2017 News Archive

Steven W. Quattlebaum, Timothy W. Grooms, and John E. Tull III have been named to the inaugural edition of the Arkansas 200, a list of the people who are actively shaping business, policy, and quality of life decisions in the state of Arkansas.  The result of a months-long research initiative, close to 700 of the state’s top business, government, and nonprofit leaders were considered for this list of influential individuals making an impact in multiple professional and non-profit endeavors at the local, regional, and state levels.  The final list, published by Arkansas Business,  is a mix of people who are giants in their industry, those operating behind the scenes to get deals done, emerging business and political leaders, and people involved beyond their chosen profession.

Twenty-one (21) attorneys from Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC were recently named to the Mid-South Super Lawyers or Mid-South Rising Stars lists for 2017 by Super Lawyers.  E. B. (Chip) Chiles IV, Joseph R. Falasco, Timothy W. Grooms, Michael B. Heister, Chad W. Pekron, Steven W. Quattlebaum, Michael N. Shannon, Geoffrey B. Treece, John E. Tull III, David B. Vandergriff, and Thomas G. Williams were recognized as Mid-South Super Lawyers.  Mr. Quattlebaum, Mr. Grooms, Mr. Tull, Mr. Chiles, and Mr. Williams received some of the highest point totals in the Arkansas nomination, research, and blue ribbon review process and are included in the list of the Top 50 Arkansas Super Lawyers for 2017.  Daniel J. Beck, Justice J. Brooks I, Grant M. Cox, Amber Davis-Tanner,  Sarah Keith-Bolden, J. Cliff McKinney II, Lindsey C. Pesek, Joseph W. Price II, Everett C. (Clarke) Tucker IV, and R. Ryan Younger were named Mid-South Rising Stars.  Fewer than five percent (5%) of all lawyers in Arkansas are selected as Super Lawyers and no more than two and one half percent (2.5%) of lawyers in Arkansas are named to the Rising Stars list.  Click here to read more about these rankings.

U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers have announced the “Best Law Firms” rankings for 2018 and Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC is proud to be ranked regionally in twenty-one (21) practice areas.  Firms included in the 2018 “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers.  Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.  Receiving a tier designation reflects the high level of respect a firm has earned among other leading lawyers and clients in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism, and their integrity.  A complete list of the rankings for our firm can be found on our Awards page.

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC was recently recognized in the 2018 edition of Benchmark Litigation as one of only three “highly recommended firms” for litigation in Arkansas.  Steven W. Quattlebaum, John E. Tull III, E. B. (Chip) Chiles IV, and Michael N. Shannon were highlighted as Litigation Stars and Brandon B. Cate, Joseph R. Falasco, Chad W. Pekron, Everett C. (Clarke) Tucker IV, R. Ryan Younger, Vincent O. Chadick, and Amber Davis-Tanner were named Future Stars.  Steve Quattlebaum was noted to be a “top tier trial lawyer” and sources commented: “I would not hesitate to hire any of these attorneys for any type of case anywhere in the United States,” and “The quality of their work is second to none.  They have the ability to staff cases with knowledgeable attorneys who are excellent in court and keenly aware of the cost pressures facing in house counsel.”  One client raved: “This is an outstanding firm.  Steve Quattlebaum is one of the finest trial lawyers in the country.  He has mastered the art and science of courtroom presentation – opening and closing statements, witness examinations, use of documents, and so on.  He and his team also have practical and client-focused strategic skills, brilliant legal analytical skills, and excellent written and oral presentation skills.”  More information about the Benchmark Litigation rankings can be found on our Awards page.

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC is pleased to welcome Christoph Keller to the firm’s Little Rock office.  Mr. Keller is an Associate with the firm and his primary area of practice is litigation.  Prior to joining the law firm, Mr. Keller served as a law clerk for the Honorable Kristine G. Baker of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas from 2015 to 2017.  Mr. Keller obtained his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2015, where he served as the Chairman of the Arkansas Board of Advocates and as a Note and Comment Editor for the Arkansas Law Review.  He was awarded the Judge Thomas F. Butt Legal Excellence Prize for both Civil Procedure and Legal Writing.

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC is pleased to announce that 16 lawyers have been included in the 2018 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.  Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America® list are reviewed by their peers on the basis of professional expertise and divided by geographic region and practice areas.  The QG&T attorneys recognized across 24 distinctive practice areas are:  Brandon B. Cate, E. B. (Chip) Chiles IV, Joseph R. Falasco, Timothy W. Grooms, Michael B. Heister, Jeb. H. Joyce, J. Cliff McKinney II, Chad W. Pekron, Steven W. Quattlebaum, Michael N. Shannon, Geoffrey B. Treece, Everett C. (Clarke) Tucker IV, John E. Tull III, David B. Vandergriff, Thomas G. Williams, and R. Ryan Younger. Two of our attorneys were also recognized as a 2018 “Lawyer of the Year” for the Little Rock area:  Timothy W. Grooms for Land Use and Zoning Law and Thomas G. Williams for Product Liability Litigation – Defendants.   Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year,” making this accolade particularly significant.  Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same communities and practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism, and their integrity. A complete list of the rankings can be found on our Awards page.  

Joseph R. Falasco, Michael B. Heister, Joseph W. Price II, Everett C. (Clarke) Tucker IV, and R. Ryan Younger have been named to the Benchmark Litigation 2017 Under 40 Hot List.  The practitioners on the list, all aged 40 or younger, have been deemed by peers and clients to be the most promising emerging talent in their respective litigation communities in the United States and Canada.  For more information on this and other firm rankings, please visit our Awards page.

Several attorneys from the QG&T office in Northwest Arkansas were featured speakers at the Pulaski County Bar Association’s 2017 Last Chance CLE program.  For the first time, the Pulaski County Bar Association provided CLE programs in five different areas of the state, including Fayetteville, Arkansas.  On June 22, Brandon B. Cate and Lindsey C. Pesek presented “A Survey of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act and Other Legal Issues Facing the Media”.  On June 23, Jeb H. Joyce spoke on the “Anatomy of a Real Estate Contract” and Scott M. Lar discussed “Section 1031 Exchanges”.

On June 21, 2017, Governor Asa Hutchinson announced the appointment of J. Cliff McKinney II to the Commission on Uniform State Laws. The Uniform Law Commission (ULC, also known as the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws) was founded in 1892 to study and review the law of the states to determine which areas of law should be uniform.  The ULC has commissioners from each state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  The ULC is responsible for the Uniform Commercial Code among many other uniform laws.  Mr. McKinney is one of three commissioners representing Arkansas, and his appointment expires April 30, 2021.  

The 119th meeting of the Arkansas Bar Association was held in Hot Springs, Arkansas, June 14-16, 2017.  The meeting provided a program of continuing education, a forum for conversations on important hot topics, an opportunity to learn from legal giants, and the opportunity to hear messages from the Governor of Arkansas, the Arkansas Attorney General, the Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, legislators, and educators. In addition to serving as a sponsor of the annual meeting and the Arkansas Bar Foundation Fellows’ Dinner, QG&T’s involvement included the participation of several firm attorneys as presenters and panelists during the conference.  John E. Tull III was a panelist for Obligations to Clients, Colleagues, the Court and our System of Justice under the Model Rules and Do Right Rules and materials utilized during this panel can be found here.  Jeb H. Joyce  participated in Bad Things Happen:  Insuring Your Risks in Real Estate Transactions and his presentation materials can be found here.  Grant M. Cox and C. Ryan O’Quinn served as panelists for The Arkansas LLC, the “Go-To” Business Entity.

The 2017 publication of Chambers USA’s Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business has been released and Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC, received the highest ranking possible in the areas of General Commercial Litigation and Real Estate for law firms in Arkansas and was also recognized for its Corporate/Commercial practice. Steven W. Quattlebaum, Timothy W. Grooms, John E. Tull III, E. B. (Chip) Chiles IV, Michael N. Shannon, J. Cliff McKinney II, Joseph R. Falasco, Jeb H. Joyce, Everett C. (Clarke) Tucker IV, and Amber Davis-Tanner received recognition in the publication’s rankings of individuals.  Chambers USA’s Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business reviews and ranks individual lawyers and law firms by practice area in each state.  Chambers guides are the culmination of thousands of in-depth interviews by the largest research team of its kind and are trusted globally to objectively rank the world’s best lawyers and law firms. To learn more about these rankings, visit our Awards page.    

John E. Tull III, a Managing Member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC, was inducted as a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers (IATL) at its 2017 Annual Meeting held in San Diego, California, April 5-9, 2017. The purpose of the IATL is to cultivate the science of jurisprudence, promote reforms in the law, facilitate the administration of justice, and elevate the standards of integrity, honor, and courtesy in the legal profession.  The IATL limits membership to 500 Fellows from the United States. The Academy seeks out, identifies, acknowledges and honors those who have achieved a career of excellence through demonstrated skill and ability in jury trials, trials before the court and appellate practice.  Members are engaged in civil practice on both the plaintiff’s and the defendant’s side of the courtroom, and the trial of criminal cases.  The Academy invites only lawyers who have attained the highest level of advocacy.  A comprehensive screening process identifies the most distinguished members of the trial bar by means of both peer and judicial review.  Mr. Tull has been evaluated by his colleagues and the judges in his jurisdiction and has been highly recommended by them as possessing these qualifications and characteristics. A founding member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC, Mr. Tull’s primary areas of practice are complex business, toxic tort, and products liability litigation as well as media and First Amendment law.

E. B. (Chip) Chiles IV, a Managing Member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC, was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers (AAAL) at the 2017 AAAL Spring Meeting held in Boston, Massachusetts, April 6-8, 2017. Since its founding in 1990, AAAL has committed itself to advancing the administration of justice and promoting the highest standards of professionalism and advocacy in appellate courts. Membership in AAAL is reserved for experienced appellate advocates who have demonstrated the highest skill level and integrity.  Nominations to the organization can only be made by current Fellows and a nominee’s practice must have focused substantially on appeals during at least the last 15 years.  Nominees are thoroughly vetted by the legal and judicial communities in a confidential process and must be elected to the fellowship by the board of directors.  Because of these high standards, Academy Fellows rank among the “Who’s Who” of appellate practice in the jurisdictions where they appear.  Academy membership is limited to 500 members in the United States. Mr. Chiles focuses his practice on business-related dispute resolution, including trial and appellate practice in state and federal courts.  His primary areas of practice include complex business litigation, class-action litigation, product-liability litigation, employment litigation, and ERISA litigation.  

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC is pleased to welcome Kenneth N. Hall to the firm’s Northwest Arkansas office.  Mr. Hall is Of Counsel to the firm and concentrates his practice on mergers and acquisitions, taxation, corporate transactions, estate planning, business formation, and real estate.  In addition to providing tax and business planning advice in connection with acquisitions, divestitures, mergers and restructures, Mr. Hall has assisted in the creation of numerous condominium developments in Arkansas and Missouri.  Mr. Hall obtained his J.D. from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1993 and a Master of Laws degree in Taxation from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2000.  Mr. Hall is licensed to practice law in Arkansas and Missouri.

Steven W. Quattlebaum, a Managing Member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC, was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers at its annual meeting held in Boca Raton, Florida, March 2-5, 2017. The American College of Trial Lawyers is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico and is widely considered to be the premier professional trial organization in North America.  Fellowship is extended only by invitation to experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of trial advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism, and collegiality.  Membership can never be more than 1% of the total lawyer population of any state or province. Founded in 1950, the College strongly supports the independence of the judiciary, trial by jury, respect for the rule of law, access to justice, and fair and just representation of all parties to legal proceedings.  The College maintains and seeks to improve the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics, and the administration of justice through education and public statements on important legal issues relating to its mission.

Joseph R. Falasco, a Managing Member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC, has been elected to membership in the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC).  The FDCC, comprised of U.S. and international civil defense litigators, senior corporate counsel, and insurance claims executives, is dedicated to promoting knowledge, fellowship and professionalism for lawyers and other professionals striving to achieve a balanced justice system in the defense of civil lawsuits.  Membership is limited, selective and by nomination only.  Nominees undergo a rigorous peer review and must be of high professional standing and demonstrate good moral character.  

QG&T attorneys Timothy W. Grooms, Michael B. Heister, Geoffrey B. Treece, and Daniel J. Beck will be presenters at the Arkansas Bankers Association’s Best Practices in CRE Lending Workshop on March 6, 2017.  This half-day due diligence workshop will provide lenders the opportunity to learn the legal risks associated with commercial real estate lending from start to finish.  Topics to be covered include Commercial Credit Applications, Appraisal and Evaluation Rules, High Volatility Commercial Real Estate Loans, Real Estate Loan Due Diligence Checklist, Corporate Authority of the Borrower, Title Polices and Endorsements, UCC Best Practices, Surveys and Survey Certificates, Environmental Due Diligence and Liability, and Bankruptcy and Receivership.  Click here to learn more about the workshop and register.  As an Associate Member, QG&T is proud to support the Arkansas Bankers Association in its mission to promote the banking industry, function as the government relations liaison, offer educational opportunities and promote services to its membership.