News & Knowledge

In a significant legal victory for the FormanWatkins NCAA Compliance and Sports Litigation team, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a former student-athlete against their client, an SEC head football coach, and his University employer. The lawsuit alleged discrimination based on race and sex, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and gross negligence. FormanWatkins attorneys W.G. Watkins, Mitch McGuffey, and Courtney Hunt represented the head coach with Mr. McGuffey arguing the appeal before the Fifth Circuit. The court issued a per curiam opinion affirming the district court’s dismissal stating, “The plaintiff has not demonstrated a violation of his rights under applicable law, nor has he shown that the actions of the defendant were motivated by discriminatory intent.”  The appellate court issued its mandate on September 27, 2024.

We are pleased to announce that FormanWatkins won the 2024 Mississippi Free Legal Answers’ State Summer Associate Challenge, accounting for more than 50% of the answers submitted from firms state-wide! Free Legal Answers is a national program coordinated by the American Bar Association where attorneys can respond to legal questions from income-eligible individuals. This past summer, our Jackson summer clerks joined members of our firm’s litigation team to participate in Mississippi’s Free Legal Answers Summer Associate Challenge.The team of volunteers fielded 26 questions during two sessions covering a myriad of matters.  

FormanWatkins is pleased to announce that Will Brand has joined the Jackson office as an Associate. Will is no stranger to the firm, having clerked for two summers while pursuing his law degree at the University of Alabama. Upon graduation, Will served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Kristi H. Johnson, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, and to the Honorable Cory T. Wilson, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. During his time at Alabama Law, Will distinguished himself academically and professionally, serving as Senior Editor for the Alabama Law Review and a member of the Alabama Law Moot Court Board. He was also awarded the Raynold Chiz Full Academic Scholarship and earned Best Paper honors in Legal Writing, Torts, and Banking Law. In his new role as Associate, Will will focus on general litigation bringing his well-rounded legal knowledge and dedication to providing excellent service to the firm’s clients.

Representing a private transportation company against a global job review website, the FormanWatkins team of Win Gault, Courtney Hunt, and Molly McNair secured a potentially precedential win in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi in a matter involving defamation via third-party internet reviews. The opinion is a rare instance in which a website was not granted immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Section 230 is designed to protect websites from being treated as the publisher of third-party content. This immunity has been broadly interpreted and courts have differed on the extent of this protection, especially in the ever evolving and rapidly changing landscape of the internet. The FormanWatkins team successfully argued that Section 230 did not apply because the defendant’s website created and significantly contributed to the content in question. Therefore, the defendant’s motion to dismiss the defamation claim was denied and FormanWatkins’ client may prosecute its claims.

Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP is pleased to announce that 41 FormanWatkins attorneys have been recognized in the 2025 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession.  Of those 41 attorneys, 13 were recognized as Ones to Watch, a list recognizing associates and other lawyers who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. Our newest honorees include McCann LeFeve as a Best Lawyer and Patrick Fields as a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. Best Lawyers has earned the respect of the profession, the media and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in more than 75 countries. Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing. Attorneys selected to 2025 Best Lawyers in America: Charles H. Abbott – Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants Mary Clift Abdalla – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants Michael H. Abraham – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants Pete F. […]

Through the dedicated efforts of pro bono co-counsel, including FormanWatkins New Orleans office Associate Taylor Delrie Waxley, and a partnership with the Innocence Project New Orleans (IPNO), a significant ruling was achieved when Jarvis Ballard, who was wrongfully convicted at the age of 18, was declared factually innocent and awarded compensation for his 23 years, 6 months, and 25 days of wrongful incarceration.   Ballard was exonerated on August 2, 2021. However, to secure compensation for the years lost, a rigorous process under Louisiana law required proving his “factual innocence.” Over the course of more than a year, the legal team prepared and presented their case, culminating in a pivotal contradictory hearing.   The petition, filed under La. R.S. 15:572.8, demanded a thorough examination of the evidence to establish Ballard’s innocence. The successful outcome not only grants him compensation but also restores his dignity and acknowledges the profound wrongs he endured—the Court concluded in its Reasons for Judgment:   “Mistakes happen. Mistakes happen by lawyers. Mistakes happen by witnesses. Mistakes happen by Courts. Mistakes happen by other legal actors within our system of justice. The injustice would be for a system which did not and/or does not recognize that people, no matter how passionate-are imperfect and make mistakes. Legal errors occurred in this case which deprived Jarvis Ballard in excess of twenty-three years of freedom and opportunity. He began the hearing before this Court on April 22, 2024 actually innocent. He has now come before this Court and established his claim of factual innocence.”

FormanWatkins is pleased to announce that Malissa Wilson has been appointed by Mississippi Bar President Meade Mitchell to chair this year’s Public Information Committee! The Public Information Committee maintains and develops programs and resource materials for disseminating to the public concerning the law, the legal profession and the system of justice. Additionally, it oversees the Bar’s media relations strategy, and along with Bar staff, serves as the Bar’s liaison with the media. The work of the Bar is in large part accomplished through the work of its Committees. Malissa has served on the Bar’s Diversity Committee, received the Bar’s Distinguished Service Award and most recently was recognized with the highest distinction of the organization when she was named a Fellow of the Bar.

FormanWatkins secured a significant win on behalf of a construction client when the Jefferson County Circuit Court granted summary judgment and dismissed all claims brought by 190 residents of a downtown Birmingham neighborhood.  Several FormanWatkins attorneys worked on the case during the nearly 6-year span of litigation in state and federal court, including Win Gault, Caroline Upchurch, Jake Banks, Mitch McGuffey, Haley Arndt, and Catherine Pettis Rule. The 190 plaintiffs alleged millions of dollars in damages resulting from construction activities during an Alabama Department of Transportation’s (“ALDOT”) I-59/I-20 interstate and bridge project. Our client served as the general contractor for the project. Plaintiffs made claims for trespass, private nuisance, and negligence, among others. The FormanWatkins team successfully argued statutory immunity under Alabama law arising from compliance with contract specifications as set by ALDOT. On July 2, 2024, Judge Marshell Jackson Hatcher found that the plaintiffs failed to meet the burden of proof required to nullify the statutory immunity. The scope of the immunity statute has not been fully examined by the Alabama appellate courts.   This ruling stands as a pivotal outcome in a complex legal battle centered on the impacts of large-scale, government-led infrastructure projects on local communities. FormanWatkins also served as lead counsel in enforcing indemnity and additional insurance obligations related to the claims.

Congratulations to FormanWatkins Associate Margaret McLaughlin and Partner Tim Gray who were recently recognized by New Orleans CityBusiness as 2024 Leadership in Law honorees. This is an especially significant honor, as Margaret is the first Firm Associate to earn the distinction. For 20 years, the publication has recognized area professionals in the field of law for their career and community accomplishments. To see the full list of honorees, click here. Margaret joined the firm in 2018 and quickly established herself as a vital team member in the products liability and premises liability litigation practice areas. She has a proven track record of success in court having represented a Fortune 50 energy company in multiple Louisiana trials, specializing in cross-examination preparation and briefing on intricate law issues. Currently, she is dedicated to representing a Fortune 100 client in premises and products liability cases across Louisiana and Texas and representing a Fortune 200 client in the coordination of its national toxic tort docket. Complementing her professional achievements, Margaret is an active member of the Firm’s Pro Bono Committee, earning Pro Bono Star distinction since 2020. Notable pro bono successes include drafting impactful briefs that overturned USCIS denials and securing Special Immigrant Juvenile Status for a young Guatemalan client.  She has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America® Ones to Watch in Commercial Litigation and Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions (Defendants), Personal Injury Litigation (Defendants) and Product Liability Litigation (Defendants). She has also been selected to the Louisiana Rising Stars by SuperLawyers. Tim has served as national […]

The Forman Watkins & Krutz New Orleans office has been awarded a Top Workplaces honor for 2024 by The TimesPicayune and The New Orleans Advocate. Top Workplaces are determined solely by employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered through Energage LLC. The anonymous survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization including alignment, execution, and connection. Only 80 out of nearly 1,000 companies in the Greater New Orleans area earned this distinction. The firm has previously received the honor in 2020, 2022 and 2023. (The awards were suspended in 2021 due to Covid-19.)