2022 News Archives

Michael W. Shannon and Joseph W. Price II are featured presenters for the Arkansas Easements, Eminent Domain & Water Rights webinar to be held on January 18, 2023.  Mike’s presentation on eminent domain law will include the history and understanding of eminent domain powers, types of eminent domain “takings” and valuing the compensation for “taken” property. Joey’s discussion will cover the condemnation process for government use and for utility and other quasi-public use, hearing and right of appeal, and valuing the property taken. You can learn more about this webinar and register here. Managing members of the law firm, Mr. Shannon and Mr. Price both focus their practices on civil litigation and frequently handle eminent domain and condemnation matters. 

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC is pleased to announce that thirteen attorneys with our firm were recently named to the Mid-South Super Lawyers and Mid-South Rising Stars lists for 2022 by Super Lawyers.  Vincent O. Chadick, E. B. (Chip) Chiles IV, Joseph R. Falasco, Timothy W. Grooms, Michael B. Heister, J. Cliff McKinney 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, and Mr. Chiles 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 2022.  R. Ryan Younger was named a Mid-South Rising Star by the organization. Click here to read more about these rankings. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The patented selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. Lawyers are selected to a Super Lawyers list in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. 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. 

QGT attorneys Philip Elmore, Andrew Dixon, Jon Mader, and Glenn Larkin were among those volunteering their time to answer questions from low-income community members throughout Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The Day of Pro Bono service, organized by Entergy in recognition of National Pro Bono Week, brings together legal professionals in all four states, simultaneously, to help clear the queue of questions in each state’s freelegalanswers.org website. We appreciate Entergy allowing us the opportunity to serve our community in this important way. http://bit.ly/3UOcoDD

U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers®, for the thirteenth consecutive year, have announced the “Best Law Firms” rankings.  Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC has been ranked in the 2023 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list regionally in 24 practice areas.   Firms included in the 2023 “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.   Ranked firms, presented in tiers, are listed on a national and/or metropolitan scale. 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. Following are the rankings received by the firm: Metropolitan Rankings – Little Rock Appellate Practice (Tier 1)Banking and Finance Law (Tier 1)Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law (Tier 1)Bet-the-Company Litigation (Tier 1)Commercial Litigation (Tier 1)Corporate Law (Tier 1)Eminent Domain & Condemnation Law (Tier 1)Employee Benefits (ERISA ) Law (Tier 3)First Amendment Law (Tier 1)Insurance Law (Tier 2)Land Use & Zoning Law (Tier 1)Litigation – Banking & Finance (Tier 1)Litigation – Bankruptcy (Tier 1)Litigation – First Amendment (Tier 1)Litigation – Labor & Employment (Tier 1)Litigation – Real Estate (Tier 1)Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants (Tier 1)Media Law (Tier 1)Mergers & Acquisitions Law (Tier 1)Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (Tier 1)Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (Tier 1)Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs (Tier 1)Real Estate Law (Tier 1) Metropolitan Rankings – Fayetteville Commercial Litigation (Tier 1)Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (Tier 2)Litigation (ERISA) – (Tier 2)Litigation – Labor & Employment (Tier 1) To learn more about these rankings and other honors received by the firm, please visit our Awards page.

Lawdragon recognized six attorneys from Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC on its inaugural 500 Leading Litigators in America list. Attorneys selected for this guide excel in representing corporations and other organizations in litigating claims involving antitrust, securities, financial, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property and patents, product liability, mass tort, white collar, government investigations, and energy disputes. Congratulations to the QGT attorneys named to this list: Michael B. Heister – Complex Business, Environmental, Energy Litigation Sarah Keith-Bolden – Business Litigation including Employment, Appellate Steven W. Quattlebaum – Busines, Toxic Tort and Product Liability Litigation Michael N. Shannon – Commercial Litigation, Class Action, Product Liability John E. Tull III – Product Liability, Complex Commercial Thomas G. Williams – Tort, Product Liability More information about the Lawdragon guide and other honors can be found on our Awards page.

Dalton B. Swindell has joined Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC as a transactional associate in the Little Rock office. Mr. Swindell’s practice primarily focuses on real estate transactions and he also has experience in property acquisitions and commercial contract litigation. Born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Mr. Swindell received his J.D. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, where he was Vice Justice of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity International.  While in law school, he served as a legal extern for the United States Department of Agriculture and the Arkansas Department of Agriculture.  He obtained a B.S. in Finance from the University of Arkansas.       Mr. Swindell was licensed to practice law in Arkansas in 2021.

The 2023 Benchmark Litigation USA rankings have been released and we are proud to share that the firm was recognized as one of only four “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, and R. Ryan Younger were named Future Stars. Benchmark Litigation—the definitive guide to America’s leading litigation firms and attorneys—is the only publication to focus exclusively on US litigation. Benchmark Labor & Employment rankings, which highlight the best and brightest law firms and partners who stand out in their labor and employment practices throughout the United States, have also been released and Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC was named one of four “recommended firms” in Arkansas, with E. B. (Chip) Chiles IV, Brandon B. Cate, Joseph R. Falasco, Sarah Keith-Bolden, and Joseph W. Price II recognized as Labor & Employment Stars – South. More information about the Benchmark Litigation rankings can be found on our Awards page.

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC is pleased to announce that associates Glenn V. Larkin and E. Jonathan Mader have returned to the firm after completing clerkships with United States District Court judges. Both are located in the firm’s Little Rock office. Mr. Larkin practiced at the firm for a year following law school, then served as a law clerk to the Honorable Lee P. Rudofsky of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas before returning to the firm.  Mr. Larkin’s practice focuses on civil litigation.  He received his J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, where he was Articles Editor of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review and, as the top-ranked student in his law school class, received twelve top paper awards.    After a year as an associate with the law firm, Mr. Mader served as a law clerk to the Honorable D. P. Marshall Jr. of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.  He concentrates his practice on business-related litigation involving breach of contract, class actions, products liability, insurance, and other matters.  Mr. Mader obtained his J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, where he served as Associate Editor of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review.  He received a B.A. in Philosophy & Letters from the University of Dallas. 

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC is pleased to announce that Taylor Wilbourn Kelley has joined the law firm as an associate in our Northwest Arkansas office where her practice primarily focuses on corporate transactions, real estate, and mergers and acquisitions.  Ms. Kelley earned her Business Law Certificate and J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Arkansas School of Law and graduated from the University of Arkansas with her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and a minor in Supply Chain Management. Prior to law school, Ms. Kelley spent six years working for a major agricultural retailer. First, as a fertilizer buyer in Memphis, Tennessee, then, as part of the national sales team in Loveland, Colorado.

Brittany S. Ford was recently appointed a Vice Chair of the Young Lawyers Committee DRI for Life (Wellness) Subcommittee for 2022-2023. The subcommittee focuses on mental and physical wellness throughout the year and will be responsible for planning and coordinating healthy lifestyle and wellness activities during DRI meetings as well as contributing articles and ideas for DRI publications. Brittany is an associate in the firm’s Little Rock office where she focuses on mass tort, products liability, business litigation, and premises liability matters. DRI is the largest international membership organization of attorneys defending the interests of business and individuals in civil litigation. Membership in DRI provides access to resources and tools for attorneys who strive to provide high-quality, balanced, and excellent service to their clients and corporations. 

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC is pleased to announce that 18 lawyers have been included in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence, earing the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals.  Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in over 75 countries.  Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers on the basis of professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing. Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC would like to congratulate the following lawyers named to the 2023 The Best Lawyers in America list:  Brandon B. Cate – Commercial Litigation, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Litigation – ERISA, and Litigation-Labor and EmploymentVincent O. Chadick – Agriculture Law and Commercial LitigationE. B. (Chip) Chiles IV – Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Litigation – ERISA, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – DefendantsGrant M. Cox – Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Transactions/UCC Law, and Corporate LawJoseph R. Falasco – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Litigation – Labor and Employment, and Litigation – Real EstateTimothy W. Grooms – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Real Estate, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and Real Estate LawMichael B. Heister – Appellate Practice and Commercial LitigationJeb. H. Joyce – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, and Real Estate LawSarah Keith-Bolden – Commercial LitigationJ. Cliff McKinney II – Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate LawJoseph W. Price II – Commercial LitigationSteven W. Quattlebaum – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – Health Care,  Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – DefendantsMichael N. Shannon – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – PlaintiffsGeoffrey B. Treece – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation – BankruptcyJohn E. Tull III – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, First Amendment Law, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – First Amendment, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, Media Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – PlaintiffsDavid B. Vandergriff – Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, and Litigation – Real EstateThomas G. Williams – Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants and Product Liability Litigation – DefendantsR. Ryan Younger – Commercial Litigation and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants Best Lawyers also honors a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area as a “Lawyer of the Year.”  Two attorneys from our firm earned this distinction in Little Rock for 2023:  John E. Tull III for Banking and Finance and Michael N. Shannon – Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs.  These lawyers are selected based on particularly impressive voting averages received during the peer review assessments.  Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism, and their integrity. Five lawyers from QGT have been included in the 2023 Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, which recognizes associates and other lawyers who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.  Lawyers recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch are divided by geographic region and practice areas, reviewed by their peers on the basis of professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing. Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC would like to congratulate the following lawyers recognized in the 2023 Edition of Best Lawyer®: Ones to Watch:  Meredith M. Causey – Commercial LitigationPhilip A. Elmore – Commercial LitigationR. Seth Hampton – Banking and Finance Law, Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law, and Real Estate LawC. Ryan O’Quinn – Trusts and EstatesThomas H. Wyatt – Commercial Litigation A complete list of these and other rankings can be found on our Awards page.

Thomas H. Wyatt was recently appointed Second Vice Chair of DRI Young Lawyers Committee for 2022-2023.  DRI is the largest international membership organization of attorneys defending the interests of business and individuals in civil litigation. Membership in DRI provides access to resources and tools for attorneys who strive to provide high-quality, balanced, and excellent service to their clients and corporations.  Tom also serves as Arkansas State Membership Chair for DRI and is responsible for membership recruitment, retention, and engagement on behalf of DRI within Arkansas. Mr. Wyatt is a member of the law firm and concentrates his practice on commercial litigation, property litigation and products liability.

Joseph W. Price II and R. Ryan Younger have been named to the Benchmark Litigation 40 & Under List for 2022.  This is the sixth time both attorneys have received this honor. 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.  These young, ambitious and accomplished lawyers frequently handle major cases – some of which are high-stakes or precedent-setting. They are able to adapt to rapidly changing times in addition to juggling their flourishing careers and personal lives, all while staying on top of their industry. These practitioners are among the top young talent in their respective litigation communities in the United States and Canada. Mr. Price is a managing member of the firm and focuses his practice on civil litigation. Mr. Younger is a managing member of the firm and concentrates his practice on business litigation, class actions and appeals. Please visit our Awards page to learn more about this and other honors received by our attorneys and firm.

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC is pleased to announce that Michael B. Crosby III has joined the law firm as an associate.    Mr. Crosby received his J.D. from the William H. Bowen School of Law and a B.S. in Crop Science with a minor in Agricultural Business from the University of Arkansas.  He is located in the firm’s Little Rock office and will concentrate his practice on real estate and agricultural matters.

Robbi Riggs Rosenbaum has been selected for inclusion in the 2022 “20 In Their 20s” class by Arkansas Business.   Nominated by readers and chosen by a group of internal judges, the 20 talented young leaders were selected from hundreds of nominations and are recognized for making a significant impact on their companies, organizations, and communities.  These rising stars will be profiled in a special supplement of Arkansas Business to be distributed on September 12, 2022.  See the full list of honorees here.   An associate at the law firm, Robbi concentrates her practice on banking, real estate, taxation, and entity formation.

Brittany S. Ford is attending the 2022 American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) National Trial College on the campus of Yale Law School, June 20-25, 2022.  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.  The students also have the opportunity to work with very experienced and accomplished expert witnesses.  QGT Managing Member Steven W. Quattlebaum serves as a faculty mentor for the Trial College and is National President-Elect 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.

Ann Carol Farmer is a featured author in the Spring 2022 edition of The Arkansas Community Banker. Ann Carol’s article, “Adjustable Interest Rate (LIBOR) Act: Key Information For Lenders” explains how the Adjustable Interest Rate (LIBOR) Act provides a safe harbor for lenders following the discontinuance of LIBOR in 2023. You can read the article here. Ann Carol Farmer is an Associate Attorney at Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC where she concentrates her practice on real estate and corporate transactions. She can be reached at afarmer@QGTLAW.com or 479-444-5211. The Arkansas Community Bankers Association is committed to preserving and promoting community banks, their franchise values and the communities they serve.

The 2022 publication of Chambers USA 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, and Jeb H. Joyce, received recognition in the publication’s rankings of individuals.  Chambers USA 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 will be a presenter at the Arkansas Bar Association’s 124th Annual Meeting in Hot Springs, Arkansas, June 15-17, 2022.  John’s session, “The Intersection of Sexual Harassment Claims Under Title IX, Privacy and FOIA” will be on Friday, June 17.  QGT is proud to once again sponsor the annual meeting, which provides the opportunity to complete 19 hours of continuing legal education on topics that impact our state, world, profession and clients.  Learn more and register here.  John Tull practices in the firm’s Little Rock office and concentrates his practice on newspaper law, products liability, and complex commercial litigation. Founded in 1898, the Arkansas Bar Association is the premier legal association in the state. As a voluntary organization of more than 5,300 members, the Association’s primary mission is to support attorneys; advance the practice of law; advocate for the legal profession; foster professionalism, civility, and integrity; and protect the rule of law.

David B. Vandergriff has been reappointed to the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission by Gov. Asa Hutchinson. With guidance from the Governor, the Legislature, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and others, the Commission determines the environmental policy for the state and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality implements those policies. The Commission is comprised of thirteen members, six representing state agencies and seven appointed by the Governor. First appointed in 2020, Mr. Vandergriff’s term will expire March 29, 2025.

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC was named Arkansas Firm of the Year by Benchmark Litigation at the East Coast awards ceremony held March 24, 2022, marking the ninth time the firm has received this honor.  A full list of the winners can be found here. The award selection is based upon peer review and research conducted by Benchmark’s research team. Previously, the firm was recognized in the 2022 edition of Benchmark Litigation as one of only four “highly recommended firms” for litigation in Arkansas, with five attorneys highlighted as Litigation Stars and four attorneys named Future Stars. The firm was also highlighted as one of four “recommended firms” in Arkansas for Labor & Employment for 2021, with five of our attorneys named Labor & Employment Stars – South.  More information about these and other rankings can be found on our Awards page. Benchmark Litigation—the definitive guide to America’s leading litigation firms and attorneys—is the only publication to focus exclusively on US litigation.

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC attorney J. Cliff McKinney II represented Arkansas at the 130th National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in July 2021, and his report of the meeting can be found in the latest issue of The Arkansas Lawyer, the official publication of the Arkansas Bar Association. You can read Cliff’s article here. A managing member of the law firm, Cliff concentrates his practice on real estate, land use and business transactions. Founded in 1892, the ULC is comprised of state commissions on uniform laws from each state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The state uniform law commissioners come together as the ULC to study and review the law of the states to determine which areas of law should be uniform. The commissioners draft and propose specific statutes in areas of the law where uniformity between the states is desirable, but no uniform law is effective until a state legislature adopts it.  The Legislative Committee, with at least one liaison in each state and territory, is responsible for seeking the state enactment of uniform and model acts approved by the ULC. The Arkansas Bar Association, founded in 1898, is the premier legal association in the state. As a voluntary organization of more than 5,300 members, the Association’s primary mission is to support attorneys; advance the practice of law; advocate for the legal profession; foster professionalism, civility, and integrity; and protect the rule of law

Timothy W. Grooms, J. Cliff McKinney II, Jeb H. Joyce, R. Seth Hampton, and Scott M. Lar are among the presenters for The Arkansas Bankers Association 2022 Mega Conference being held virtually January 31–February 1, 2022.  Seth will kick off the conference Monday morning with a session on agricultural lending.  Topics covered will include perfection and priority of liens and security interests covering crops and farm products under Arkansas law and the Food Security Act; collateral assignments of farm program payments paid under programs administered by agencies of USDA; and recent and emerging issues involving the conservation compliance provision of the Food Security Act and the potential effects to creditor liens and security interest covering farm program payments and crop insurance proceeds that can result from non-compliance by borrowers/operators.     On Tuesday afternoon, Tim, Cliff, Jeb, and Scott will explore some of the challenges and emerging issues faced by trust departments managing funds for their clients. Particular emphasis will be placed on the new Uniform Directed Trust Act, which changes the landscape of trust operations. Learn more about the conference and register here. Tim Grooms is a founding member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC where he focuses his practice on real estate, banking and commercial lending transactions. Cliff McKinney is a managing member of the law firm and concentrates his practice on real estate, land use and business transactions. Jeb Joyce, a managing member, handles a wide variety of transactions, with an emphasis on commercial real estate.  A member of the firm, Scott Lar maintains a transactional and taxation practice which primarily focuses on mergers and acquisitions, taxation and tax planning, tax litigation, and estate planning. Firm member Seth Hampton concentrates his practice on real estate, agriculture, commercial finance, and environmental compliance. Serving all banks in Arkansas since 1891, Arkansas Bankers Association (ABA) is the advocate for Arkansas banks of all sizes and charter types before governmental bodies and the public. ABA delivers superior industry-specific information and education for bankers, along with high-quality products and services. ABA focuses on creating a stronger economy and helping Arkansans realize dreams by building better banks.