers in America in seven areas of law: appellate practice, environmental law, legal malpractice law – defendants, mass tort litigation/ class actions-defendants, medical malpractice law defendants, personal injury litigation-defendants and professional malpractice law – defendants. Additionally, Heidelberg was recognized as the 2019 Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year” for the area. Only a single lawyer in each practice area in each community is honored as “Lawyer of the Year.” “It is quite an honor to be recognized in seven practice areas and also be acknowledged for my practice of personal injury litigation defense,” said Heidelberg. “It is rewarding that the hard work and dedication you give your clients is recognized. We strive to deliver the best professional service with the highest ethical standards to our clients.” Heidelberg is a shareholder in the law ﬁrm of Heidelberg Steinberger, P.A., which has offices in both Pascagoula and Jackson. He has been practicing law since 1978 and has been listed in Best Lawyerssince 1999. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Mississippi School of Law. Heidelberg Steinberger is a multi-service law ﬁrm that has been representing businesses, individuals and companies for over three decades. Areas of practice are vast but include workers’ compensation, employment law, insurance, medical malpractice defense, liability and real estate.

81 Butler Snow attorneys recognized by The Best Lawyers in America

Butler Snow recently announced that 81 of the firm’s Mississippi attorneys have been included in Best Lawyers for 2019, and 12 have been named Best Lawyers 2019 “Lawyer of the Year.” Best Lawyers is regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor. Best Lawyers compiles its lists by conducting peer-review surveys in which lawyers confidently evaluate their professional peers. Nationally, 158 Butler Snow lawyers were honored, with 18 being selected “Lawyers of the Year.” “Lawyer of the Year” recognitions are also awarded to individual attorneys with the highest overall peer-feedback for a specific practice area and geographic location. Only one lawyer is recognized for each specialty and location. Mississippi recipients are: » Alveno N. Castilla – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Jackson. » Anita Modak-Truran – Trademark Law, Jackson. » Edward A. Wilmesherr – Administrative/Regulatory Law, Jackson. » Gilbert C. Van Loon – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Jackson. » John F. England – Commercial Finance Law, Jackson. » John J. Healy III – Copyright Law, Jackson. » John M. Harral – Banking and Finance Law, Gulfport. » Phil B. Abernethy – Litigation – Construction, Jackson. » Phillip S. Sykes – Litigation – Real Estate, Jackson. » Steven M. Hendrix – Corporate Compliance Law, Jackson. » Timothy M. Threadgill – Employment Law – Management, Jackson. » Tommie S. Cardin – Government Relations Practice,

September21, 2018

Memphis law firm expands services into Mississippi Rebecca Adelman, a former founder of Hagwood Adelman Tipton, has resumed full operation of her firm, Adelman Law Firm, which was originally founded in 2001. The firm will serve Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. Adelman Law Firm’s team of legal professionals will serve the public in the areas of medical malpractice, long-term care and aging services, professional liability, general litigation, insurance defense, government tort liability, public entity defense and risk reduction and loss avoidance. As a woman-owned business, Adelman Law Firm seeks to lead and mentor women in the business, insurance and health care sectors. Adelman is a mother, entrepreneur, influencer, thought leader and founder of Adelman Law Firm. With more than 30 years of experience, she has established herself as an expert in the legal field, as well as entrepreneurship, and has received numerous awards, including the inaugural American Assisted Living Nursing Association Ethel Mitty Heart Award and was a finalist for the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance Professional of the Year - Outside Counsel award. Locally, Adelman was named to Super Women in Business, Women to Watch, Top 10 Women in Business and Top 40 Under 40 by the Memphis Business Journal. She was also named a Memphis Power Player in Defense Litigation by Inside Memphis Business. Adelman and her colleagues at Adelman Law Firm are servant leaders and supporters of various nonprofit organizations dedicated to the health and well-being of children through sports and education. Sixteen years ago, Adelman founded a nonprofit Montessori school to provide alternative education to children in rural Colorado.

Jackson. Lawyers recognized by Best Lawyers were: In Gulfport: » John L. Galloway » John M. Harral » Michael B. Hewes » Richard W. Sliman In Oxford: Paul V. Cassisa Jr. » Amanda Jones Tollison In Ridgeland: » Phil B. Abernethy » Paula Graves Ardelean » Amanda Bolz Barbour » P.Ryan Beckett » James H. Bolin » Lucien L. Bourgeois » Fred E. Bourn III » John A. Brunini » R. Barry Cannada » Michael D. Caples » Tommie S. Cardin » Alveno N. Castilla » Donald Clark Jr. » Elizabeth L. Clark » John A. Crawford Jr. » Paul N. Davis » Richard M. Dye » Stephen C. Edds » Andrea La’Verne Edney » John F. England » Sue Hicks Fairbank » Trudy D. Fisher » William Davis Frye » William M. Gage » Mark W. Garriga » Matthew H. Grenfell » Charles E. Griffin » J. Clifford Harrison » Robert B. Harwell » John J. Healy III » Steven M. Hendrix » John C. Henegan » Debbie Horn

» Chad R. Hutchinson » Robert C. Hutchinson » Selby A. Ireland » Donna Brown Jacobs » Charles F. Johnson III » Alyson Bustamante Jones » Christy D. Jones » Samuel W. Keyes » Ronald T. Loeb » Christopher R. Maddux » W. Eugene Magee » Michael E. McWilliams » Kyle V. Miller » Robert A. Miller » Meade W. Mitchell » Anita Modak-Truran » Lem E. Montgomery III » R. Wilson Montjoy II » Samantha R. Moore » Luther T. Munford » Reed T. Nunnelee » Kurt G. Rademacher » Orlando R. Richmond Sr. » Benjamin W. Roberson » E. Barney Robinson III » Paul S. Rosenblatt » Stephen W. Rosenblatt » W. Michael Russ » Arthur D. Spratlin Jr. » Jefferson K.B. Stancill » Phillip S. Sykes » Ronald G. Taylor » William P. Thomas » Timothy M. Threadgill » James B. Tucker » Gilbert C. Van Loon » J. Paul Varner » Thad W. Varner » Benjamin M. Watson » Joshua J. Wiener » Thomas E. Williams » Edward A. Wilmesherr

Mississippi Business Journal

23 Balch & Bingham attorneys recognized by The Best Lawyers in America Balch & Bingham LLP announced that 23 of the firm’s Mississippi attorneys were selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2019 edition of Best Lawyers in America. Balch and Bingham’s five offices in Birmingham, Atlanta, Montgomery, Gulfport, and Jackson produced 100 honorees and five Lawyers of the Year. Honorees from Gulfport are: » Ricky Cox » Paul Delcambre » Jonathan Dyal » Leo Manuel » John Rice » Jennifer Signs » Ben Stone » Rodger Wilder » Teri Wyly Honores from Jackson are » Scott Andress » Walter Boone » Ashley Eley Cannady » Pepper Crutcher » Tara Ellis » Tom Kirkland » Armin Moeller » Bill Reeves » Allison Simpson » Jennifer Skipper » Bill Smith » David Thomas » Chris Waddell » Christy Crockett White

Holcomb Dunbar attorney recognized by The Best Lawyers in America Mike Watts received Best Lawyers 2019 Insurance Law “Lawyer of the Year” award in the Tupelo, Mississippi, area. “Lawyer of the Year” honorees receive this award based on their high overall feedback within speciﬁc practice areas and metropolitan regions. Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan areas is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.” Watts served on the Mississippi Board of Bar Commissions for 1995 to 1998. Watts has been A/V rated by Martindale Hubbell since 1995 and is a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

12 Copeland Cook attorneys recognized by The Best Lawyers in America Twelve attorneys from Copeland, Cook, Taylor & Bush were recently recognized in the 2019 edition of Best Lawyers in America, including three named “Lawyer of the Year” for the Ridgeland area. Lawyers of the Year are Greg Copeland, Insurance Law; Jim Moore, Transportation Law; and Glenn Taylor, Natural Resources Law. Others listed among best Lawyers are:Glen Bush, Bill Leech, John MacNeill, Bill McDonough, Ryan Perkins, Ronald Russell, Dale Russell, Eric Toney and Bill Whitﬁeld.

Newsmakers

12 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q September 21, 2018 29 attorney at Wise Carter named to Best Lawyers 29 lawyers from Wise Carter in Jackson were recognized among the state’s top attorneys in the 2019 edition of Best Lawyers. In addition, two lawyers were named “Lawyer of the Year” in their categories and geographical region. Selected “Lawyer of the Year” were » Mark P. Caraway, Litigation-Health Care » John P. Sneed, Litigation-First Amendment. Other lawyers recognized were » Lynda C. Carter » Mark P. Caraway » Betty Toon Collins » Gaye Nell Currie » Virginia S. Gautier » David C. Goff » D. Collier Graham Jr. » James E. Graves III » Henderson S. Hall Jr. » Frederick T. Hoff Jr. » R. Mark Hodges » Elizabeth G. Hooper » Kimberly N. Howland » Crane D. Kipp » Douglas E. Levanway » Eugene R. Naylor » W. McDonald Nicholas » John D. Price » George H. Ritter » James L. Robertson » Charles E. Ross » James C. Simpson Jr. » Stephen B. Simpson » John P. Sneed » Joe D. Stevens » Andrew D. Sweat » Michael B. Wallace » Barbara Childs Wallace » Margaret H. Williams.

28 Jones Walker attorneys recognized by The Best Lawyers in America Jones Walker LLP announced that 28 attorneys from the ﬁrm’s Jackson office are listed in the annual peer–review attorney rankings in The Best Lawyers in America for 2019. In addition, eight Jackson attorneys also received the Best Lawyers in America “Lawyer of the Year” designation for 2019. Nationally, 127 lawyers were listed, including 23 named “Lawyer of the Year.” Jackson lawyers listed are: » Joseph Lee Adams: » Jeffrey R. Barber » Neville H. Boschert » Robert E. Box, Jr. » H. Mitchell Cowan » Mark T. Davis » William E. Dossett » John F. Fletcher » J. Andrew Gipson » Chad J. Hammons » Kathryn H. Hester » Robert B. House » Gina M. Jacobs » Kristina M. Johnson » Linda Bounds Keng » Craig N. Landrum » Robert S. Lazarus

Baker Donelson named Gold Standard Firm For the fourth consecutive year, Baker Donelson has been certified by the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) as a Gold Standard Firm. WILEF grants Gold Standard status to firms that meet objective criteria concerning the number of women among equity partners, in firm leadership positions, and in the ranks of their most highly compensated partners. Baker Donelson was among 42 law firms across the country to earn this certification. Baker Donelson has implemented numerous key initiatives designed to create an environment where female attorneys can thrive, including an industry-leading parental leave policy, a firm-wide mentoring program for women. Currently, women serve as president and COO, on the board of directors, as office managing shareholders, as department chairs, and as practice group leaders. This year’s class of new shareholders at the Firm was comprised of more than 50 percent women, making it the fourth consecutive year women have made up nearly or more than half of the Firm’s newly elected shareholders. Additionally, nearly half of the new shareholders, including men and women, have taken advantage of Baker Donelson’s parental leave policy during their time at the Firm.

» Dennis W. Miller » L. Keith Parsons » Kaytie M. Pickett » Keith R. Raulston » W. Whitaker Rayner » Thomas B. Shepherd III » Adam Stone » Zachary Taylor III » Aileen S. Thomas » Jim B. Tohill » Randall B. Wall 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” recipients are: » Jeffrey R. Barber: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; » Neville H. Boschert: Litigation–Antitrust; » Craig N. Landrum: Corporate Governance Law, Financial Services Regulation Law; » Robert S. Lazarus: Public Finance Law; » W. Whitaker Rayner: Litigation–Intellectual Property; » Thomas B. Shepherd III: Gaming Law; » Zachary Taylor III: Project Finance Law; » Jim B. Tohill: Real Estate Law.

J.D. Cooley Joins Butler Snow’s Ridgeland Office Butler Snow is pleased to announce that J.D. Cooley has joined the firm’s Ridgeland office. He will practice with the firm’s business services group. Prior to joining Butler Snow, Cooley defended clients in several areas of litigation including construction, appellate, labor and employment and financial services. He also clerked for the Honorable James E. Graves, Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit during his 2015-2016 term. While attending law school at Mississippi College School of Law, Cooley served as managing editor of the Mississippi College Law Review. He was selected as a pupil member of the Charles Clark Chapter of the American Inns Court and advanced as a national semifinalist in the 2012 ABA Representation in Mediation Competition. Additionally, Cooley received American Jurisprudence Awards for the following subjects: Legal Research I, Domestic Relations, First Amendment and Pretrial Practice. Cooley is licensed to practice in Mississippi, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts of Mississippi. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Capital Area Bar Association, Jackson Young Lawyers, The Magnolia Bar, Phoenix Club of Jackson and 100 Black Men of Jackson.

131 Adams and Reese attorneys recognized by The Best Lawyers in America Adams and Reese is pleased to announce the inclusion of 131 attorneys in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Additionally, the ﬁrm was top-listed, noting the greatest number of lawyers from a single ﬁrm listed in each practice area, in the following locales: Top-Listed State Awards » Mississippi - Banking and Finance Law, Education Law » Louisiana - Government Relations Practice; Litigation – Environmental; Public Finance Law » Tennessee - Government Relations Practice; Media Law Top-Listed City Awards » Jackson, MS - Banking and Finance Law; Education Law; Litigation - Real Estate » Nashville, TN - Government Relations Practice » Jacksonville, FL - Insurance Law » New Orleans, LA - Litigation – Environmental; Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants » Mobile, AL - Mergers and Acquisitions Law JACKSON » Charles P. Adams Jr. » Holmes S. Adams » William C. Brabec » C. Phillip Buffington Jr. » Paul A. Carrubba » Matthew R. Dowd » James A. Keith » Elizabeth Lee Maron » Powell G. Ogletree Jr. » Charles N. Parrott » Jeff Trotter » Charles R. Wilbanks Jr.

Bailey recognized by The Best Lawyers in America F. Hall Bailey of Lalor Bailey & Aby, PLLC, was recognized in 25th edition of Best Lawyers in America. Bailey was cited for his work in Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants, and Workers’ Compensation Law-Employers.

Rick Courtney recognized by The Best Lawyers in America Best Lawyers, the oldest and one of the most respected attorney ranking services, has selected Richard Courtney, Certified Elder Law Attorney, for inclusion in the 2019 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America for his work in Elder Law and Trust and Estates. These recognitions are based on independent evaluation of legal experience and peer review and recommendations. Richard (“Rick”) Courtney has practiced law since 1978 and is a founding partner of the Jackson law firm of Frascogna Courtney, PLLC, where he chairs the Courtney Elder Law Associates planning group. His primary areas of practice are elder law, public benefits law (Medicaid, Medicare and SSI), personal asset protection and estate planning, trusts and trust administration, special needs planning for persons with disabilities, guardianships and conservatorships, nursing home and disability rights, and probate administration. Rick is the first attorney in Mississippi designated a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the American Bar Association-accredited National Elder Law Foundation. He is a former Assistant Dean and Adjunct Professor of Law at Mississippi College School of Law and Adjunct Professor – Skills Fellow at University of Mississippi Law School of Law. Licensed to practice before all state and federal courts in Mississippi, Rick is a former Director and current Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA); Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel; and member and former President of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Mississippi State Bar and the Special Needs Alliance, Inc., a national organization of special needs planning attorneys. Rick and his wife, Ruthie, have adult twin daughters, one of whom has a disability. Rick has been active in community involvement as a Director of Mustard Seed, Inc., President and Director of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation of Mississippi, Inc., President of the Advisory Board of Hospice Ministries Inc., a director of the Heritage School for children with learning disabilities, member of the Occupational Therapy Council of Advisors for the Mississippi State Department of Health, and a member of the Alzheimer’s / Mississippi Chapter. He has written and spoken frequently to lawyers, health-care professionals, churches and community groups on elder law and estate planning subjects and topics of interest to senior adults, caregiver children and spouses, and families with special needs.

Brunini welcomes Jake Bradley Jake Bradley has joined Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC as an associate in the firm’s litigation department. Before joining the firm, Jake clerked for the Honorable Judge Rhesa H. Barksdale on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Jake is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law. Prior to attending law school, he received his Bachelors and Masters of Arts from the University of West Florida. In law school, Jake served on the Executive Board of the Mississippi Law Journal as Mississippi Cases Editor and won the Tom Mason Trial Advocacy Award from the American Board of Trial Advocates. Sam Kelly, Managing Partner of the Brunini firm said “We are excited to welcome Jake to the Firm and are confident that he will be a great asset to our team.”

Newsmakers Baker Donelson adds five attorneys to tax practice Baker Donelson has expanded its tax practice with the addition of a group of five attorneys to its Jackson office, a move that gives the Firm one of the largest tax practices in the state of Mississippi. Joining Baker Donelson are C. Ted Sanderson Jr., James A. “Jay” Norris III, Leslie Bounds, William O. “Bill” Brown Jr., and Charles W. “Chuck” Goldberg Jr. Mr. Sanderson and Mr. Norris have joined the Firm as shareholders. Ms. Bounds, Mr. Brown and Mr. Goldberg have joined as of counsel. All five attorneys were previously with the firm of Copeland, Cook, Taylor & Bush, P.A. Sanderson has more than 30 years of legal experience in corporate and tax matters, including tax controversy, succession planning, tax incentives, and business transactions. He represents clients in the areas of federal and state taxation, estate, business succession and lifetime planning, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and probate, trust and guardianship matters. He also advises and represents property owners, developers, and governments on tax incentives for new and expanding businesses. Prior to establishing his practice in Jackson, Mr. Sanderson worked for the Internal Revenue Service in the Office of Chief Counsel in Washington, D.C., where he handled a wide range of individual and corporate tax matters involving the regulatory and enforcement functions of the IRS. Norris advises clients on corporate and tax matters, including business transactions, tax controversy, and estate planning. He represents clients in tax and corporate matters involving federal and state taxation, tax controversy, business succession planning, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, estate planning, and probate matters. He also advises clients on entity formation and organization, joint ventures, business transactions, agreements and contracts, and federal and state securities regulation. Norris practiced as a certified public accountant prior to earning his J.D. from the University of Mississippi and his LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida. Bounds concentrates her practice in the areas of tax-exempt organizations, tax controversy and IRS collection matters, forensic accounting projects, and financial document review and analysis. Her experience also includes the areas of business succession planning and lifetime planning, estate and trust administration, income tax planning, and non-profit entities. Bounds, who practiced as a certified public accountant for 14 years before beginning her legal career, also counsels clients on business transactions, particularly in the areas of agreements and contracts, tax advice, and entity formation and organization. Brown advises high net worth individuals and closely-held businesses and their owners. He represents closely-held businesses and business owners in business formation, organization, capital formation, financing, mergers and acquisitions, state and federal tax planning and tax controversies, various business transactions and business succession and estate planning. A Fellow in The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Brown is a certified public accountant and a certified financial planner. Prior to his career in law, he was an accountant with an international CPA firm, and he served as the head of the tax department of a regional CPA firm. Goldberg focuses on federal and state tax planning, business transactions, corporate planning, estate planning, and tax controversy matters. He represents individual and business clients in matters involving federal and state taxation, estate planning and trusts, tax controversy, and probate matters. A certified public accountant, Goldberg regularly advises clients on

wealth preservation strategies, including federal income and transfer tax planning, business entity formation, organization, and governance, business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and federal and state securities regulation.

Bradley named by LMG Life Sciences Awards 2018 Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that the ﬁrm has been named the Product Liability Firm of the Year by the LMG Life Sciences Awards 2018. Bradley garnered the top spot in the Product Liability

September 21, 2018

category among a group of seven other nominated law firms. The firm was formally recognized September 12 at LMG’s Annual Awards Ceremony in New York City. Now in its sixth year, the awards recognize the year’s top firms and legal professionals operating in the life sciences sector. Tripp Haston, a Bradley partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s Life Sciences Industry team, said, “We are humbled by this honor from LMG Life Sciences, and I congratulate all of my Bradley colleagues who collaborate across diverse practice areas and all offices to help our life sciences clients meet their business goals.” Bradley’s Life Sciences Industry team represents clients involved in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, contract research services, molecular testing services, drug

Mississippi Business Journal

delivery systems, clinical labs (CLIA), genomic labs, bioinformatics, genomic medical clinics, research institutions, animal sciences, plant sciences, and healthcare. The LMG Life Sciences Awards are based on research conducted for the annual LMG Life Sciences referral guide to leading North American law firms and lawyers that focus in the life sciences industry. The readers of the guide include law firms and buyers of legal services/ in-house counsel. LMG’s law firm ranking criteria involve case evidence, peer feedback through a survey and interviews of law firm partners active in the relevant research categories, and client feedback from corporate and in-house contacts.

Better Together

At Bradley, we combine legal experience and knowledge with a sophisticated understanding of the industries that drive Mississippi. Our attorneys use their talents, judgment, work ethic, and experience to come up with practical, strategic solutions speciﬁcally tailored to our clients’ business operations. We go above and beyond expectations to help our clients meet their goals. Bradley is proud to have 19 attorneys from our Jackson office listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for 2019, and 236 Bradley attorneys listed ﬁrm-wide across our nine offices.

Alabama | Florida | Mississippi | North Carolina | Tennessee | Texas | Washington D.C. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. Contact: Margaret Oertling Cupples, Esq., 601.592.9914, mcupples@bradley.com, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, 188 E. Capitol Street, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201. © 2018

Law & Accounting

14 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q September 21, 2018

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SAFETY Continued from Page 9

guidance notes that interstate motor carrier operations and commercial drivers are

not covered by the policy and continue to fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). While NHTSA will be responsible for regulating the safety, design, and perfor-

mance of the AVs, Section 2 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Technical Assistance to Statesâ&#x20AC;? provides clarity to the states as to their role in the safe integration of level three-ďŹ ve ADSs on public roads to ensure a consistent, uniďŹ ed national

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framework, so as not to create barriers to ADS operation (such as any requirement that a driver keep one hand on the steering wheel at all times). The states will be responsible for regulating the human driver and most aspects of vehicle operation, including driver licensing, vehicle registration and titling, and ensuring that traffic laws do not hamper AV technology. Section 2 encourages states to create or designate a lead agency to monitor ADS applications and testing, along with asking states to consider how to allocate liability among owners, operators and manufacturers, and determining who must carry motor vehicle insurance. Similar to the FAVP, the new policy is intended to be ďŹ&#x201A;exible and updated when necessary, with the expectation that it will evolve as the needle continues to move on AV development.

Arthur D. Spratlin, Jr. is an attorney at Butler Snowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ridgeland office who serves as practice group leader of the ďŹ rmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tort, transportation and specialized litigation practice group and as coordinator for the ďŹ rmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s autonomous vehicle technology group, trucking group and 24-hour accident investigation team.

September 21, 2018

Mississippi Business Journal

THE SPIN CYCLE

Writing expert Ann Handley talks storytelling and E.B. White with PRSA C ontent strategist and digital marketer, Ann Handley starts each day penning an email to herself – preaching about making writing a habit. In the daily emails to herself, “I don’t write about anything in particular,” Handley said during a recent telephone interview with Public Relations Society of America Editor John Elsasser. “Some days I’ll have something on my mind, and some days I won’t. You don’t have to use a quill pen and Heirloom stationery and write beautifully. You just need to write down a few ideas every day, and not worry about anybody ever reading them or whether they even sound coherent. It’s the art of developing a habit,” she told PRSA. Handley, the author of several books, including “Everybody Writes: Your GoTo Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content,” will be the General Session speaker Oct. 9 during the PRSA 2018 International Conference in Austin, Texas. In the interview, she discussed best practices for creating content and telling stories, as well as her connection to E.B. White, the legendary writer, educator and contributor to The New Yorker. Here are is what Handley told PRSA: On your website you describe yourself as an “E.B. White Superfan.” What’s the story? I loved the book “Charlotte’s Web” when I was a kid. When I got to college, I discovered “The Elements of Style.” I found out the name White in its authors Strunk and White was actually the same man who wrote “Charlotte’s Web,” and I was like, “Pow! Mind-blown!” My last book, “Everybody Writes,” was inspired by “The Elements of Style.” I wanted to create [that book] for a content-marketing age. I’ve gone back and reread “Charlotte’s Web.” It’s such a great book, and I recommend that communications professionals read it as adults. There’s so much you can learn from it, in the way E.B. White structures the story and the spare language he uses. It’s the most perfect story I’ve ever read. *The Spin Cycle was weaned on “Charlotte’s Web,” and earmarked versions of “The Elements of Style” and “AP Stylebook” – along with The Bible – are timeless tomes I have had at armslength as a reporter for The Baylor Lariat, in my newsroom perch at The Washington Times and in my agency office today. Many writers and teachers cite “Charlotte’s Web” as having the greatest opening line in literature. Yes, right – “Where’s Papa going with that ax?” That opening line invites curiosity and sets up the tension in the story so beautifully.

You’ve discussed the importance of the opening line in writing. The opening line is hugely important in communications, public relations and marketing. We hear a lot about the importance of the headline, but in my view, the first line is equally, if not more, important. The truth is that readers are looking for a reason not to read. Assuming they’ve clicked through a headline, they reach a first line. Does it grab them? I see a lot of boilerplate content in the leads of press releases and communiqués. Exactly. It’s not inviting. Think about the opening lines that really grab you as you’re reading a book, blog post or article. Ask yourself, Why is this inviting me into the piece? In your own writing, don’t waste that opportunity to get the reader right into it. How do you approach your writing projects? The most important part of writing is actually not writing. The process is more like thinking, daydreaming or researching. To me, writing that fails to engage the audience doesn’t necessarily have a writing problem; oftentimes it’s a thinking problem. The writer hasn’t thought through what they’re trying to say, the main point they’re trying to make. And this is true whether it’s a tweet, blog post or book. What’s your definition of good writing? We all want that magic formula. [Laughs] But the truth is that there’s no one way to write well or one thing that makes great writing. There’s no template. But good writing does have some common themes. First, it’s real and honest, and sometimes raw. It feels like it’s telling the truth. When I say that to a professional audience, they might respond, “Well, yeah, but I’m writing about a technology solution.” It doesn’t matter to me what you’re writing about. Are you expressing a fundamental truth or describing pain that your audience feels? Do they recognize themselves in what you’re writing? That’s what I mean by honest. Why is making writing a habit so important? Writing well isn’t just about marketing, or a skill that you need for your job — it’s important in your life. You have to be able to communicate your ideas with clarity whether you are writing for a professional audience or just communicating your ideas in any format. Writing well helps you think better, because you’re thinking of the audience at all times. What’s the best way to build a writing routine? It’s as simple as committing to it. I hated going to the gym for the first few months, but I forced myself to get in the car and go. I had an accountability partner, my trainer,

who would kick my butt if I didn’t show up. I also have an accountability partner [for my work] who I meet with every week. We review what we’ve done and the projects we’re working on. I don’t work for him and he doesn’t work for me, but we are in the same industry. We help each other stick to our goals. What are some common writing mistakes that you see? Writing by committee is a real problem. It strips the humanity from any piece of writing. I talk to many writers who face this issue. A lot of it comes from the fear organizations have of appearing less professional somehow. So they write by committee, and it makes the writing boring. Where do you find inspiration for your writing? I love reading personal essays, which is part of why I love E.B. White. He’s written several books that collect his essays from The New Yorker. You can learn a lot from reading personal essays, too, in terms of how they’re structured. Whenever I pick up a good book of essays by a confident, capable writer, there’s nothing more inspirational than that. Responsive Mic | Hurricane Florence first responders & my cousin William Hurricane Florence packed a mighty wallop to the Carolinas – and the East Coast – but the worst of Mother Nature brought out the best in people, especially the heroic 1st responders who dropped everything they were doing to save lives! One of those heroes is my 1st cousin, William Hope, a compassionate and gifted surgeon in Wilmington, N.C., whose calming spirit, selfless resolve and reassuring smile brought peace in the face of Florence’s furor. His team of more than 2,000 hospital employees at New Hanover Med-

ical Center no doubt saved lives during this horrific tragedy! Dozens did die in the storm, a Category 1 monster that whipped up terror for days on the East Coast. When it Todd Smith was finally downgraded to a tropical depression, the ferocious onslaught of rain swelled rivers as far as 250 miles inland, and her unrelenting grip caused massive flooding over parts of six Southeastern states. Property damage alone is expected to be $17 billion to $22 billion. William and the New Hanover Medical Center team worked in lockdown for six days, caring for the people of the community – even bringing their own children with them – so they could help the victims. They slept in the hospital, and did not leave. They cared for the weak and ravaged, not knowing what to expect at their own homes. They were a lifeline, a beacon, in the inky darkness. They saved lives! That’s what a hero looks like. When the winds die down, and the water recedes – and the rays of sun once again kiss the coastal town of Wilmington – we will always remember the Hope in the eye of the storm! Each week, The Spin Cycle will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t. Stay tuned – and step-up to the mic! And remember … Amplify Your Brand!

Todd Smith is president and chief communications officer of Deane, Smith & Partners, a full-service branding, PR, marketing and advertising firm with offices in Jackson. The firm — based in Nashville, Tenn. — is also affiliated with Mad Genius. Contact him at todd@deanesmithpartners.com, and follow him @ spinsurgeon.

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