Jackson Free Press

Each year, we ask you about the best things in Jackson—from places to eat and drink to people to nonprofits and everything in between, including lawyers. Here are who you voted as 2018's Best of Jackson lawyers and law firms.

Best Local Lawyer; Best Defense Attorney: Carlos Moore

Tucker Moore Group, LLP, 1000 Highland Colony Pkwy., 
Suite 5203, Ridgeland, 877.227.9920, tuckermoorelaw.com

Carlos Moore, managing partner of Tucker Moore Group, LLP, says he always saw working as a defense attorney as a natural fit for him.

"I've always been passionate about fighting for the rights of others," Moore says. "I want to fight for the little guy against big corporations and the government, and level the playing field to give my clients a fair chance in court."

Born in Pascagoula, Moore, 41, received his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of South Alabama in 1999 and his law degree from the Florida State University College of Law in 2002.

Moore's areas of practice include personal injury, worker's compensation, civil rights, social-security disability, wrongful death, product liability and more. He is a member of the Mississippi Bar, the Tennessee Bar, the American Bar Association and the American Association for Justice, and is a former vice president of the National Bar Association.

He and his wife, Natalie Moore, have been married for 17 years. They have a 7-year-old daughter named Avery Nicole Moore.

— Dustin Cardon

Best Local Lawyer finalists: Amanda Fritz (Chhabra & Gibbs, P.A., 120 N. Congress St., Suite 200, 601.948.8005, cglawms.com) / Dorsey Carson Jr. (The Carson Law Group PLLC, 125 S. Congress St., Suite 1336, 601.351.9831, thecarsonlawgroup.com) / Eugene Carlos Tanner III (Tanner & Associates, LLC, 263 E. Pearl St., 601.460.1745) / Richard Schwartz (Schwartz & Associates, 162 E. Amite St., 601.988.8888, 1call.ms)

Best Defense Attorney finalists: Aafram Sellers (Sellers & Associates, PLLC, 395 Edgewood Terrace Drive, 601.352.0102, sellerslaw.net) / Eugene Carlos Tanner III (Tanner & Associates, LLC, 263 E. Pearl St., 601.460.1745) / Merrida Coxwell (Coxwell & Associates, PLLC, 500 N. State St., 601.948.1600, coxwelllaw.com) / William H. Creel Jr. (Currie Johnson & Myers, P.A., 1044 River Oaks Drive, 601.969.1010, curriejohnson.com)

Best Personal Injury Attorney; Best Local Law Firm: Richard Schwartz, Richard Schwartz & Associates, P.A.

162 E. Amite St., 601.988.8888, 1call.ms

If you have been in the Jackson metro area for a while, chances are, you have either heard the familiar "One Call, That's All" phrase, or seen a billboard with it on there. This year's winner for Best Personal Injury Attorney Richard Schwartz is behind that familiar phrase.

He received his law degree from the University of Mississippi in 1978. He founded his firm, this year's winner for Best Local Law Firm Richard Schwartz & Associates, P.A. more than 20 years ago.

Schwartz practices in areas such as car accidents, wrongful death, maritime lawsuits, drug recalls, product liability, workers' compensation, motorcycle accidents and more.

In the past, Schwartz has served as the assistant city prosecutor in Jackson for 10 years and one for Ridgeland for two years. He was also a licensed real estate broker and closing attorney for title and mortgage companies, though he no longer holds those titles.

—Amber Helsel

Best Personal Injury Attorney finalists: Carlos Moore (Tucker Moore Group, LLP, 1000 Highland Colony Pkwy., Suite 503, Ridgeland, 301.577.1175, tuckermoorelaw.com) / Darryl Gibbs (Chhabra & Gibbs, P.A., 120 N. Congress St., Suite 200, 601.948.8005, cglawms.com) / Everett Pepper (Pepper & Odom, P.C., 460 Briarwood Drive, Suite 420, 601.202.1111, pepperodom.com) / Katrina S. Brown (Brown Bass & Jeter, PLLC, 1755 Lelia Drive, Suite 400, 601.487.8448, bbjlawyers.com)

Best Local Law Firm finalists: The Carson Law Group PLLC (125 S. Congress St., Suite 1336, 601.351.9831, thecarsonlawgroup.com) / Chhabra & Gibbs, P.A. (120 N. Congress St., Suite 200, 601.948.8005, cglawms.com) / Robert Moorehead Attorneys At Law PLLC / (220 W. Jackson St., Ridgeland, 601.427.5356, lawrem.com) / Tanner & Associates, LLC (263 E. Pearl St., 601.460.1745)

Best Real Estate Attorney: Robert "Bobby" Moorehead

Robert Moorehead Attorneys At Law PLLC, 220 W. Jackson St., Ridgeland, 601.427.5356, lawrem.com

When you are dealing with real estate, a lawyer with experience is a necessity. This year's winner for Best Real Estate Attorney, Robert "Bobby" Moorehead, has conducted thousands of title examinations and real estate closings over his career as an attorney.

The Jackson native received bachelor's degrees in philosophy and psychology from the University of Mississippi in 1992, and then his law degree from Mississippi College in 1996. He did his closing attorney training with local real estate lawyer D.J. Horecky.

Moorehead was then a closing attorney for Underwood Law Firm from April 1997 to May 2006, a partner at Holaday, Yoder, Moorehead and Eaton, PLLC, from September 2006 to June 2010, and he opened his current firm around 2011.

"I enjoy seeing people buy homes and put themselves in a better situation," he says. "It's not confrontational, and it's very satisfying being a closing attorney."

Moorehead also owns M7 Coffeehouse in Ridgeland.

—Amber Helsel

Finalists: Corey Aiken (Butler Snow, 1020 Highland Colony Pkwy., Suite 1400, Ridgeland, 601.948.5711, butlersnow.com) / Frank "Buddy" Youngblood (Title and Escrow Services Inc., 111 Office Park Drive, Suite A, Brandon, 601.825.5200) / Jay Cooke (Jack W. Cooke Jr. Pa., 1437 Old Square Road, 601.981.1912) / John D. Moore (Law Offices of John D. Moore, P.A., 301 Highland Park Cove, Suite B, Ridgeland, 601.853.9131, johnmoorepa.com) / R. Paul Randall Jr. (Randall Segrest, 1030 Northpark Drive, Ridgeland; 439 A Katherine Drive, Suite C, Flowood; 601.956.2615, randallsegrest.com)

Best Family Law Attorney: Teresa Harvey

CG Law Group, 120 N. Congress St., Suite 200, 601.948.8005, cglawms.com

Teresa Harvey, winner of the Best Family Law Attorney for a second year in a row, says she is passionate about her work with CG Law Group, a sister firm of Chhabra & Gibbs, P.A., which often involves assisting families when they are dealing with issues such as, estate, divorce and guardianship.

"I do this work because I want to help people in what is often one of their most difficult and emotional times in life," Harvey says.

She graduated from Delta State University in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in political science, and then from the University of Mississippi in 2001 with her law degree. Before joining Chhabra & Gibbs in 2011, she ran her own Madison-based law firm, Panter and Harvey, together with Craig Panter from 2005 to 2008.

Harvey is a member of the Mississippi Association for Justice.

—Dustin Cardon

Finalists: Jennifer L. Boydston (The Law Offices of Roberts, Bridges, & Boydston, PLLC, 618 Crescent Blvd., Suite 2015, Ridgeland, 601.607.4144, rbbfamilylaw.com) / Matthew Thompson (Thompson Law Firm, PLLC, 745 Avignon Drive, Suite D, Ridgeland, 601.850.8000, bowtielawyer.ms) / Pamela Hancock (Hancock Law Firm, PLLC, 855 S. Pear Orchard Road, Building 100, Ridgeland, 601.843.0985, hancocklawgroup.com) / Tametrice E. Hodges (Hodges-Childress Law, LLC, 199 Charmant Place, Ridgeland, 601.376.9604, attorneyhodges.com) / William Wright (Wright Gregg & Proctor, P.A., 1062 Highland Colony Pkwy., Suite 250, Ridgeland, 601.366.8090, wrightlaw.net)

Best Business and Startup Attorney: Bobby L. Owens

Owens Moss PLLC, 770 N. West St., 601.352.8443, myattorney.net

Sometimes entrepreneurs and business-owners need to figure out many aspects of a business, and that is where attorneys such as this year's winner for Best Business and Startup Attorney Bobby L. Owens come in.

Owens graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor's degree in economics in 2004. He attended The George Washington University Law School from 2004 to 2005 and received his law degree from Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law in 2007. He moved to Jackson in April 2014 and began working at Owens Moss PLLC.

The majority of his practice experience includes contract negotiation, mergers and acquisitions, start-ups, corporate governance, corporate expansion, public finance, real estate and civil litigation.

He has been a member of Hinds County Economic Development Authority's board of trustees since June 2014, and a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and Mississippi Bar Association.

—Malcolm Morrow

Finalists: Craig Panter (Panter Law Firm PLLC, 7736 Old Canton Road, Suite B, Madison, 601.607.3156, craigpanterlaw.com) / David Humphreys (The Carson Law Group PLLC, 125 S. Congress St., Suite 1336, 601.351.9831) / Joseph E. Varner III (Brunini Attorneys At Law, 190 E. Capitol St., Suite 100, 601.948.3101, brunini.com) / Matthew McLaughlin (McLaughlin PC, 111 N. State St., 601.487.4550, mclaughlinpc.com) / William J. Dukes (The Law Office of William J. Dukes, PLLC, 1000 Highland Colony Pkwy., Suite 5203, Ridgeland, 601.448.0015, wjdukes.com)

Best Bankruptcy Attorney: Thomas C. Rollins Jr

Rollins Law Firm, 774 Avery Blvd N., Suite B, Ridgeland, 601.500.5533, therollinsfirm.com

Thomas C. Rollins Jr., 34, says knew he wanted to make a difference somehow, but the path to was uncertain after he got a serious injury while serving as a U.S. Marine in Iraq. He served from May 2002 to August 2006, when he retired and returned to the U.S. He graduated from Mississippi State University with a bachelor's degree in banking and finance in 2007.

"In that field the only thing you can really do is financial advising," Rollins says, "but I wanted to be self-employed, study law and at the same time help people, which you can't do in all types of law."

He decided to become a bankruptcy attorney. He attended law school at Mississippi College, where he received his law degree in 2009. He opened The Rollins Law Firm in May 2010.

His central office is in Jackson, but he also has offices in Vicksburg, Hattiesburg, Gulfport and Meridian.

—Mike McDonald

Finalists: Elizabeth Johnson Spell (Robert Moorehead Attorneys At Law PLLC, 220 W. Jackson St., Ridgeland, 601.427.5356, lawrem.com) / Rachel Coxwell (Coxwell Attorneys, PLLC, 1675 Lakeland Drive, Suite 102, 601.948.4450, mississippibankruptcyhelp.com) / Robert "Bobby" Moorehead (Robert Moorehead Attorneys At Law PLLC, 220 W. Jackson St., Ridgeland, 601.427.5356, lawrem.com) / Tylvester Goss (Davis, Goss & Williams PLLC, 1441 Lakeover Road, 601.255.7225, attorneyjacksonmississippi.com)

Best Tax Attorney: Ashley N. Wicks

Butler Snow, 1020 Highland Colony Pkwy., Suite 1400, Ridgeland, 601.948.5711, butlersnow.com

Since her junior year of high school, this year's Best Tax Attorney, Ashley Wicks, has been interested in business and money.

Wicks received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Jackson State University in 2001 and her professional accountancy degree from JSU in 2002.

She passed the Certified Public Accountant exam and then attended law school at Tulane University in New Orleans, where she graduated with her law degree in 2005.

She specializes in public finance, state and local taxation, tax credits and tax. She has been involved in organizations such as the American Bar Association, National Bar Association and more. "My goal is to continue to grow my practice and be an asset to my 
community," she says.

—Richard Coupe

Finalists: David R. Lynch (Lynch Law, PLLC, 4811 Old Canton Road, 601.812.5104) / James G. McGee (McGee Tax Law, 125 S. Congress St., Suite 1240, 601.965.6155) / Louis G. Fuller (Brunini Attorneys At Law, 190 E. Capitol St., Suite 100, 601.948.3101 / Ralph Yelverton (Stubblefield & Yelverton PLLC, 1400 Meadowbrook Road, Suite 102, 601.936.4910) / Walt Dallas (Capital Preservation Services, LLC, 213 Katherine Drive, Suite A, Flowood, 877.432.0921)