Author Archives: Kimber Riley

Wise Carter Sponsors HBCU Law Preview Day

Posted on by

Wise Carter proudly supports The University of Mississippi School of Law’s HBCU Law Preview Day. Suzette Turner represented Wise Carter on the discussion panel at this event and attended alongside our Diversity Committee Chair, Virginia Gautier. 

Being a recent University of Mississippi Law Student and having attend a HBCU, Suzette Turner was a well-suited representative on the panel discussion. The panel offered candid conversations about varied experiences in dealing with racism, classism, and sexism throughout their legal education and careers. They were able to share strategies and methods with students on how to overcome and navigate those occurrences to find pathways to success. As well as reaffirm many of the old stigmas in practicing law are fading. 

Unaware of the HBCU Law Preview Day during her time of education, Suzette shared of the volumes it spoke of the active steps Ole Miss Law continues to take towards increasing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. Suzette felt the value of Wise Carter’s presence and stated, “Simply meeting lawyers that looks like them and it is equally as important meeting lawyers that don’t look like them that are willing to show up and support creates impact.”

Wise Carter’s Diversity Committee is committed to growing the firm with diversified talent to provide a more dynamic perspective. These events are crucial in gaining diversity on all fronts in the legal field and provides underrepresented students the simple tools that allow them to be successful in their endeavors.

Wise Carter Attorneys Named in The Best Lawyers in America® for 2023

Posted on by
Wise Carter Attorneys Named in The Best Lawyers in America® for 2021

Wise Carter is pleased to announce the attorneys selected for The Best Lawyers in America® (2023 Edition).  Wise Carter celebrates the success of 27 of our attorneys have been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®. We are Congratulations the attorneys listed below for their accomplishment. 

Two attorneys were recognized as “Ones to Watch” for 2023. Congratulations to Charles Cowan and Mallory Street.

  • Jackson, MS
    • Mark P. Caraway
      • Litigation – Health Care
      • Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
      • Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
    • Betty Toon Collins
      • Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
      • Corporate Compliance Law
      • Corporate Governance Law
      • Corporate Law
      • Health Care Law
    • Gaye Nell Currie
      • Litigation – Health Care
      • Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
    • Virginia S. Gautier
      • Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
    • Jennifer Scott
      • Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
    • D. Collier Graham, Jr.
      • Corporate Law
      • Health Care Law
      • Litigation – Health Care
    • R. Mark Hodges
      • Health Care Law
      • Litigation – Health Care
      • Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
    • Elizabeth G. Hooper
      • Commercial Transactions/ UCC Law
      • Health Care Law
    • Kimberly N. Howland
      • Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
    • Crane D. Kipp
      • Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
      • Health Care Law
      • Land Use and Zoning Law
      • Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
      • Real Estate Law
    • William H. Leech, Sr.
      • Banking and Finance Law
      • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
      • Financial Services Regulation Law
      • Litigation – Bankruptcy
      • Litigation – Real Estate
    • Douglas E. Levanway
      • Energy Law
      • Energy Regulatory Law
      • Litigation – Labor and Employment
      • Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
    • Eugene R. Naylor
      • Health Care Law
      • Insurance Law
      • Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
      • Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
    • W. McDonald Nichols
      • Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
      • Litigation – Trusts and Estates
      • Real Estate Law
      • Trusts and Estates
    • George H. Ritter
      • Health Care Law
      • Litigation – Health Care
      • Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
      • Railroad Law
    • James L. Robertson
      • Admiralty and Maritime Law
      • Appellate Practice
      • Civil Rights Law
      • Commercial Litigation
      • Environmental Law
      • Insurance Law
      • Litigation – Antitrust
      • Litigation – Environmental
      • Litigation – First Amendment
      • Litigation – Intellectual Property
    • Charles E. Ross
      • Insurance Law
      • Railroad Law
    • John P. Sneed
      • Appellate Practice
      • Commercial Litigation
      • Corporate Law
      • Litigation – First Amendment
      • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
    • Andrew D. Sweat
      • Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
    • Barbara Childs Wallace
      • Employment Law – Management
      • Litigation – Labor and Employment
    • Michael B. Wallace
      • Appellate Practice
      • Bet-the-Company Litigation
      • Commercial Litigation
      • Government Relations Practice
  • Hattiesburg, MS
    • Joe D. Stevens
      • Banking and Finance Law
  • Gulfport, MS
    • Lynda C. Carter
      • Litigation – Health Care
      • Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
      • Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
    • David C. Goff
      • Litigation – Labor and Employment
      • Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
    • Frederick T. Hoff, Jr.
      • Litigation and Controversy – Tax
      • Real Estate Law
      • Tax Law
    • Henry F. Laird, Jr.
      • Commercial Litigation
      • Litigation – First Amendment
    • James C. Simpson, Jr.
      • Commercial Litigation
      • Corporate Law
      • Government Relations Practice

“Ones to Watch”: Awards

  • Jackson, MS
    • Charles E. Cowan – Appellate Practice
    • Mallory M. Street – Insurance Law

“Ritter, Cowan, and Sneed Obtain Successful Supreme Court Ruling for Mississippi’s Community Mental Health Centers”

Posted on by

Wise Carter’s George Ritter, Charles Cowan, and John Sneed found victory for Mississippi’s fourteen regional community mental health centers in an appeal before the Mississippi Supreme Court.  In the decision United Healthcare of Mississippi, Inc. v. Mississippi’s Community Mental Health Commissions, handed down on March 24, 2022, the Supreme Court considered whether one of Mississippi’s Medicaid managed care contractors could impose an across the board 5 percent rate cut on reimbursement of care the community mental health centers provide to Mississippi’s Medicaid beneficiaries.

United Healthcare, one of the managed care companies that contracts with the State of Mississippi to provide managed care Medicaid services, applied what it claimed was a mandatory 5 percent reduction in Medicaid payments for services provided by the community mental health centers. The centers successfully obtained an injunction in the Hinds County Circuit Court barring United’s 5 percent rate cut. United appealed the decision to the Mississippi Supreme Court, which affirmed the trial court’s decision in favor of Wise Carter’s clients.

Ultimately, the Supreme Court held found that United breached its provider agreements and violated state statutes by unlawfully imposing the 5% rate cut and ordered it to eliminate the reduction moving forward. This is a significant victory for Mississippi healthcare providers challenging insurance company and managed care payor decisions.

Wise Carter attorneys commit to doing what is right for their clients. We have a skilled healthcare legal team that understands your practice and how the laws affect your work. Our goal is to serve as an extension of your team while providing the highest quality legal advice regardless of your practice area.

For more information on the firm, please visit www.wisecarter.com.

Wise Carter Attorney Presents 2022 ABA Workers’ Compensation Rising Star Award

Posted on by

March 4, 2022, Wise Carter attorney, Virginia “Gingi” Gautier presented the American Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Rising Star Award at New Orleans Conference. 

As a member of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Workers’ Compensation and Employers’ Liability Committee, Gingi Gautier served on the selection committee for the 2022 ABA Workers’ Compensation Rising Star Award.  The ABA’s Workers’ Compensation and Employers’ Liability Committee Mid-Winter Conference was held in New Orleans where Gingi had the pleasure of presenting the award to the 2022 ABA Workers’ Compensation Rising Star, Hunter Horne.

Following the conference, Gingi represented Wise Carter as a Fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at its annual meeting and induction dinner. Gingi has the honor of being one of only 13 Mississippi lawyers, along with colleague Andy Sweat, selected as a Fellow by the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers. The College honors attorneys who have distinguished themselves in the field of workers’ compensation and exhibited the highest level of professional qualifications, character, integrity, professional expertise, and leadership.

Jane Meynardie Appointed to Uniform Law Commission

Posted on by

Jane Wallace Meynardie of Wise Carter’s Gulfport office is appointed to serve as one of Mississippi’s Commissioners to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, also known as the Uniform Law Commission (ULC).

Selected by Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, Mrs. Meynardie is honored by the appointment and looks forward to contributing her knowledge and experience to the important work of the Commission.  

The ULC is a law-improvement organization that exists to research, draft, and promote the enactment of uniform and model laws to maintain uniformity of laws among the states. The commissioners are appointed from every state as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Mrs. Meynardie applies her extensive experience in transactional matters in her practice at Wise Carter. She is a valued asset to our team. Wise Carter commends Mrs. Meynardie for this great recognition and is proud to support her through her term on the Commission. 

“Wise Carter Attorneys Receive Favorable Ruling for Railroad Clients”

Posted on by

Wise Carter attorneys, George H. Ritter and Charles E. Cowan successfully defended the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) and Norfolk Southern subsidiary Alabama Great Southern Railroad Company in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against them in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi.

In a 27 page opinion and order, District Judge Taylor B. McNeel found a fatal accident involving a pedestrian in Hattiesburg, Mississippi was unavoidable and Amtrak’s locomotive engineer was not negligent in his operation of the train. Judge McNeel also found that Alabama Great Southern Railroad Company took reasonable measures to warn pedestrians of the dangers of passing trains.

Judge McNeel held there was no issue of fact for a jury to conclude the railroad companies were negligent or proximately caused the accident. The Court’s order dismissed all the plaintiff’s claims against Wise Carter’s clients.

Wise Carter is one of Mississippi’s leading law firms with a legacy of providing legal expertise for railroads operating in Mississippi for well over a century. Wise Carter has offices located in Jackson, Hattiesburg, Gulfport, in Mississippi, and recently opened an office in Detroit, Michigan. For more information on the firm, please visit www.wisecarter.com.

AMERICA’S TOP 100 HIGH STAKES LITIGATORS®

Posted on by

Announcing the selection of Charles E. Ross among America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators® for 2021. Selection to America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators® is by invitation only and is reserved to identify the nation’s most exceptional trial attorneys in high value, high stakes legal matters. 

To be considered for selection, an attorney must have litigated (for either plaintiff or defendant) a matter (1) with at least $2,000,000 in alleged damages at stake or (2) with the fate of a business worth at least $2,000,000 at stake. These minimum qualifications are required for initial consideration.  Thereafter, candidates are carefully screened through comprehensive Qualitative Comparative Analysis based on a broad array of criteria, including the candidate’s professional experience, litigation experience, significant case results, representative high stakes matters, peer reputation, and community impact in order to rank the candidates throughout the state. 

Only the top 100 qualifying attorneys in each state will receive this honor and be selected for membership among America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators®.  With these extremely high standards for selection to America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators®, less than one-half percent (0.5%) of active attorneys in the United States will receive this honor — truly the most exclusive and elite level of attorneys in the community.

If you would like more information about America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators® or the selection process, please visit our website at www.Top100HighStakesLitigators.com or contact Kevin Wieser – Membership Director at Membership@AmericasTop100Attorneys.com.

Wise Carter is one of Mississippi’s leading law firms with a legacy of providing legal expertise for over a century.  Wise Carter has offices located in Jackson, Hattiesburg, Gulfport, in Mississippi, and recently opened an office in Detroit, Michigan. For more information on the firm, please visit www.wisecarter.com.

Wise Carter Attorney Inducted as Fellow to the College of Workers’ Compensation

Posted on by

Wise Carter shareholder attorney, Andrew D. Sweat, was inducted as a Fellow to the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers in December 2021, for his distinguished career practicing in workers’ compensation.

Sweat became a Fellow of the College on March 28, 2020. On December 8, 2021, the College held its induction ceremony for the 2020 Fellows in Orlando, Florida. At that induction ceremony, Sweat was formally recognized for his accomplishments in the workers’ compensation legal community. 

Individuals selected as Fellows must demonstrate their commitment to foster and further the objective of the College and must show significant work and contribution to the field of workers’ compensation. In being selected as a Fellow, Sweat is honored for his long and distinguished career in workers’ compensation law and his devotion to his practice area.

“It is an honor to have been accepted into the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers,” said Andrew Sweat. “I am pleased to be recognized as a Fellow and look forward to continuing to serve my clients and the workers’ compensation community.”  

Sweat contributes almost 40 years of experience practicing workers’ compensation at Wise Carter.  He is known for his professional expertise in all areas of workers’ compensation law from claims administration and defense to self-insurance and regulatory matters. He also has shown tremendous leadership in developing the firm’s workers’ compensation practice area, including mentoring other attorneys in the firm.

Charles Cowan Appointed to the Mississippi Advisory Committee to The Commission

Posted on by

November 19, 2021, Charles Cowan, a Wise Carter shareholder attorney, was appointed by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to a four-year term on Mississippi’s Advisory Committee to the Commission. 

The Commission maintains the United States Territory Advisory Committees, which comprise statutorily mandated Advisory Committees from each state. Committee members have four-year appointments and offer a broad perspective on civil rights concerns at state and local levels.

Charles Cowan, along with other members of the Advisory Committee, serve as the Commission’s “eyes and ears” on the ground and advise the Commission about civil rights matters in Mississippi. Wise Carter proudly commends Cowan for his prestigious appointment and is honored to support him through his term.

The United States Commission was established by the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Its mission is to represent and serve the community as an independent, bipartisan fact-finding federal agency. The Commission is charged with advising the President and Congress on civil rights issues and is meant to inform the development of national civil rights policy and enhance enforcement of federal civil rights laws. 

Wise Carter is one of Mississippi’s leading law firms with a legacy of providing legal expertise for over a century. Wise Carter has offices located in Jackson, Hattiesburg, Gulfport, in Mississippi, and recently opened an office in Detroit, Michigan. For more information on the firm, please visit www.wisecarter.com.

SCOTUS Allows Enforcement of CMS Vaccine Mandate

Posted on by

As of January 13, 2022, The US Supreme Court issued the decision to allow CMS to begin enforcing its vaccine mandate for covered facilities in Mississippi. The Court viewed the vaccine mandate as an infection control measure that was well within the scope of agency regulation, noting “there can be no doubt that addressing infection problems in Medicare and Medicaid facilities is what [the Secretary of Health and Human Services] does.” Thus, the Court concluded that the agency had statutory authority to require that, in order to remain eligible for Medicare and Medicaid dollars, covered facilities must ensure that their employees are vaccinated against COVID–19. The full opinion of the Court can be read here.

Wise Carter attorneys, Jennifer Scott and Matt Harrell thoroughly reviewed this decision to understand what this means for CMS facilities. Ultimately, it means that covered facilities (including but not limited to hospitals, long-term care facilities, and ASCs) should resume their efforts to comply with the CMS vaccine mandate. We expect the CMS to issue an updated guidance in response to the Court’s decision and will update clients as we learn more. CMS issued guidance on December 28, 2021, exercising agency discretion to extend the compliance deadlines in the 25 states where the mandate was not enjoined and giving facilities there until January 27th for Phase 1 compliance and until February 28th for Phase 2 compliance. CMS may extend the compliance deadlines further for facilities in Mississippi and other states affected by today’s decision, to allow them 30 and 60 days respectively to comply with the mandate. Facilities should work toward compliance as soon as possible, however, as CMS may not extend the deadlines given the current surge in infections.

Jennifer H. Scott, Shareholder 

C. Matthew Harrell, Associate