Columbus Lawyers

For over 20 years, John Giddens has dedicated himself to helping to seek justice for those that cannot advocate for themselves. He is the founding member of Giddens Law Firm, located in Jackson, Mississippi. Mr. Giddens has extensive experience in a wide range of personal injury cases including trucking, wrongful death, concussion claims, product liability, premises liability and birth trauma.

Adam is the founder of Woods Law Firm, PLLC, a Brandon, Mississippi law firm that serves clients throughout Mississippi and Tennessee. He is licensed to practice before all state courts in both Mississippi and Tennessee and has represented people from all walks of life, zealously advocating for his clients in numerous areas of the law, including personal injury, contract negotiation, real estate, consumer and commercial law, wills and estates, and family law.

Adam graduated college from Mississippi State University with a Bachelors in Business Administration. While completing his degree, he negotiated numerous contracts for events held on campus,...

Pascagoula and South Mississippi criminal defense attorney Sean Buckley has over two decades of experience aggressively defending the accused in state and federal court. He’s among an elite group of Mississippi criminal defense attorneys rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell – the gold standard of attorney ratings – for achieving the highest level of legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards. If you’ve been charged with a criminal offense, or you’re under criminal investigation, Sean Buckley is ready to fight for your legal rights and defend your reputation. -Voted #1 by Best Of Coastal Mississippi 2023 in 3 categories: Best Defense Law,...

I am an experienced advocate for clients in matters involving personal injury, criminal defense, premises owners' negligence, breach of duty, and more. I have extensive courtroom experience wherein I developed trial skills by representing criminal defendants in misdemeanor and felony cases, including capital murder, murder, rape, armed robbery, theft crimes, DUI and drug offenses.

I have been named one of the 500 Leading Litigators in America, one of the 500 Leading Plaintiff Lawyers in America, one of the 3000 Leading Lawyers in America, and one of the 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi.

I will use my experience and dedication to advocate...

Gregory is a co-founding member of the firm. Gregory left in 2012 to serve as United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi. President Barack Obama nominated him to the position where he served from 2012 to 2017. During his time as U.S. Attorney, he focused his office’s efforts on preventing violent crime, protecting civil rights, tackling Mississippi’s prescription drug and heroin crisis, prosecuting corrupt public officials, and engaging our youth on the dangers of drugs, violence and gangs.

Over the years, he has represented hundreds of clients from every walk of life. Gregory had experience on both sides of...

William "Bill" Cruse grew up in Pearl River County. He graduated from Picayune Memorial High School in 2001 and originally attended Pearl River Community College in 2003. He transferred to Mississippi College, where he graduated with a chemistry degree in 2005. Then, he graduated from the Mississippi School of Law in 2009 and began practicing that same year. His parents, Fred and Dianne Cruse, founded Fred’s Westside Pharmacy in Picayune, and his brother, Gordon Cruse, owns the pharmacy. He opened Cruse Law Firm, PLLC in 2017 to focus on real estate transactions, estate planning, probate, and other forms of transactional law....

Choosing a lawyer for any case can be difficult, so we offer these tips. First, ask about experience. Doug is a Hattiesburg native who graduated Tulane Law School in 1992, and within a few months he was trying cases to juries, and winning. He strongly believes that to adequately pursue any legal case, a lawyer should know his way around a courtroom, and Doug has tried cases to juries lasting days, weeks and even months. "The insurance companies know if you have the stomach for litigation and trial practice," Doug says, "and if you never put them...

I have been practicing in the Southwest Mississippi area for almost 15 years, helping people with criminal charges, injuries, and other litigation issues that arise in their lives. I have tried countless criminal trials and civil cases, including worker's compensation hearings. I am also one of the few lawyers in the area who has taken the bar and is licensed in Mississippi and Louisiana.

In May of 2016, Jay M. Kilpatrick joined the Kilpatrick & Philley, Attorneys at Law team. Jay is a native of Mississippi; originally from Philadelphia, Mississippi. He joined the firm after 16 years with another larger firm in the Jackson area, where he was a shareholder. Jay’s addition to Kilpatrick & Philley, Attorneys at Law only strengthens the resources available to our clients. Prior to joining the firm, Jay worked primarily in the area of personal injury, where he developed a maritime practice representing individuals and families of individuals who are injured working offshore, including a Deepwater Horizon claim. This is...

Michael "Mike" Carr focuses his practice on state and federal criminal defense, personal injury, and civil rights.

Mike is a very experienced trial attorney, having litigated more than 50 jury trials in state and federal court as lead counsel, ranging from complex six figure civil personal injury cases to triple homicide capital murder defense. He is often hired as specialized counsel assisting lawyers in other states and has been admitted pro hac vice in Georgia and Tennessee on multiple occasions.

In addition to this practice, Michael is heavily involved in several professional organizations. He is an on-call attorney for the Police...

Our firm focuses on lemon law cases. Even if your car isn't covered under your lemon law, there are other state and federal laws that may allow you to recover money or get a buyback. If we can take your matter there's no upfront retainer and You don't pay any costs or expenses if we can't settle your claim. Ben holds a JD from Mississippi College in Jackson, Mississippi and a BS in Marine Transportation from the United States Merchant Marine Academy. He is admitted in various Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Arkansas, and Michigan courts. His career includes experience with diverse...

Christopher E. Kittell practices law at the Kittell Law Firm in Hernando, Mississippi. He received his BBA in Computer Information Systems from Delta State University in 1996 and his JD from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1999. Chris received the prestigious James O. Eastland Scholarship to attend law school and was a member of the International Legal Fraternity of Phi Delta Phi while attending law school at Ole Miss. Chris is happily married to his wife Jennifer and is the proud father of three children. Chris practices primarily in the area of civil...

Born and raised in Louisiana, attorney Mike Saltaformaggio attended Louisiana State University, where he received a B.A. in Political Science and minored in Sociology. After graduation, Mike enrolled in law school at the Mississippi College School of Law, where he was extremely successful, graduating in the top 5% of his class. During his time in law school, Mike was Articles Editor for the Law Review and began developing his trial skills by participating in Moot Court competitions across the country.

Mike is a member of the Mississippi Association for Justice, the Madison County Bar Association, Jackson Young Lawyers, the...

Author of the book "Divorce in Mississippi", Jon has extensive trial experience in all matters concerning divorce, family law, estates, guardianships and conservatorships and real estate related issues. Jon's 23 years of experience and practical common sense approach in representing clients and seeking solutions to their problems makes Jon different from other lawyers in his desire to efficiently get the client what they want instead of seeking for more ways to bill the client.

Attorney Victoria V. Washington is the founder and owner of The Washington Law Firm PLLC in Southaven, Mississippi. She serves clients throughout north Mississippi. Ms. Washington has invaluable insight into the criminal justice system and understands how a criminal accusation or personal injury can affect you. She experienced her brother's wrongful conviction in 2003 and a near-death car crash in 2016, which fuel her passion for her clients. Licensed to practice in the state of Mississippi since 2014, Ms. Washington has represented criminal defendants in juvenile, circuit, municipal and federal courts, securing many favorable settlements, case dismissals, and not-guilty...

Merrida (Buddy) Coxwell was admitted to practice law in October 1980. From the day of admission forward Merrida has been a fierce, dedicated, and aggressive advocate for his clients. Over the past thirty-four (34) years he has handled some of the most complex and highly publicized criminal cases in Mississippi. For example, Merrida successfully defended the Mayor of Jackson, MS, when he was charged with four (4) felonies. He successfully defended a Miss. Supreme Court Judge, won two (2) not guilty verdicts in a row in federal drug cases, won a murder case that the local media called the murder...

JAMES H. HEIDELBERG is a lifelong resident of Pascagoula, Mississippi, and he has practiced law in Pascagoula since his admission to the Bar in January 1978. His practice primarily involves trial and appellate litigation in the fields of personal injury, governmental law, and professional liability. Mr. Heidelberg has briefed or argued over eighty cases to the Mississippi Supreme Court, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Heidelberg represents several Mississippi governmental agencies and political subdivisions and is an approved attorney for the Mississippi Tort Claims Board. He is an approved...

Admitted to Practice in all Mississippi State and Federal Courts and in the Supreme Court of Mississippi as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Has appeared before all 8 current Judges in the Mississippi Workers Compensation Commission. Successfully represented countless number of injured clients in settlements, trials, and on appeals to the Workers’ Compensation Full Commission and to the Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

TRISTAN R. ARMER, has twenty (20) years of experience representing businesses, employers, insurance companies and public entities in workers' compensation and general liability claims. He has tried many cases in state and federal courts but resolved or settled many more quickly and without incurring excess costs and fees to his clients. He has a background in finance and served on the board of a brake manufacturing company, so he understands litigation costs do not serve the bottom-line and will provide a cost-efficient defense for his client. In addition to the civil defense practice, Mr. Armer still defends...

Born in New Orleans, but a life-long resident of Jackson County, Stephen obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service in 1988, where he received a Certificate in German Public and International Affairs with Distinction. In 1993, Stephen graduated from Tulane University's School of Law, acquiring both a Juris Doctor Degree and a Certificate in European Legal Practice. While at Tulane, he served as Tulane Law School President, an extern clerk for U.S. District Judge Martin L. C. Feldman of the Eastern District of Louisiana, as a senior member of the Tulane Journal of International and...

Madison County Attorney Pamela L. Hancock proudly serves the people of the Greater Jackson area. As the founder of the Hancock Law Firm, she takes pride in her ability to guide clients through a number of complex or emotional matters, including family law, personal injury, criminal defense, estate planning, and much more. She uses her diverse background and education, as well as her commitment to the law, to create comprehensive case strategies that look at the matter from multiple angles. She has earned a positive reputation within the community and among her former clients and can skillfully handle issues in...

Jefferson Gilder received his license to practice in Mississippi and Tennessee in 1990. Mr. Gilder is admitted to practice in all courts in Mississippi and Tennessee including U.S. District Courts for the Western District of Tennessee and the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi, the Fifth and Sixth Circuit Courts of Appeal, and the United States Supreme Court. His practice areas include automobile accidents, premises liability, criminal, medical malpractice, civil rights, product liability and other areas of personal injury. Mr. Gilder sat for and passed both the Bar Examinations for Mississippi and Tennessee in the same week in 1990. Mr....

Nick Norris is a labor and employment lawyer with over 9 years of experience. In that time he has represented clients in over 600 employment cases across the nation.

Terence attended Mississippi State University on athletic scholarship and played college football. He received his B.A. in Accounting from Mississippi State University in 1992. Also, he received his M.A. in Accounting from the University of Mississippi in 1995. In 1999, he received his Juris Doctorate from Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio. Terence was an associate with the law firm of Mitchell, McNutt & Sams in their Jackson, MS office from 1999 to 2001. He was an associate with the Jackson office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz from 2002 to...

I am an attorney in Jackson, MS that focuses on consumer defense such as bankruptcy and mortgage litigation. I graduated from MS State University for my bachelors and MS College School of Law for my Juris Doctorate. I am married to Chalon Headley and yes, I am the daughter of attorney Frank Coxwell, who I have the privilege of working with here at Coxwell Attorneys, PLLC.

Throughout college I was able to work with my dad at the office in between semesters, etc. and I loved it. I loved the way that he would help people save their homes, their property,...

Bernard C. Jones, Jr. was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1984. Before entering law school, Bernard served as the Legal Assistance Coordinator for the Mississippi office of the Emergency Land Fund, a nonprofit group which provided education, loans and legal assistance to minority landowners in the south. He also worked as a Title Abstractor for one of Mississippi's largest law firms while in law school. In both positions, he acquired a wealth of knowledge in the area of real property law. Bernard has a particular interest in heir property issues. Bernard testified as an expert witness for the first...

Carlisle Henderson is a graduate of the Tulane University School of Law, 2000, where he worked with the law school's program representing inmates at Angola State Prison. In 1997 and 1998, Mr. Henderson worked with the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office prosecuting crimes, and since graduation, has devoted himself to criminal defense, and protecting the rights of the accused. He is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association, and a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Mr. Henderson also works in other areas of the legal profession. Family Law, Juvenile Law, Probate, Appeals. Call 601-835-6283...

Michael Williams has represented injured people in Mississippi for over thirty years, including state and federal court Plaintiffs, and hundreds of Claimants before the Mississippi Worker's Compensation Commission. Michael has also handled over a thousand consumer bankruptcy cases.

Michael Williams was reared in rural Hinds County, Mississippi in the Utica area. He attended Millsaps College and Tulane University Law School. He is admitted to practice law in all Mississippi state courts, including the Mississippi Supreme Court. He is also admitted to the Northern and Southern District Federal Courts of Mississippi, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Michael...

Ben is native of DeSoto County. He is a graduate of Southaven High School and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi with a concentration in Human Resource Management. Upon completion of his undergraduate studies, Ben was accepted to the University of Mississippi School of Law. He spent a summer semester of law school at the University of Hawaii before graduating early. Ben is licensed to practice law in Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas. He has been practicing since 2007. Ben is an approved guardian ad litem whose duty is to represent the...

Attorney Elmer Fondren has extensive experience in representing his clients with Insurance Claims throughout Mississippi. He is a passionate advocate and is dedicated to helping his clients pursue the justice and compensation they deserve. Call today for more information.

We specialize in helping Mississippians with their financial problems.

Jamie W. Howell, Jr. is a shareholder at Chatham Gilder Howell Pittman PLLC. He was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1988 and the Tennessee Bar in 1993 and currently practices in all state courts throughout Mississippi and Tennessee. Mr. Howell practices in personal injury law, criminal defense matters, Social Security Disability, and general civil law. He was an associate attorney with Gilder Law Firm for his first five years of practice before spending the next six years as a sole practitioner. Mr. Howell joined forces with Jefferson D. Gilder to form Gilder & Howell, P.A. in 2000. He is...

Rob was born in Traverse City, MI and raised in El Paso, TX. He is a graduate of Tulane University in New Orleans and Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. Rob enjoys fishing, reading, golf and automobile racing. He loves to cook with his family and is an avid Major League Baseball and NFL fan.

EDUCATION
Tulane University – B.A. English
Loyola University Chicago School of Law – J.D.
Frankfurt International School
ROB’S LEGAL ASSISTANTS
Magdalene Bedi
Eyona Nelson

MEMBER
Colorado Bar Association
Louisiana Bar Association
New Orleans Bar Association
Mississippi Bar Association

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE LAW IN
Colorado
Louisiana
Mississippi

Attorney James L. Kelly, is dedicated to fairness and justice. As an experienced and highly respected lawyer, Mr. Kelly zealously defends individuals suspected or charged with committing misdemeanor or felony crimes. This firm also serves clients in the areas of wrongful death, personal injury, child custody, wills, and estates. We practice before all courts in the State of Mississippi, with special emphasis in Rankin, Madison and Hinds counties.

College
Mississippi State University, B.B.A., 1983
Law School
University of Mississippi, Law Center, J.D., 1986
Admitted

1987 – Mississippi; U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi; Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
2010 – United States Supreme...

Lee Watt is a native of Batesville, MS. He practiced law on the Mississippi Gulf Coast until 2005 when Hurricane Katrina caused his relocation to the Jackson metro area.
Lee has tried over 100 cases, mostly jury cases, in state and federal courts across Mississippi. These cases involve banking, corporate, product liability, real estate, probate, construction and employment matters. His clients include both leading national manufacturers as well as local small businesses, governmental entities, health care professionals and financial institutions.
Lee enjoys helping businesses and ministries grow and become better managers of their human and financial resources. Lee also enjoys helping...

Joseph D. Songy, PLLC is a small, locally operated law firm in Purvis, Mississippi. Our goal is to meet the legal needs of all our Clients, no matter how large or small, and to provide aggressive representation at every stage of their cases. Our mission is to provide each Client with a professional and confidential relationship. We devote our time to figuring out the needs and goals of our Clients, so we can be their strongest advocate. We handle a broad range of legal matters for individuals, Mississippi companies and foreign companies. We represent plaintiffs and defendants in matters including,...