Member Bio
Charles is experienced in complex litigation and insurance defense. He is a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel and a Fellow of the American Bar Association. He is also an Elected Member of the American Law Institute.
PRACTICE AREAS AND INDUSTRY TEAMS:
-Commercial Litigation
-Insurance
EXPERIENCE
-Featured in Litigation Commentary & Rev. 268(September/October 2012) for representation of Former Governor Haley Barbour as Lead Counsel.
-In the Matter of Conservatorship of Davis v. Longo, 954 So.2d 521 (Miss. App. 2007).
-Rankin v. American General Finance, 912 So.2d 725 (Miss. 2005).
-Queen v. American General Finance, 351 F.Supp.2d 576 (S.D. Miss. 2005).
-MS Life Insurance Company v. Baker, 905 So.2d 1179 (Miss. 2005).
-Owens v. First Family Financial Services, 379 F.Supp.2d 840 (S.D. Miss. 2005).
-Rainwater v. Lamar Life Insurance Co., 391 F.3d 636 (5th Cir. 2004).
-Union National Life Ins. Co. v. Crosby, 870 So.2d 1175 (Miss. 2004).
-Bishop v. First MS Financial Group, Inc., 221 F.R.D. 461 (2004).
-Hare v. City Finance Co., 269 F. Supp.2d 766 (S.D. Miss. 2003).
-Moore v. MS Valley Gas, 863 So.2d 43 (Miss. 2003).
-Smith v. Union National, 286 F.Supp.2d 782 (S.D. Miss. 2003).
-White v. City Finance Co., 277 F.Supp.2d 646 (S.D. Miss. 2003).
-Beasley v. Personal Finance Corp., 279 B.R.523, 48 Collier Bankr. Cas.2d. 1582 (S.D. Miss. 2002).
-American Bankers Ins. Co. of Florida v. Wells, 819 So.2d 1196 (Miss. 2001).
-Ross v. CitiFinancial, 203 F.R.D.239 (2001).
-Daniette Jones v. Regency Toyota, Inc., 798 So.2d 474 (Miss. 2001).
-Lady v. Jefferson Pilot Life Ins. Co., 241 F.Supp.2d 655 (S.D. Miss. 2001).
-Ellis v. Anderson Tully Co., 727 So.2d 716 (Miss. 1998).
-In the matter of Treasure Bay Corp., 212 B.R.520 (1997).
-Garrett v. Bohannon, 621 So.2d 935 (Miss. 1993).
BAR ADMISSIONS
-Mississippi, 1988
-U.S.D.C. MS: Northern, Southern districts
-U.S. Court of Appeals
5th Circuit
-U.S. Supreme Court
DISTINCTIONS
-Lifetime Achievement Selection, America’s Top 100 Attorneys®, 2016
-Martindale-Hubbell®
AV®- PreeminentTM Peer Review Rated, 2009-2017
-Super Lawyers®
Top 50: MS Super Lawyers, 2006, 2009-2017
Mid-South Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2006-2017
-Best Lawyers in America®
Commercial Litigation, 2013-2018
Litigation–Insurance, 2015-2018
-Elected Member, American Law Institute
-Fellow, American Bar Association
-Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America-Special Assistant Attorney General, 1988-1989
-Municipal Prosecutor, Bolton, Miss., 1990-1994
-Municipal Public Defender, 1998-2010
-Municipal Judge, Edwards, Miss., 1994-1996
-City Attorney, Town of Edwards, Miss., 1996-2010
-nstructor, Jackson State University, 1988
-Co-Founder, Diversity Law Institute of LCA, 2009
-Distinguished Service Award, Tougaloo College Pre-Law Society, 2008
-R. Jess Brown Memorial Distinguished Community Service Award, 2006
-Board Member, Jackson Downtown Business Improvement District, 2002-2004
-Co-Founder and Former Co-Chairman, Law Student Diversity Interaction Program, Mississippi Bar Association, 1990
ASSOCIATIONS
-Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC)
Admissions Committee
-International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC)
-American Bar Association
Litigation Section
Minority Trial Lawyer Committee
Corporate Counsel Committee
Co-Chairman, Pro-bono Subcommittee
Co-Chairman, Complex Torts Subcommittee
-National Bar Assoc.
Commercial Law Section
-Defense Research Institute
Trial Tactics Committee
Commercial Litigation Committee
Newsletter Committee
-Mississippi Bar Association
Litigation Section
Gaming Law Section
Chairman, 1999
-Charles Clark American Inns of Court
-Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association
-Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit
-Magnolia Bar Association
-Capital Area Bar Association
-Commercial Litigation and Financial Institutions Section
Chairman, 2012-2013
-Community Foundation of Greater Jackson
Legacy Society Member
EDUCATION & HONORS
-University of Mississippi, J.D., 1987
Congressional Internship, U.S. House of Representatives, Summer 1986
-University of Mississippi, B.A., Philosophy, 1984
PAPERS, PRESENTATIONS & PUBLICATIONS
-Presenter, “Recent changes to the CMS Regulations That May Encourage Civil Claims Against Long Term Care Facilities,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC) Meeting, Montreux, Switzerland, July, 2017.
-Presenter, “Confronting Bias and Ethical Considerations in the Legal Community,” Magnolia Bar Association, November 13, 2015.
-Co-Author, “Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices and Consumer Protection: Targeted Practices and Kinds of Claims: Proof Elements of Claims,” Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Statutes and Damages: How to Prevent and Defend Disruptive Challenges to Your Client’s Business Practices, August 2015
-Panelist, “Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practice Statues and Damages,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC) Meeting, Banff, Alberta, Canada, August, 2015.
-Presenter, “Getting What You Want - Developing Effective Negotiation Techniques When Negotiating Contracts or Negotiating Settlements,” FDCC, April 24, 2014.
-Author, “Churches & Employment Law: Understanding the Ministerial Exception Rule", Litigation Commentary & Rev. 299, November/December 2012.
-Presenter, “Ethics for Lawyers: Blogs and Tweets That Can Torpedo Your Career,” 2012 CLE Expo, Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA), Chicago, 2012.
-Author, “Strategies for Using Social Media in the Fight Against Fraudulent Insurance Claims,” Inside the Minds- Defending Against Insurance Fraud Claims, Thomson Reuters/Aspatore, 2011.
-Presenter, Current Trends in Insurance Opt Out Litigation In Mississippi, Conference on Insurance and Financial Services, American Law Institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA), Chicago, 2010.
-Presenter, Defending Bad Faith Claims, Insurance Claims and Coverage Institute, Defense Research Institute (DRI), Chicago, 010.
-Presenter, Minority Law Firms: State of Emergency, Diversity Summit, Litigation Counsel of America, Atlanta, 2009.
-Presenter, Effective Use of Focus Groups, Mock Trials and Internet Sampling, Fall Conference, Litigation Counsel of America, Charleston, 2009.
-Presenter, Can You Win Without That Special Closing Argument?, Spring Conference, Litigation Counsel of America, Santa Fe, 2009.
-Presenter, Vying For A Piece of the Pie—Minority Owned Law Firms Partnering With Majority-Owned Law Firms, Diversity for Success Seminar, Defense Research Institute (DRI), Chicago, 2009.
-Moderator, Best Practices For Retaining Healthcare Clients: A Corporate Counsel Perspective, Healthcare Law Symposium, Annual Convention, National Bar Association, Houston, 2008.
-Presenter, Voir Dire In State Court Criminal Cases, Fall CLE Conference, Magnolia Bar Association, Jackson, 2008.
-Presenter, Electronic Discovery: Legal Issues and Practical Challenges, Corporate Counsel Conference, National Bar Association, Commercial Law Section, Miami, 2007.
-Co-Author, “Privilege Under The New Rules: New Mines in The Litigation Minefield,” Commercial Law Connection, National Bar Association, 2007.
-Presenter, Handling Insurance Claim Conflicts, National Business Institute, Insurance Law from A-Z, Jackson, 2007.
-Presenter, A Defense Perspective on Insurance Litigation Trends In Mississippi and Trial of An Individual Fraud and Contract Claim (Defense Witnesses), Conference on Life and Health Insurance Litigation, American Law Institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA), Washington, D.C., 2003.
-Presenter, Internet Gaming: Entertainment or a License To Steal?, American Trial Lawyers Association Convention, Atlanta, 2002.
-Presenter, Trial of the Individual Insurance/Market Conduct Case, Conference on Life and Health Insurance Litigation II, American Law Institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA), San Francisco, 2000.
-Presenter, Internet and Electronic Gaming, American Trial Lawyers Association Convention, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2001.
-Presenter, Trial of the Individual Insurance/Market Conduct Case, Conference on Life and Health Insurance Litigation I, American Law Institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA), New York, 2000.