Arkansas Money & Politics needed a good lawyer — our readers came through. They gave us a lot more than one. We present the 2021 Legal Elite — 100 or so go-to attorneys representing the spectrum of specialties in Arkansas — as chosen by AMP readers.
Michele Allgood,
Mitchell Williams
Michele Allgood has extensive experience in all areas of municipal and public finance in Arkansas, including bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, issuer’s counsel, trustee’s counsel, purchaser’s counsel and borrower’s counsel. She represents Arkansas state agencies, municipalities, counties, facility boards and commissions in matters of capital improvement and economic development projects. Allgood has experience in taxable, tax exempt, public and private municipal finance transactions and advises clients in general corporate law, business transactions and government relations.
Robyn Allmendinger,
Rose Law Firm
Drew Benham,
Gill Ragon Owen
Drew Benham is a native of Conway. She graduated from Hendrix College and studied abroad at Oxford University in Oxford, England. After graduation, she attended the University of Arkansas Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. Since 2014, Benham has primarily worked in the areas of probate, trusts and estates, real estate transactions and general and employment litigation. She has been recognized as one of Arkansas’ “Best Lawyers” by local publishing groups for employment and labor law as well as trusts and estates.
Tommy Bennett,
Bennett & Williams
HON. Tjuana Bird,
Law Offices of Tjuana Bird
Sixth Judicial Circuit Court
Will Bond,
McMath Woods
Will Bond is a partner at McMath Woods P.A. His practice is concentrated on representing individuals on a contingency fee basis in any type of personal injury, wrongful death or insurance dispute, including car wrecks, 18-wheeler wrecks and medical negligence cases. He graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1995 after receiving his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt. He has previously served as an Arkansas state representative and state senator.
Beau Britton,
Schnipper Britton & Stobaugh
Beau Britton is a partner at Schnipper, Britton & Stobaugh, Arkansas’ second oldest law firm, founded in 1875. He received his undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Arkansas and his juris doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. His practice primarily focuses on the areas of estate planning, probate, real estate, general business and civil litigation.
Steve Brooks,
Eldridge Brooks Partners
Jason Browning,
Wright Lindsey Jennings
Jason Browning is a litigator with vast experience in insurance defense, serving as counsel for physicians, hospitals and medical clinics in medical negligence, and professional, medical and products liability. Additionally, he is a certified expert agent advisor with the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) and provides counsel to Major League Baseball players and player agents on all aspects of baseball.
Michelle Browning,
Wright Lindsey Jennings
Michelle Browning is a trial lawyer with more than 20 years of experience defending claims of professional liability. Her clients include major health care systems (both for profit and nonprofit), health care providers, pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies and physicians in a wide range of specialties. She represents clients in litigated matters of all sizes, with an emphasis on catastrophic damages cases. She completed certification in health care compliance (CHC)® by the Compliance Certification Board (CCB)® in 2016.
Phil Campbell,
Fuqua Campbell
Phil Campbell was born and raised in Little Rock. He attended the University of Arkansas and graduated from Duke University School of Law. He then clerked for Chief Judge G. Thomas Eisele, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas. He has practiced law in Central Arkansas since 1981. His primary areas of practice are employment law, business law, commercial litigation, insurance law and nursing home defense. He has handled hundreds of EEOC claims and successfully defended employment lawsuits throughout his career.
Katherine Blackmon Carroll
Law Offices of Katherine E. Blackmon
Established in 1997, the Law Offices of Katherine E. Blackmon provides representation in the area of family law. The firm’s goals are to walk clients through difficult domestic situations and to provide representation tailored for each individual client. Blackmon’s firm serves the unique needs of each client and works toward fair resolutions while vigorously protecting its clients’ rights and needs. Blackmon graduated from Southern Methodist University and received her J.D. from the University of Southern California.
Meredith Causey,
Quattlebaum Grooms & Tull
Meredith Causey’s practice focuses on electronic discovery and information governance, including the identification, preservation, collection, review and production of electronically stored information. Causey also provides counsel to clients on a variety of technology-related issues, including software licensing agreements, cloud computing and website privacy policies. Prior to joining the firm, Causey founded an electronic discovery company, where she counseled clients on electronic discovery best practices and provided guidance on the legal and strategic issues related to electronic discovery.
John Collins,
Collins Collins & Ray
Hugh Crisp,
Crisp Law Firm
At his Little Rock practice, Hugh E. Crisp exclusively handles personal injury litigation with an emphasis on medical malpractice and catastrophic injuries in the Mid-South. Crisp is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating for an attorney practicing in the United States. He has been selected by his peers as a Mid-South Super Lawyers honoree for the past 10 years and is a fellow in Litigation Counsel of America.
Robert Danecki,
Danecki Law Firm
Skip Davidson,
Davidson Law Firm
Frank Dudeck,
Dudeck Law Firm
Khayyam M. Eddings,
Friday Eldredge & Clark
Lauren Elenbaas, Shaw Firm
Pam Epperson,
Epperson Panasiuk Law
Bob Estes,
Law Office of Bob Estes
Bob Estes is an experienced Fayetteville attorney. He earned a BSBA, MBA and JD from the University of Arkansas. His practice is a combination of business, commercial litigation, domestic relations, probate and real estate with an emphasis on dispute resolution. Three times the governor has appointed Estes to serve as an Arkansas Supreme Court Special Justice. Este is Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent™ rated. He is a frequent speaker and contributor to legal publications.
ConnEr Eldridge,
Eldridge Brooks Partners
Shane Ethridge,
Ethridge Law Firm
John P. Fletcher, Kutak Rock
Jamie Fugitt, PPGMR Law
David Fuqua, Fuqua Campbell
Born in Baton Rouge, La., David Fuqua was raised overseas but returned to the United States to finish his education. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1975 and graduated with honors from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1980. He has practiced in Little Rock ever since. His practice includes general litigation, commercial law, personal injury defense, employment and civil rights defense, employment law and agricultural and commodities law.
Karey Gardner,
Mallard Gardner
Karey W. Gardner, a founding member of Mallard Gardner PLLC in Little Rock, has been engaged
exclusively in the private practice of health law since 2005. She represents individual providers, clinics, hospitals and hospices on a wide scope of health care issues, such as contracting, bylaws and rules, employment, peer review, accreditation and licensing issues. She also has substantial experience in regulatory and compliance issues pertaining to HIPAA, EMTALA, Stark Law, the federal Anti-Kickback and False Claim Acts.
Price Gardner,
Friday Eldredge & Clark
David Gershner,
Davidson Law Firm
Jennifer Glover,
Natural State Law
Maya S. Goree, Cross Gunter Witherspoon & Galchus
Julie DeWoody
Greathouse, PPGMR Law
Gary Green,
Law Offices of Gary Green
Kayce Green,
Law Offices of Gary Green
Harry Hamlin,
Mitchell Williams
Harry Hamlin has more than 20 years of experience advising numerous financial institutions, business entities, REITs and individual clients in all aspects of commercial transactions, including complex lending and contractual matters as well as the conveyance, purchase, development and leasing of real property. He also counsels clients on municipal finance, tax exempt, tax credit and 1031 transactions. His expertise in securing liquor permits from the Alcohol Beverage Control division is invaluable to numerous locally and nationally owned restaurants, retailers and hotels.
Megan Hargraves,
Mitchell Williams Law Firm
Megan Hargraves is a health care lawyer who provides clients with strategic counsel on health care regulatory, compliance and legislative matters along with public policy and implementation issues. She advises hospitals and other health care clients on issues related to risk management, quality assurance and regulatory and operational compliance. She also advises and represents clients on matters related to the Arkansas Peer Review Fairness Act, the Healthcare Quality Improvement Act (HCQIA), Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the False Claims Act, the Stark Act and anti-kickback statutes and other state and federal statutes.
Raymon Harvey,
Raymon B. Harvey Law Firm
Brad Hendricks,
Brad Hendricks Law Firm
Judy Henry,
Wright Lindsey Jennings
Judy Simmons Henry has been engaged in an active business litigation practice for 33 years and serves in management of WLJ as its business litigation chair. She has deep experience with complex litigation, including fiduciary and trust matters, banking, class actions and bankruptcy work. Henry has served as a National Football League Players Association Certified Contract Advisor and is the firm’s sports law group leader, representing D-1 coaches, student athletes and, previously, the NCAA. Most recently, Henry has led the charge for Name-Image-Likeness/Publicity Rights representation of businesses and athletes in Arkansas and regionally.
Sam Hilburn, Hilburn & Harper
Scott Hilburn,
Hilburn & Harper
Hadley Hindmarsh,
Hindmarsh Law Firm
Gregory M. Hopkins,
Hopkins Caststeel
Ashley Welch Hudson, Kutak Rock
Alexandra A. Ifrah,
Friday Eldredge & Clark
Jonathan Jones, Jonathan D. Jones Attorney at Law
Jonathan Jones runs a boutique law firm in Hot Springs focusing on divorce, child custody and other family law matters. Jones has also worked in civil litigation, personal injury litigation and property and real estate law with a focus on wills and trusts. He graduated from Hendrix College in 1998 with a degree in political science and from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law in 2001.
Cody Kees,
Bequette Billingsley & Kees
Taylor King, Taylor King Law
Tre Kitchens,
Brad Hendricks Law Firm
Michael Knollmeyer,
Knollmeyer Law Office
Kristen Komander,
Bogart Small & Associates
Molly Lucas, Lucas Law
Gabriel Mallard,
Mallard Gardner
Gabriel D. Mallard, a founding member of Mallard Gardner PLLC, advises health care providers, including hospitals, nursing homes, ambulatory surgery centers and physicians on licensing issues, medical staff bylaws and rules, credentialing, employment matters, physician’s contracts, administrative appeals, arbitration and insurance disputes. He assists facilities of all sizes with corporate governance, including the drafting and implementation of compliance programs, corporate and medical staff bylaws and compliance with HIPAA, Medicare and Medicaid regulations.
Jessica Virden Mallett, Law Offices of Peter Miller
H.C. “Jay” Martin,
Wallace Martin Duke & Russell
Martin started with James R. Wallace & Associates in 1997 and became president of the firm in 2006. His principal areas of practice are civil and criminal litigation, constitutional issues, wills, trusts and estates, and business formation. Martin leads an inner-city church, Metro Worship Center, that grew out of a ministry he founded in 1997. He served two terms in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2003 through 2007, representing North Little Rock and Sherwood, and was the Majority Leader in the 85th General Assembly.
Skye Martin, Office of Chief Counsel, Arkansas Department of Human Services
Charles D. McDaniel, Eichenbaum Liles
Walter May,
Mitchell Williams Law Firm
Walter May has broad experience helping clients from startup ventures to Fortune 500 companies complete the transactions critical to their success. He focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions, having participated recently in several bank mergers (including the largest in Arkansas history), an electric cooperative’s acquisition of a major gas-fired generating plant and a transportation company’s purchase of towing, barge and terminal operations on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. May also regularly represents borrowers in public and private financing transactions.
Abtin Mehdizadegan, Cross Gunter Witherspoon & Galchus
George “Birc” Morledge IV, Morledge Law Firm
Jimmy Morris,
Morris Law Firm
Little Rock’s Jimmy Morris specializes in criminal trial work and civil litigation with an emphasis on civil rights and personal injury law. He graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville in 2006 and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2000. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court, eastern and western districts of Arkansas.
Mike Munnerlyn,
Mike Munnerlyn P.A.
Kelly McNulty,
Gill Ragon Owen
Since 2005, Kelly McNulty has represented businesses, individuals, creditors and insurance companies in a wide variety of legal disputes. McNulty is experienced in all phases of civil and commercial litigation including trial and appellate practice in state and federal courts. He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in a broad range of corporate/business disputes as well as in litigation involving claims of breach of contract, fraud, real estate litigation and the representation of creditors in foreclosures, collections and bankruptcy.
Ashley Naramore,
Baim Reagler & Naramore
Wade Naramore,
Baim Reagler & Naramore
Gregory J. Northen, Cross Gunter Witherspoon & Galchus
Sach Oliver,
Bailey & Oliver Law Firm
Melody Piazza,
Trammell Piazza Law Firm
Charlie Pearce,
Bailey & Oliver Law Firm
John Peiserich, PPGMR Law
G. Alan Perkins, PPGMR Law
Bethany Pike, Elrod Firm
Troy Price,
Wright Lindsey Jennings
A former clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in St. Louis, Troy Price is considered one of Arkansas’ most highly regarded appellate lawyers. Price has handled more than 50 appeals in state and federal courts and has presented oral arguments more than 15 times in appeals before the Arkansas Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He is also admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers.
Steven Quattlebaum,
Quattlebaum Grooms & Tull
Steve Quattlebaum’s primary areas of practice are complex business, toxic tort and products liability litigation. He has served as lead trial counsel in over 100 trials, including numerous toxic tort, products liability, breach of contract, intellectual property, environmental litigation, securities fraud, franchise disputes, trade secrets, personal injury and commercial matters. His clients include chemical, pharmaceutical and automobile manufacturers; wood treatment companies; investment banking institutions; energy companies; major retailers; and medical device companies. He is a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Heartsill Ragon III,
Gill Ragon Owen
Heartsill Ragon is a shareholder and director of Gill Ragon Owen, P.A. His practice focuses on the structure and documentation of sophisticated business transactions, commercial real estate transactions and lending transactions; real estate and business ventures; the formation and administration of business entities; private equity and real es
tate transactions; the drafting of private placement memoranda related to securities offerings; and the representation of the issuers and purchasers of tax-exempt municipal bonds. He also represents Qualified Opportunity Fund managers, investors, businesses and developers involved in the Qualified Opportunity Zone program.
Mike Rainwater,
Rainwater, Holt & Sexton
James D. Rankin III,
PPGMR Law
Sydney Rasch,
Turner & Rasch Attorneys
Brian Ray, Collins Collins & Ray
Karen Reagler,
Baim Reagler & Naramore
Brian Rosenthal,
Rose Law Firm
Lucas Rowan,
Dodds Kidd Ryan & Rowan
Lucas Rowan earned his juris doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law in 2008. He earned a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from the University of Central Arkansas in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Rowan’s practice areas include domestic law, personal injury, civil litigation, real estate and social security. He is a member of the Pulaski County Bar Association, the Arkansas Bar Association and the American Bar Association.
Catherine Ryan,
Dodds Kidd Ryan & Rowan
Little Rock native Catherine Ryan joined Dodds, Kidd, Ryan & Rowan in 2016 after 14 years representing injured parties as a trial lawyer in Boston, Mass. She practices in all areas of civil litigation with an emphasis in tort and product liability and appeals. She has successfully appealed both civil and criminal matters to the Arkansas Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. Catherine was elected to become a Member of the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation.
Michael Shannon,
Quattlebaum Grooms & Tull
Mike Shannon is a managing member of the law firm and has more than 25 years of experience in commercial and other litigation. His practice focuses primarily on complex commercial litigation, class action defense, products liability, e-discovery issues, toxic tort litigation, medical practice defense, eminent domain, bid protests and issues affecting the outdoor advertising industry. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and is admitted to practice in Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri.
Frank Shaw, Shaw Firm
Charlcee Small,
Bogart Small & Associates
Derrick Smith,
Mitchell Williams Law Firm
Derrick Smith is an experienced strategic advisor and advocate, assisting national and regional clients in insurance regulatory law, compliance, and investigative and legislative matters. He represents insurance clients in their interactions with state insurance departments throughout the United States, providing counsel on insurance law and regulatory compliance. He has substantial experience representing regulated businesses and entities in all aspects of government relations including legislative and regulatory solutions and contracting and procurement to maximize business opportunities.
Michael Smith,
Dover Smith Horne
Thomas Smith,
Thomas Smith Law Firm
Kevin J. Staten,
Laser Law Firm
Mark Stodola,
Barber Law Firm
Chad Trammell,
Trammell Piazza Law Firm
Tiffany Tucker,
Farrar & Williams
Presley Turner,
Turner & Rasch Attorneys
John Dewey Watson,
John Dewey Watson P.A.
Paul White,
Law Office of Paul White
Reba M. Wingfield,
Wingfield & Corry
Richard Williams,
Mitchell Williams (Of Counsel)
Richard Williams is an Of Counsel member of the Business Practice Group at Mitchell Williams. He has represented sellers of large corporations in several of the largest actions of their type ever to occur in Arkansas and is among a select group of attorneys to have lectured at the NYU Federal Tax Institute, the most prestigious tax program in America. Williams has also lectured in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas and written articles for all the major national tax journals.
Patrick Wilson,
Wright Lindsey Jennings
A Jacksonville native, Patrick Wilson has a practice centered around construction, banking, contract matters and other commercial disputes, and he also assists clients in the defense of design professional claims, general negligence, real estate and other litigated disputes. Wilson regularly assists large and small material suppliers and professionals with filing and foreclosing on materialmen’s liens and represents owners of construction projects and contractors in attempting to defeat lien claims. Wilson was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021 edition in the field of Construction Law.
