News & Knowledge

FormanWatkins is proud to announce that Alison McMinn has been appointed to the Mississippi Bar Child Welfare and Child Advocacy Committee by new Mississippi Bar President Amanda Tollison! The Committee will provide a forum and home for attorneys who practice in varying aspects of child welfare/juvenile law practice related to children and will work closely with and assist the Young Lawyer’s Division’s Child Advocacy Committee in its endeavors and activities. Congratulations, Alison!

Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP is proud to announce that Malissa Wilson has been chosen as one of the 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi by the Mississippi Business Journal! A special 2-day retreat was recently held by MBJ and their sponsors, Regions Bank and Mississippi Economic Council, at Hinds Eagle Ridge, where the women enjoyed great networking opportunities, seminars, and a luncheon.

FormanWatkins is proud to announce that Spencer Ritchie has been appointed by new Mississippi Bar President Amanda Tollison to the Mississippi Bar Professionalism Committee! The Committee is responsible for monitoring/studying developments in the area of professionalism and making recommendations to the Mississippi Bar’s Board of Commissioners. The Committee also makes recommendations to the Board regarding programs to improve client/attorney relations, the image of the profession, and the quality of life of lawyers as they relate to professionalism.

FormanWatkins is a proud sponsor of the Bessie Young Council Summer Social! The event will take place on Thursday, June 20, at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.  Come mingle and have a beverage with fellow students, law clerks, alumni, and Jackson’s top lawyers!  More details on the event can be found on the attached flyer.  We hope to see you there!

Malissa Wilson and Spencer Ritchie will be speakers at the upcoming Mini Law School for HR Professionals seminar.  This is a basic level seminar that will examine the current issues in human resource law for attorneys, Human Resources and financial professionals, and other business executives.  Malissa and Spencer would love for you to join them!

Malissa Wilson and Spencer Ritchie were speakers at the Human Resource Law from A to Z seminar, held March 27-28, 2019, in Pearl, Mississippi. The basic-to-intermediate level seminar provided a comprehensive overview of current issues in human resource law for attorneys, Human Resource and financial professionals, and other business executives.  Wilson and Ritchie spoke about discrimination and harassment; workplace behavioral issues; workplace privacy and employee monitoring; and, disciplining and firing employees. Click here to learn more about FormanWatkins’ Labor & Employment practice.

The Monmouth & Ocean County Veterans Information and Resources Clinic was held on Saturday, March 30, 2019, and New Jersey Partners Tom Toman and Nicole Diesa were among those who volunteered. The event was held at the James J. Howard Outpatient Clinic in Brick, New Jersey, and it was successful in reaching a number of younger Veterans that do not normally use the Clinic or any other traditional Veterans groups. Overall, there were 10+ legal consultations conducted, with participation from six additional Veterans aide groups. Based on the success of the event, the president of the Ocean County Bar has asked that another joint Veterans Information and Resources Clinic be organized for later this year. This was the second pro bono event orchestrated by the Monmouth Bar Association as part of a new Veterans’ program that was initiated by FormanWatkins in 2018.

FormanWatkins Partner Malissa Wilson participated in the mini-mentoring session at the 2019 Bessie Young Council Mentoring Conference on Friday, March 29, 2019, at the University of Mississippi School of Law.  The session involved attorneys meeting with students to discuss their respective area of legal practice, work/life balance, what they look for in an associate, and what impresses firms when they interview potential associates.  The mission of this annual conference is to provide learning and networking opportunities for non-traditional law students and young lawyers.  Through its annual conference, the Bessie Young Council shares the experiences of its member attorneys and others in the field to help foster successful careers for those law students and young lawyers who may encounter unique obstacles along the way. Pictured below are Mentors from the 2019 Bessie Young Council Conference.

The FormanWatkins Women’s Initiative was a proud sponsor and attendee of the 26th Annual Evelyn Gandy Lecture Series, hosted by the Mississippi Bar Women in the Profession Committee at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama, February 22-24, 2019.  As a scholarship sponsor, FormanWatkins provided funding for Mississippi law students to participate in this mentorship event.  Highlights from this year’s Gandy included a lecture by Judy Perry Martinez, ABA President-Elect Designee, who spoke on the future of the legal profession, in addition to a panel discussion with judges from the state’s appellate and trial courts.  Conference attendees also participated in a panel discussion regarding successful integration of pro bono and community service in the practice of law wherein panel members recognized the pro bono culture at FormanWatkins.

The FormanWatkins New Orleans office recently hosted the Legal Marketing Association’s local Baton Rouge/New Orleans group for a special lagniappe session that was being held for its members and friends.  Susan Freeman, CEO & Chief Client Happiness Officer of Freeman Means Business, presented “Understanding Gender-Based Communications,” where attendees learned about various communication styles and how to adapt their style to others to