2018 News Archives

Sixteen (16) attorneys from Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC were recently named to the Mid-South Super Lawyers or Mid-South Rising Stars lists for 2018 by Super Lawyers.  E. B. (Chip) Chiles IV, Joseph R. Falasco, Timothy W. Grooms, Michael B. Heister, Chad W. Pekron, Joseph W. Price II, 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.  Shannon 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 2018.  Sarah Keith-Bolden, J. Cliff McKinney II, Lindsey C. Pesek,  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.

Steven W. Quattlebaum, Timothy W. Grooms, and John E. Tull III have been named to the 2018 edition of the Arkansas 250, a list of influencers making an impact in a variety of professional and nonprofit endeavors at the local, regional and state levels.  Research for the list involved comparing notes with executives and leaders from every region and each major industry category in Arkansas, reviewing board of directors lists of publicly traded companies, universities and nonprofit organizations, and poring over reports by various media outlets to identify the business and political stories that mattered most over the past year.  The final list, published by Arkansas Business, is the top 250 people in Arkansas who shape the way we live, work, learn and do business.  Mr. Quattlebaum, Mr. Grooms and Mr. Tull were also recognized in the inaugural list, the Arkansas 200, in 2017.

U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers have announced the “Best Law Firms” rankings for 2019 and Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC is proud to be ranked regionally in twenty-one (21) practice areas.  Firms included in the 2019 “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.

Thomas G. Williams,  a Managing Member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC, was recently inducted as a Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) during the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Arkansas Chapter held in Chicago, Illinois.  Founded in 1958, ABOTA is a national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial right provided by the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  Membership is by invitation only and consists of more than 7,600 lawyers – equally balanced between plaintiff and defense – and judges spread among 96 chapters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  Mr. Williams is based in the firm’s Little Rock office and his primary areas of practice are premises liability defense, products liability defense and general tort litigation.

The firm was recently recognized in the 2019 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, R. Ryan Younger, and Vincent O. Chadick were named Future Stars. Benchmark also recognized firms and attorneys in Labor & Employment for 2019 and Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC was highlighted as one of only two “recommended firms” in Arkansas, with E. B. (Chip) Chiles IV and Joseph W. Price II both named as Labor & Employment Stars – South. During the the research period, one client commented: “QGT provided great representation, from providing an accurate picture of what we could expect in the entire process to evaluate if litigation was the right path for our company to pursue.  Once we decided litigation was our only option, the team did a great job of learning and understanding our business and its unique nuances and sizing up our case.  QGT was very thorough in the discovery process to effectively support our case.”  Chip Chiles, described as having “an outstanding courtroom presence [who] can communicate clearly his case to judge and jury,” was praised by a client who stated: “Chip Chiles served as our team lead and primary litigator during our jury trial.  He has an uncanny ability to stay on point and will not be taken off course by the opposition.  [He has a] very solid temperament that will not be shaken.”  The client continued: “QGT came highly recommended by many of their peers in the legal community.  Our due diligence and experience with the firm confirmed the recommendation.”  Another client stated:  “I have personally worked with Steve Quattlebaum, John Tull and Mike Shannon for almost 14 years.  They provide an outstanding level of service.  They are each talented trial lawyers with an uncanny ability to understand and explain complex issues in simple terms.”  “John Tull is one of the finest trial lawyers I have ever worked with,” opined a client, adding that he provides “keen analysis, great people skills, [and is] a problem-solver.” More information about the Benchmark Litigation rankings can be found on our Awards page.

Joseph W. Price II has been appointed DRI State Membership Chair for Arkansas.  As State Membership Chair, Mr. Price is responsible for membership recruitment, retention, and engagement on behalf of DRI within Arkansas.  DRI is the largest international membership organization of attorneys defending the interests of business and individuals in civil litigation.  DRI is committed to enhancing the skills, effectiveness, and professionalism of defense lawyers; anticipating and addressing issues germane to defense lawyers and the civil justice system; promoting appreciation of the role of the defense lawyer; and improving the civil justice system and preserving the civil jury.

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC, along with Mainstream Technologies and Stephens Insurance, is conducting a Lunch & Learn focusing on cyber insurance as part of a comprehensive risk management and security program.  Joseph R. Falasco and Meredith M. Causey will participate in the panel discussion on protecting your business from the impact of a data breach and highlight some of the legal issues that could arise from a data breach.  The luncheon will be held on October 18, 2018, at the Capital Hotel beginning at 11:30 a.m.  For more information, please click here.

An article by Michael N. Shannon, “Design-Build Highway Projects and How They Change the Landscape for Landowners in the Eminent Domain Process”, is featured in the Summer 2018 issue of the Arkansas Community Banker.  The quarterly publication is the official news source for the Arkansas Community Bankers Association, the only statewide association exclusively representing the interests of Arkansas owned and controlled community banks.  Please click here to read Mike’s article.

Joseph W. Price II has been selected to participate in Class XXXIV of the Leadership Greater Little Rock (LGLR) program, an initiative of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce.  LGLR is designed to develop effective leaders by enhancing their civic, social and professional awareness to positively impact our community.  Committed to connecting leaders from businesses, nonprofits and government, this unique program has empowered participants with a comprehensive understanding of our region’s challenges and opportunities.  Each year, around 50 class members are selected from hundreds of applicants to participate in the nine-month program.  Each month, the class meets at a different Central Arkansas venue to explore topics through expert speakers, panelists, tours, and group presentations.  Topics include history, community, education, government and politics, and economic development.

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC is pleased to welcome Samantha R. Wilson to the law firm’s Little Rock office.  Ms. Wilson is an Associate with the firm and her primary area of practice is litigation. Ms. Wilson obtained her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School where she served as Spring Break of Service President and Social Chair for the Black Law Students Association. Born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Ms. Wilson began her undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was a writer and copy editor for Black Ink Magazine, a school-wide publication. In 2013, Ms. Wilson transferred to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy in 2014. While at UALR, she served as Secretary for the Pre-Law Society.  

Joseph W. Price II has been elected to a three-year term on the UAMS College of Health Professions Advisory Board.  The College of Health Professions Advisory Board assists and supports the college by providing community and health care industry perspectives, advocating for the college and its programs with the university and broader constituencies, and providing input to the college’s evolving vision of program development and community engagement. To accomplish its goals, the Advisory Board assists the college by:  maintaining meaningful relationships with the communities and constituents it serves; advising on long-term directions for the health care industry; advocating for allied health programs; providing a measure of accountability for programs and activities; and participating in a wide range of core activities which focus on the development and support of the College of Health Professions. A Member of the law firm, Mr. Price concentrates his practice on civil litigation and is located in the firm’s Little Rock office.

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC is pleased to welcome Brittany S. Ford to the law firm’s Little Rock office.  Ms. Ford is an Associate with the firm and her primary area of practice is litigation. Ms. Ford received her J.D., cum laude,  from the University of Arkansas School of Law where she received the W.J. Arnold Memorial Award for Most Promising Trial Lawyer, the W.B. Putman American Inn of Court Pupil Award, and was chosen by her classmates to receive the Outstanding Contribution to the Law School Community Award.  In addition to serving as Chair of the University of Arkansas School of Law Board of Advocates and Justice of Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity, Ms. Ford won the client-counseling competition in 2016, competed on the traveling moot court and trial competition teams, and served as a teaching assistant. In 2014, Ms. Ford received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, where she served as Student Body President and co-founded the Millsaps mock trial program. She earned a Master of Accountancy from Millsaps College in 2015.

Timothy W. Grooms, J. Cliff McKinney II and Jeb H. Joyce authored the Arkansas chapter for the 2018 Chambers USA Regional Real Estate Guide, a state-by-state guide on the real estate sector.  The guide provides easily accessible information on navigating the legal system when conducting business in various jurisdictions with leading lawyers explaining local law and practice at key transactional stages.  You can read the Arkansas chapter by clicking here. Chambers Global Practice Guides provide expert legal commentary on a number of main practice areas in key jurisdictions around the world.  For every guide, Chambers selects contributors who are ranked in the relevant Chambers Guides as the best in their field.  In the Real Estate section of the 2018 edition of Chambers USA’s Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC received the highest ranking possible for law firms in Arkansas and attorneys Grooms, McKinney and Joyce received individual recognition.  More information on these rankings can be found on our Awards page.

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC is pleased to announce that 16 lawyers have been included in the 2019 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 23 distinctive practice areas are:  Brandon B. Cate, Vincent O. Chadick, 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, John E. Tull III, David B. Vandergriff, Thomas G. Williams, and R. Ryan Younger. Two of our attorneys were also recognized as a 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” for the Little Rock area:  Steven W. Quattlebaum for Bet-the-Company Litigation and  Timothy W. Grooms for Litigation – Real Estate.   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 W. Price II, and R. Ryan Younger have been named to the Benchmark Litigation 40 & Under Hot List for 2018.  Those named to this exclusive list have proven their eligibility as individuals at the partner level of their respective firms and are age 40 or younger.  They have all also had a hand in some of their firms’ most noteworthy recent cases and have earned praise from clients and peers regarding the quality of their work.  Please visit our Awards page to learn more about this and other honors received by our attorneys and firm.      

John E. Tull III received the Freedom of Information Award from the Arkansas Press Association (APA) for his dedication and service to utilize and defend the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).  The award was presented June 29th during the Honors Banquet at the association’s annual convention at the Inn of The Ozarks in Eureka Springs. During the convention, Mr. Tull and Vincent O. Chadick lead a session on Newspaper Legal Issues.  In addition to serving as legal counsel to the APA, John has manned the FOIA Legal Hotline since the early ’90’s, providing FOIA and legal assistance for APA members.  John views his work with the APA as a service to a profession he admires.  “I believe journalists are among the least appreciated professionals, but they serve one of the most vital functions in a democratic society,” he said.  John was also featured in the June 21, 2018, edition of the APA’s weekly newsletter, Arkansas Publisher Weekly, and that article can be found here.

Lindsey C. Pesek and Philip A. Elmore attended the 2018 American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) National Trial College held June 10-15, 2018, on the campus of Yale Law School.  Designed for second-year through sixth-year trial attorneys from both sides of the bar, the program consists of five days of intensive instruction, student exercises, and critiques culminating in three simultaneous mock jury trials on the final day with each student having significant participation.  Faculty demonstrations and student exercises encompass all aspects of civil jury trials from effective voir dire to persuasive opening statements and closing arguments.  The classes are taught by highly experienced trial lawyers from all parts of the country who share their techniques of trial preparation and the art of effective advocacy.  QG&T Managing Member Steven W. Quattlebaum served as a faculty mentor for the Trial College and is also a national officer of ABOTA.  The American Board of Trial Advocates is a national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial right provided by the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

J. Cliff McKinney II received a Presidential Award of Excellence from the Arkansas Bar Association for his work as Chair of the Governance Committee.  The award was presented by 2017-2018 Arkansas Bar Association President Anthony A. “Tony” Hilliard at the Association’s 120th Annual Meeting held in Hot Springs, Arkansas, June 12-15, 2018.  Cliff also served as a presenter for two sessions at the annual meeting:  Arkansas Uniform Form Commissioners Panel: Latest Developments at the ULC and Interpreting Surveys: The Lay of the Land.

Thomas G. Williams has been reappointed by Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin to serve a second six-year term on the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission, a state constitutional agency created by the adoption of Arkansas Constitutional Amendment 66 in 1988.  The Commission strives to maintain public confidence in the judiciary and promote greater awareness of proper judicial behavior.  Commission proceedings provide a fair and appropriate mechanism to preserve the integrity of the judicial process.  A judge may be publicly disciplined by the Commission and the Arkansas Supreme Court has the power to suspend, remove or involuntarily retire or censure judges based on the recommendation of the Commission.

The June 11, 2018, issue of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal features an article by Lindsey C. Pesek, “You Snooze, You Lose”, concerning residential pre-construction notice requirements in Arkansas.  Please click here to read Lindsey’s article.    

Amber M. Davis has been selected for inclusion in the 2018 “40 Under 40” class by Arkansas Business.  Honorees were chosen by an internal committee who reviewed hundreds of nominations, with consideration given to previous accomplishments, both professional and in community service.  The committee describes these young leaders as “very impressive” and thinks the readers of Arkansas Business will benefit from being introduced to them.  All of the honorees are profiled in the June 4, 2018 edition and you can read Amber’s profile by clicking here.

The 2018 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  and Labor & Employment practices. 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, and Amber M. Davis 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.  

The April 2, 2018, issue of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal features an article by Brandon B. Cate, “Restaurants, Guns and Signs”, concerning the Arkansas concealed-handgun law and how it pertains to bars and restaurants. Please click here to read Brandon’s article.    

Steven W. Quattlebaum  was recently selected as a member of the 2018 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, the sixth time he has received this distinction. Selection to this elite group comes through a group of veteran legal journalists who review thousands of submissions of outstanding lawyers from all regions and practice areas of the American legal profession, including private attorneys, government and other public interest attorneys, judges, and law school professors. From that group, the 500 leading lawyers are chosen by Lawdragon. Less than one-tenth of one percent of all lawyers in the United States are included as members of the Lawdragon 500.  The full 2018 Lawdragon 500 guide can be found here.  

Steven W. Quattlebaum has been included in the inaugural edition of Power Players, AY’s list of Arkansas’ premier movers and shakers.  Described as “blazing trails and setting the tone for their respective industries”, the men and women on the list include attorneys, CEO’s of public companies, accountants, hospital administrators, insurance agents, architects and entrepreneurs from across the state.

An article by Mary-Tipton Thalheimer, “Arkansas Disallows Pre-Dispute Jury Waivers”, is featured in the Winter 2018 issue of the Arkansas Community Banker.  The quarterly publication is the official news source for the Arkansas Community Bankers Association, the only statewide association exclusively representing the interests of Arkansas owned and controlled community banks.  Please click here to read Mary-Tipton’s article.

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC was named Arkansas Firm of the Year by Benchmark Litigation at the annual awards ceremony held February 15, 2018 in New York, the sixth time the firm has received this honor.  The award selection is based upon peer review and research conducted by Benchmark’s research team.  Benchmark exclusively covers the litigation and disputes market in North America, covering the US, Canada and Mexico.  The original publication, Benchmark Litigation—the definitive guide to America’s leading litigation firms and attorneys—is the only publication to focus exclusively on US litigation.

“HVCRE Lending: Understanding the Regs & Upcoming Changes”, an article authored by Daniel J. Beck, is featured in the February 2018 issue of The Arkansas Banker, the official publication of the Arkansas Bankers Association.  First appearing in 1917, the monthly publication provides the most complete coverage of banking in Arkansas.  You can read Daniel’s article here.