News & Knowledge

Forman Watkins & Krutz served as a proud sponsor of the Bessie Young Council’s recent Summer Social held at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. The Council’s mission is to aid the success of legal scholars by mentoring and financially supporting students with advanced life experiences who embody the pioneering spirit of Bessie Young, the first female graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law. The goal of the Bessie Young Council is to assist those nontraditional students who bring diversity, fresh perspectives, and varied life experiences to our student body through scholarships and mentorship.

The Capital Area Bar Association (CABA) recently held their annual Evening Honoring the Judiciary at the Country Club of Jackson. The dinner not only hosts a keynote speaker but also serves as an opportunity for CABA and Jackson Young Lawyers (JYL) to present their annual awards for outstanding service, pro bono and professionalism. Forman Watkins is extremely proud to have one of its very own presented with the 2017 JYL Pro Bono Service Award, congratulations to Partner Vernon McFarland for this wonderful recognition. Vernon serves on the Firm’s Pro Bono Committee where he shows daily commitment to the growth and expansion of Pro Bono efforts in the Firm and our local communities.

The Firm is thankful for Malissa Wilson’s commitment to the Firm’s Pro Bono mission. Malissa is pictured below at the Magnolia Bar Association’s April 2018 Expungement Clinic in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

On April 23, 2018, New Orleans partner Charles Abbott and Larry Centola with Martzell, Bickford & Centola guest lectured for LSU Law School’s Toxic Torts class. Abbott and Centola focused their lecture on class actions and multi-district litigation generally and specifically related to the toxic tort arena.  This is the second year in a row that Abbott and Centola have guest lectured together, providing second and third year law students perspectives from both the plaintiff and defense side, in connection with various aspects of toxic tort litigation.  

Spencer Ritchie served as moderator for the Capital Area Bar Association’s New Appellate Judges Roundtable at their April 17, 2018 meeting. The panel featured five of the newest judges on the State Court of Appeals and Mississippi Supreme Court: Justices Dawn Beam and Robert Chamberlin of the Supreme Court and Judges Jack Wilson, Latrice Westbrooks, and Sean Tindell of the Court of Appeals. Spencer led the panelists in a discussion centered around their backgrounds and early experiences on the court.  There were over one hundred in attendance along with many other judges, including the Supreme Court’s Chief Justice Bill Waller and Court of Appeals Judge Kenny Griffis. Spencer Ritchie (pictured far left)

Forman Watkins Partner Malissa Wilson was one of four panelists with diverse law practices from across the state who talked to law students and attorneys about the realities of law practice at the inaugural Bessie Young Council Mentoring Conference in March of 2018. Malissa shared pointers from a defense attorney’s perspective on a variety of topics, including making the most of support staff; billing time and deciding what it’s worth; and, daily dealings with opposite counsel and clients.

On March 26, 2018, New Orleans attorneys Charles Abbott and Melissa Fuller were guest lecturers for LSU Law School’s Toxic Torts class.  In addition to addressing emerging mass torts, Mr. Abbott and Ms. Fuller provided the second and third year law students with a historical overview of asbestos, benzene and silica litigation, and taught practical aspects and current trends in the litigation of these cases in Louisiana and across the country.

Click the image below to review the firm’s 2017 Pro Bono and Civic Engagement Annual Report and special thanks to our 2017/2018 Committee members: Alison O’Neal McMinn, Mimi Arthur, Courtney Hunt, Erin Latuso, Vernon McFarland, and Mitch McGuffey.

On March 7, 2018, New Orleans attorneys Charles Abbott and Chelsea Gaudin guest lectured at LSU Law School.  Teaching both second year and third year law students in the Toxic Torts class, Mr. Abbott and Ms. Gaudin provided practical experiences and advice related to various topics and issues, including but not limited to causation, expert witnesses, and Daubert challenges of expert witnesses. This is Mr. Abbott’s sixth year guest lecturing in the Toxic Tort class at LSU Law School.

The firm congratulates Charles Abbott, of our New Orleans office, for being selected by New Orleans CityBusiness as “One to Watch” in the February 2018 Legal issue.