Many years ago, Stephen was a finalist in the Jeopardy! Teen Tournament and, somewhat fewer years ago, Williams-Sullivan Elementary School Teacher of the Year. He is a bona fide Kentucky colonel, commissioned by the governor. He can often be found frying or barbequing something.
Listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers, "Rising Star", 2023 Jackson Young Lawyers Association, Pro Bono Award, 2023 Adams v. 3M Company, 65 F.4th 802 (6th Cir. 2023) This appeal involved two mass tort cases, each permissively joining the claims of more than 100 plaintiffs and seeking a singular jury trial and judgment. Following removal under the Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA), the district court remanded to state court, and we then obtained leave to appeal. Rejecting the district court’s approach and adopting our position as circuit law, the Sixth Circuit held that a mass action permissively joining the claims of more than 100 plaintiffs is presumptively removable under CAFA. Further rejecting the plaintiffs’ local-controversy argument, the Sixth Circuit held the cases should proceed in federal court. Holliday Construction, LLC v. George County, 352 So. 3d 651 (Miss. Ct. App. 2022) A construction company disputed a county’s decision not to award it a hurricane clean-up contract, seeking compensatory damages for lost profits. The circuit court rejected the construction company’s claims, and the county engaged us to defend that judgment on appeal. Agreeing with our client, the Mississippi Court of Appeals affirmed and held that the construction company was not entitled to any recovery. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company v. Mississippi Transportation Commission, 317 So. 3d 937 (Miss. 2021) In this dispute about a highway construction project’s fuel reimbursement formula, the trial court denied our motion for partial summary judgment on liability. Reversing on interlocutory appeal, the Mississippi Supreme Court concluded that the defendant state agency was liable to our client as a matter of law. Skyhawke Technologies, LLC v. GolfzonDeca, Inc., No. 19-1692-GW-PLA, 2021 WL 2644049 (C.D. Cal. May 17, 2021) Our client was brought into a long-running dispute involving significant antitrust, unfair competition, and false advertising claims. Agreeing the complaint failed to state plausible claims against our client, the court granted our motion to dismiss. Perkins v. Hall, No. 1:18-cv-00389-RHWR, (S.D. Miss. Jan. 22, 2022) In this action pursuant to section 1983, an incarcerated person brought constitutional claims against our clients, his medical providers. We obtained summary judgment on all claims. A primary brief drafter for a repeat products liability defendant. Briefing includes successful summary judgment, transfer, and discovery motions. Represented products liability defendant in multi-district litigation as a member of depositions and briefing teams. Obtained settlement for a general contractor in a contract dispute following briefing in the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals.
