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W. Edward Hatten, Jr. (Ed) joined the firm in 1995 and is now a Director, Officer and Shareholder. Ed received his undergraduate education at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering Technology in l987, and he serves as a Member of the Industry Advisory Council for the School of Construction at the University of Southern Mississippi. Ed has also previously served on the Industry Advisory Council for USM’s Center for Logistics, Trade and Transportation.

Ed attended the University of Mississippi School of Law in Oxford, Mississippi, where he served as a Member of the Moot Court Board (1989-1990) and obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 1990. He has since been admitted to practice before the Mississippi Supreme Court; all state trial and appellate courts in the State of Mississippi; the United States District Courts for both the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi; and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Prior to joining the firm over 27 years ago, his legal career included service as Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Mississippi from 1991 to 1993. He then began his career in civil litigation while in private practice in Jackson, Mississippi.

Professional memberships that Ed currently holds include The Mississippi Bar; The Harrison County Bar Association; the Russell-Blass-Walker Chapter of the American Inns of Court; the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association (MDLA); the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM); the Defense Research Institute (DRI); and the Professional Liability Defense Federation (PLDF). He has also served on the Board of Directors of the International Alumni Association of the University of Southern Mississippi (2000-2003), and has for several decades now been actively involved in the University of Southern Mississippi Eagle Club. Ed and his wife, Karen, have three children and one grandchild. They are members of and actively involved in Trinity Methodist Church in Gulfport, Mississippi, where Ed has served on the Board of Trustees, the Church Council, the Family Life Committee, the Lay Leaders Committee, and the Youth Ministries Advisory Council.

Litigation Percentage

  • 95% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

HONORS AND AWARDS

  • Recently added to the American Arbitration Association’s National Roster of Arbitrators
  • “AV” rating by Martindale-Hubbell, reserved for those attorneys recognized by their peers and judges as having “preeminent” legal ability and “very high” ethics.
  • Selected in 2015 as a Member of the Nation’s Top One Percent by The National Association of Distinguished Counsel.
  • Named a “Super Lawyer” in the practice area of Construction Litigation in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
  • Recipient of the 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 Martindale-Hubbell “Client Distinction Award” for excellence in the categories of Quality of Service, Overall Value, Responsiveness, and Communication Ability, based on client ratings.
  • Recipient of the 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 Martindale-Hubbell “Silver Client Champion Award” for being among an elite group of attorneys who have received exceptional reviews by their clients though a confidential client review process managed and monitored by Martindale-Hubbell.

CLASSES/SEMINARS TAUGHT

  • Construction Law, Guest Lecturer at USM, 2022
  • Construction Law, Guest Lecturer at USM, 2021
  • Construction Law, Guest Lecturer at USM, 2019
  • Construction Law, Guest Lecturer at USM, 2018
  • Construction Defect Litigation, MS Associated Builders & Contractors, 2003
  • Hot Topics in Construction Related Cases, MS Associated Builders & Contractors, 2004

REPRESENTATIVE CASES

  • Wolgin v. Experian Info. Solutions, Inc., 101 So.3d 1160 (Miss. 2012)
  • DS Waters of America, Inc. v. Zohar Waterworks, LLC, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14511 (U.S.D.C., So. Miss. 2011)
  • Landcoast Insulation, Inc. v. Patent Construction Systems, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 63594 (U.S.D.C., So. Miss. 2010)
  • Everman’s Elec. Co. v. Evan Johnson & Sons Constr., Inc., 955 So.2d 979 (Miss. COA 2007)
  • Fradella v. Seaberry, 952 So.2d 165 (Miss. 2007)
  • Beck v. Sapet, 937 So.2d 945 (Miss. 2006)
  • Lynch v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, 909 So. 2d 1289 (Miss. COA 2005)
  • Laird v. Era Bayshore Realty, 841 So. 2d 178 (Miss. COA 2003)
  • Garcia & Sons Dev., LLC v. United States, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 27952 (U.S.D.C., So. Miss. 2003)

 

Areas of Practice
  • Construction Law and Litigation
  • Professional Liability Defense
  • Transportation, Trucking and Motor Vehicle Liability
  • Premises Liability
  • Products Liability
  • Insurance Defense Litigation
  • Complex Litigation
Bar Admissions
  • Mississippi, 1991
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Mississippi, 1991
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Mississippi, 1991
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1991
Professional Associations and Memberships
  • Mississippi Bar, Member
  • American Inns of Court, Member
  • Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association, Member
  • Juris Sodalitas, Fellowship of Law, Member
  • International Alumni Association, University of Southern Mississippi, Board of Directors, 2000 - 2003
  • Harrison County Bar Association, Member
  • CLM Construction Committee, Member
  • Professional Liability Defense Federation, Member
  • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, Member
  • University of Southern Mississippi, Center for Logistics, Trade and Transportation Industry Advisory Council
  • University of Southern Mississippi, Construction Industry Advisory Council
Education
  • University of Mississippi School of Law, Oxford, Mississippi
    • J.D. - 1990
      • Honors: Moot Court Board, 1989-1990
  • University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
    • B.S. - 1987
      • Construction Engineering Technology
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