News & Knowledge

The firm recently awarded the 2020 recipients with our inaugural Pro Bono Star and Civic Star awards. We proudly congratulate our dedicated team members, Julian Miller and Jennifer Parks!

Congratulations to Sam Kapoor for her recent election to the Mississippi Bar’s Young Lawyers Division Board of Directors for the Hinds Post IV! The Mississippi Bar Young Lawyers Division is governed by its Board of Directors and is active in many public service endeavors. The Young Lawyers Division is composed of all lawyers 37 years and younger and any lawyer over the age of 37 during their first three years of practice following their admission. Officers and Directors Elected for the Bar’s Young Lawyers Division The ballots for the 2021 Young Lawyers Division elections were tabulated on January 28, by Direct Vote Plus. Jess Waltman of Gulfport was elected President-Elect of the Young Lawyers Division. Waltman’s term will begin at the 2021 Annual Meeting in July. Also elected were La’Toyia J. Slay of Ridgeland, Secretary, and Lindsey E. Lazinsky of Oxford, Director At-Large. Elected to the Board of Directors were: J. Aaron Spearman of Tupelo, Northeast District; Brandon H. Riches of Gulfport, Coastal II District; Sampada “Sam” Kapoor of Jackson, Hinds Post IV; Kevin “KB” Bass of Jackson, Hinds Post V; Andreanna “Ann” Jones of Jackson, Hinds Post VI; Alex Parker Shoemaker of Purvis, Southwest District; and Chase Wynn of Ridgeland, Central I District.

On January 25, 2021, Forman Watkins & Krutz hosted renowned diversity and inclusion and leadership expert Dr. Arin Reeves (@DrArinNReeves1), from Nextions, to speak to the Firm regarding effective leadership. 

The FormanWatkins forest products team continues its strong performance defending companies who have been sued for alleged personal injuries. Recently, FormanWatkins attorneys Joshua Metcalf and Chelsea Lewis argued successfully for the exclusion of two medical doctors in a herbicide spraying case where the plaintiffs sought to use the doctors to establish a causative link between the herbicide at issue and the plaintiffs’ alleged injuries.

FormanWatkins attorneys Fred Krutz, Brian Hannula, and Andrew Stubbs started off 2021 strong with a summary judgment win in West Virginia! The case was the first of six coal mining claims filed against the same respirator manufacturer to reach the summary judgment stage.

The 2021 Louisiana Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists have been released, and we are proud to announce that 6 of our attorneys were among those selected!

Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP is proud to announce that 25 of its attorneys have been selected to the 2020 Mid-South Super Lawyers and/or Rising Stars lists!  Each year no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. 

This Fall, Forman Watkins & Krutz’s Jackson office supported the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF) and the Blazer Bolt for Brain Cancer by raising support for and participating virtually in their annual run/walk.

Jackson Partner Vernon McFarland recently had an article published in DRI Voices (November 4, 2020).  Read it below, or click the image to open it in a new browser.

New Orleans attorneys Tim Gray, Michelle Roy, Margaret McLaughlin, and Jordan Nixon recently prevailed in an appeal of a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Order denying Special Juvenile Immigrant Status to a minor child, originally from Guatemala. The effect of the win is that the child is now entitled to apply for and receive permanent resident status. This win follows wins on behalf of her two sisters, also FormanWatkins Pro Bono clients, who prevailed in their asylum claims.