News & Knowledge

FormanWatkins is pleased to announce that Courtney C. Hunt has been promoted to Partner. Ms. Hunt joined the firm in 2016. She is a graduate of Smith College and Harvard Law School, and spent five years as a public interest lawyer in Jackson before becoming an integral part of FormanWatkins’ strategic legal team. In her time with the firm, Ms. Hunt has been involved in a wide range of toxic tort litigation, products and premises liability, commercial litigation, real property litigation, insurance coverage defense, and NCAA compliance and investigation matters. Ms. Hunt has received recognition as a Mid-South Rising Star and Best Lawyers in America Ones to Watch. She is an active member of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee and recipient of the firm’s Pro Bono Star Award.

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced that Malissa Wilson has accepted an invitation to join the IADC, the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests. “I am happy to join an organization such as the IADC with like-minded people who have a consistent record of displaying high professional standards and a passion to advance the legal profession by promoting ethics and character, in addition to social justice and diversity,” Ms. Wilson said. With nearly 20 years of litigation and trial experience, Malissa focuses her practice on employment law, as well as matters involving civil rights, premises liability, product liability, and insurance. Previously, she worked as a special assistant attorney general in the Civil Division of the Office of the Mississippi Attorney General and as a senior assistant city attorney in the Labor, Employment and Civil Rights Division of the City of Houston (Texas). She also has served as in-house counsel for a national insurance company overseeing cases in Texas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi, as well as for Mississippi’s largest public employer, the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Malissa received her J.D. (cum laude) from the University of Mississippi School of Law. She also holds a Master of Science from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts (magna cum laude) from Texas Southern University. About the International Association of Defense Counsel The IADC is the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests. Founded […]

Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP is proud to announce that Charles Abbott, Michael Abraham, Melissa Fuller, Tim Gray and Byron Kitchens were selected to the 2022 Top Lawyers list by New Orleans Magazine. New Orleans Magazine presents the Top Lawyers list annually, and this year’s list was prepared by Detroit-based Professional Research Services.  Honorees were selected via a voting system, in which voting was open to all licensed attorneys in New Orleans.  The voters were asked which attorney, other than themselves, they would recommend in the New Orleans area, and each attorney was allowed to recommend up to three colleagues in each given legal specialty.  Once the online nominations were complete, each nominee was carefully evaluated on the basis of the survey results, the legitimacy of their license, and their current standing with the State Bar Association of Louisiana.  Attorneys who received the highest number of votes in each specialty are reflected in the Top Lawyers list.

Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP  is once again represented in the latest edition of Super Lawyers, the prominent legal ranking published by Thomson Reuters, with 23 attorneys earning distinctions on the 2022 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. Super Lawyers recognizes outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement, with no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state receiving the honor. The patented selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations to select lawyers across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Congratulations to the following attorneys on their selection to this year’s lists: 2022 Mid-South Super Lawyers: Tanya Ellis, Win Gault,  Nick Giallourakis, Brian Hannula, Fred Krutz**, Mitch McGuffey, Alison McMinn, Joshua Metcalf, Jennifer Studebaker, Trey Watkins*, and WG Watkins** 2022 Mid-South Rising Stars: Mary Clift Abdalla, Patrick Fields, Joel Fyke, Courtney Hunt, Ruth Maron Huskey, Sampada Kapoor, Chelsea Lewis, Vernon McFarland, Daniel Roberts, Peyton Smith, Andrew Stubbs, and Caroline Upchurch **Also named to the Top 50 in Mississippi list *Selected as a Super Lawyer for 10 years

Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP significantly expands in Texas with a new office in Beaumont, and an addition to its Houston and New Orleans offices. Joining FormanWatkins and establishing the Beaumont office are David Ledyard, Michael Baker and Vickie Thompson. Thompson, who is licensed in Louisiana and Illinois, will practice out of the firm’s New Orleans office as well.  Additionally, K.B. Battaglini joins the firm’s Houston office. All previously practiced with Strong Pipkin Bissell & Ledyard, LLP and have decades of experience representing regional and national clients in the energy, rail, chemical and securities industries. Founded in Jackson, Mississippi, FormanWatkins opened its Houston office in 2003 and a New Orleans office in 2002. Along with firm offices in New Jersey and Detroit, the addition of Beaumont strengthens the firm’s toxic tort litigation practice and strategically extends its ability to meet the needs of clients nationally and throughout the Gulf South region. “The firm could not be more pleased to deepen our Texas and Louisiana roots and gain a group of attorneys with decades of trial experience,” said New Orleans Partner Tim Gray. “In addition to anticipated work for their existing clients, David, Michael, Vickie and K.B. will also provide tremendous trial depth for firm clients in Texas, Louisiana and nationwide.” Having served as counsel for major oil and chemical companies, Mr. Baker’s practice focuses on toxic tort, mass tort, environmental, products liability, and premises liability litigation. Mr. Battaglini has expertise in commercial, securities, energy, environmental, natural resources, media and entertainment […]

FormanWatkins is pleased to announce its selection by New Orleans CityBusiness as one of the Best Places to Work.  The New Orleans office earned the same distinction in 2019 and 2021 as well. Voted on by employees, the firm values this honor each year as it speaks to the vitality of the firm’s culture. To participate in Best Places to Work, companies submit extensive nomination forms disclosing workforce data such as salaries, benefits, retention levels, and employee advancement. Employees of the nominated companies are then anonymously surveyed to measure workplace culture. All companies chosen are honored at an awards event where the top three large and small companies are announced. The list is then published in the year-end issue of New Orleans CityBusiness magazine. See the full list here.  

Forman, Watkins & Krutz is pleased to welcome Sonya Dickson to the firm’s Jackson office. Sonya joins the firm as an Associate. Prior to joining FormanWatkins, Sonya served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Kristi H. Johnson of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. She earned her J.D., summa cum laude, from Mississippi College School of Law in 2021 and her B.S. in Psychology, summa cum laude, from Mississippi College in 2019.

FormanWatkins is pleased to announce that 24 attorneys have been named to The Best Lawyers in America© list for 2023. FormanWatkins Partner Malissa Wilson was named a “Lawyer of the Year” for Jackson, Miss., in Labor and Employment litigation. Those named “Lawyers of the Year” received the highest overall peer-feedback in the listed practice area and geographic region. Only one attorney is recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for each specialty and location. In addition, 15 FormanWatkins attorneys were named to The Best Lawyers in America: “Ones to Watch”  list, a recognition of attorneys who are on the rise, excelling in their career. Established in 1983, Best Lawyers® has earned the respect of the profession, the media and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. For the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, more than 12.2 million votes were analyzed to identify the top legal talent, as identified by their peers. Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP would like to congratulate the following attorneys: 2023 Best Lawyers in America Charles H. Abbott  Commercial Litigation Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants Mary Clift Abdalla  Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants Product Liability Litigation – Defendants Michael H. Abraham Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants Product Liability Litigation – Defendants Pete F. Andarsio  Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants Mary R. Arthur Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants James L. Banks Commercial […]

Forman Watkins & Krutz New Orleans partner, Charles Abbott, has been selected as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America (LCA). The Litigation Counsel of America is a trial lawyer honorary society composed of less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers. Fellowship in the LCA is highly selective and by invitation only. Fellows are selected based upon excellence and accomplishment in litigation, both at the trial and appellate levels, and superior ethical reputation. Abbott, licensed in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, has a very diverse litigation practice. He routinely is retained in significant, high-dollar commercial, contractual, tort, admiralty/maritime, products liability, construction, and toxic tort cases pending in both federal and state courts. In addition, Charles serves as national coordinating counsel on behalf of a Fortune 100 client and its subsidiaries in connection with its toxic tort litigation. Abbott is also a frequent guest lecturer at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University teaching toxic tort classes consisting of second- and third-year law students, an assistant bar examiner for the Committee on Bar Admissions of the Supreme Court of Louisiana, and a member of the board of directors for the Brain Injury Association of Louisiana.

FormanWatkins partner Caroline Upchurch was selected as a 2022 Top 40 Under 40 honoree by the Mississippi Business Journal. The award recognizes 40 up-and-coming business leaders under the age of 40 in Mississippi. The full list of winners can be viewed here.  Caroline graduated magna cum laude from The University of Mississippi School of Law in 2008. She began practicing with FormanWatkins in 2008 and is a partner in the firm’s general litigation group. She has primarily handled defense litigation, including products liability, premises liability, contract disputes, as well as some asbestos defense. Caroline is chair of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee while also serving as a member of the Recruiting and Associate Development & Mentorship Committees. She has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America® and named a Mid-South Rising Star by Super Lawyers® every year since 2014. The Mississippi Business Journal previously recognized her as one of their Leaders in Law.