I recently subscribed to the National Law Journal and was a little disappointed at its focus on the D.C. legal scene. So it was much to my surprise that the latest issue contained this nice article on Jackson firm Watkins & Eager. The headline is “Small Mississippi firm makes big name for itself.” Of course with 73 lawyers, Watkins & Eager is one of the largest firms in Mississippi. The focus of the article is the fact that the firm represents many blue chip corporations. The article mentions attorneys Michael Ulmer, David Ayers and Paul Stephenson.
The article quotes William Goodman III and mentions how between 1998 and 2004, the firm was swamped with litigation. Those years were definitely a high water mark for litigators in Mississippi, and perhaps the nation. I will have more on that point on a later post about the AAJ’s budget shortfall.
Unfortunately, the article is basically a fluff piece with no coverage of pressing questions about Watkins & Eager’s firm culture, such as its rejection of the business casual dress code adopted by all the other big firms in Jackson.