Find Lawyers in Little Rock, Arkansas for Commercial Litigation
Practice Area Overview
Litigation increasingly occurs in various venues, from state and federal courts to private arbitrations and administrative hearings. Proceedings can involve business-to-business disputes or any number of government agencies. Understanding the motivations and outlook of each of the litigation participants is important for determining weak points to exploit and strong points that will persuade the audience in question. During the past decade, commercial litigators have seen a dramatic uptick in multidistrict and inter-disciplinary litigation, making the stakes higher, the cases more complex, the parties more numerous and the discovery more complicated and unwieldy. Firms that are able to develop and implement a creative legal approach to each individual problem, efficiently focus on the key legal and factual issues, and master and manage the various aspects of these complex matters will be the busiest in the years to come.
In the current challenging economic climate, commercial litigators are under increasing client pressure to keep costs in check, which has both sides testing the efficacy of alternative fee arrangements and the scope of reasonable discovery. Whether the “death of the billable hour” is ultimately realized, the keys to a commercial litigator’s success will continue to be strong client relationships, thought leadership, practical management skills, deep experience, and personal commitment.
John Keeling Baker has extensive experience in successfully trying and appealing a variety of business tort, contract, real estate, taxation, and class action suits before state and federal trial courts, Arkansas appellate courts, and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis, Missouri. He frequently works on behalf of clients on both sides of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). He routinely advises governmental clients on open meetings and public records compliance require...
Jason Campbell was born on November 25, 1975, in Los Angeles, California. He is a partner in the firm of Anderson, Murphy & Hopkins, L.L.P., and has been a litigation specialist at the firm since 2001 with emphasis on professional malpractice, design professional defense, construction law, and property and casualty defense. Jason is licensed to practice in Arkansas, the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals...
Chip Chiles litigates business-related disputes at trial and on appeal. As lead counsel, he recently represented investors accused of breaching a multimillion-dollar contract to invest in a nutritional-supplement business in California. A federal jury in Los Angeles not only rejected the claim for over $21 million against the investors but awarded the investors $5 million in compensatory and punitive damages for securities violations and fraud by the party who sued them. The court later award...
Mr. Falasco's practice focuses on real estate litigation, product liability, class actions, and appeals. Mr. Falasco was admitted to practice in Arkansas in 2002 and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in 2005. He has practiced before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, the Arkansas Supreme Court, the Arkansas Court of Appeals, numerous federal and state trial courts, and many Arkansas administrative agencies. Mr. Falasco is listed with The Best La...
Will Griffin represents major manufacturers nationally in product liability and other litigation. His work also includes the defense of medical malpractice and general liability cases. Will has handled cases in nearly every state in the United States, having tried more than 80 jury trials. He has been a lead counsel in the defense of manufacturers in lawsuits brought by dozens of municipalities and handled one of the most significant matters litigated before the Consumer Product Safety Commis...
Audra Hamilton has more than 20 years of experience representing employers in all phases of litigation, arbitration and administrative conflicts. Her extensive experience includes representation of companies of all sizes in the energy, health care, construction, public utility and service industries. In addition to her private practice experience, Audra has been the in-house employment counsel and executive in charge of human resources for a publicly traded energy company, giving her internal...
Mr. Heister’s practice focuses on complex business litigation and energy and environmental issues with a focus on utility regulatory proceedings, oil and gas issues, and environmental compliance. He is listed with The Best Lawyers in America® in the areas of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, and Environmental Law, recognized as a Mid-South Super Lawyer in Utilities by Super Lawyers, selected for the inaugural Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America guide, and named to t...
Christopher Heller works primarily in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Labor and Employment Law and Education Law. The majority of his practice consists of trial and appellate work. He primarily represents businesses and public entities in class actions and other cases involving natural resources, insurance, trade secrets, employment, civil rights, education, contracts and other issues. Chris is listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation, Bet-the-Company Litigation, La...
Judy Simmons Henry has been engaged in an active business litigation practice for 27 years and serves in management of the firm as its business litigation chair. Her practice centers on complex litigation including fiduciary and trust matters, bankruptcy, banking and class action litigation. Henry is a National Football League Players Association Certified Contract Advisor and is the firm's Sports Law Group leader. Henry’s recent experience includes: Lead local counsel for national shoe...
Stephen Hester is an award-winning attorney with a focus on civil litigation. He concentrates his practice on Business and Commercial Litigation, Tort Litigation, and Business Transactions. As a litigator, Stephen has successfully represented individuals and businesses of all types including banks, manufacturers, hospitals, and nursing homes. He has represented architects, engineers, and lawyers in malpractice litigation. He has significant experience with litigated bankruptcy matters, fraudu...
Ben Jackson is a litigation and trial attorney who defends corporations, institutional clients and insurance companies in catastrophic personal injury and death cases, primarily including products liability, toxic tort and medical injury. He has worked as lead trial counsel on numerous catastrophic injury cases and regularly serves as local counsel assisting out-of-state defense attorneys in Arkansas litigation. Ben is recognized as one of JD Supra Readers' Choice Top Authors in Products Liab...
Jamie Huffman Jones is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group and a member of the Firm’s Management Committee. Jamie advocates for clients in jury and bench trials involving a variety of claims, including mass tort, catastrophic injury, wrongful death, business and commercial disputes, class actions, and automotive commercial disputes. Jamie handles FELA and regulatory litigation for the largest Class One freight railroad in the country and Section 1983/Constitutional litigation for...
Ms. Keith-Bolden is a managing member of the firm and her practice focuses on business litigation, appeals, and employment-related matters. She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America ® in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Labor and Employment, recognized as a Mid-South Rising Star in the area of Business Litigation by Super Lawyers, selected for the inaugural Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America guide, and named a Labor & Employment Star – South by Ben...
Steve Lancaster has a commercial litigation practice, primarily in the areas of breach of contract litigation, trust litigation, engineer and architect defense, gaming regulation, title insurance litigation and general commercial dispute resolution. Lancaster is the Chief Operating Officer for Wright Lindsey Jennings and has been with the firm his entire legal career. Lancaster’s more recent experience includes: Counsel for an international oil and gas company in litigation resulting fr...
Elizabeth Robben Murray heads the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group and serves on the firm’s Management Committee. Her litigation experience is extensive and includes matters such as product liability, natural gas litigation, discrimination law suits, covenants not to compete, commercial contracts and trade secrets misappropriation. Betsy also represents clients in matters regarding legislation, initiated acts and constitutional amendments. Prior to joining the firm, Bets...
Mr. Price’s practice focuses on civil litigation. He has represented various clients in breach of contract, breach of warranty, negligence, products liability, fraud, defamation, Freedom of Information Act, Administrative Procedures Act, and OSHA matters. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America ® in Commercial Litigation, Eminent Domain & Condemnation Law, and Litigation – Real Estate, has been recognized as a Mid-South Super Lawyer in the area of Business Litigation b...
Mr. Quattlebaum is a founding and managing member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC. His primary areas of practice are complex business, toxic tort, and products liability litigation. Mr. Quattlebaum has served as lead trial counsel in over 100 trials, including numerous toxic tort, products liability, breach of contract, intellectual property, environmental litigation, securities fraud, franchise disputes, trade secrets, personal injury, and commercial matters. Some of Mr. Quattlebaum's...
Gordon Rather has been engaged in active trial practice for more than 40 years. Year after year, he has been known as one of the state’s most effective trial lawyers. Clients have characterized him as a “great trial lawyer,” who is “in touch with every detail of a case” in addition to being “thorough and extremely good with juries.” His practice centers on litigation, including complex commercial issues, product liability defense, toxic torts, admiral...
Mr. Shannon has more than 30 years of experience in commercial and other litigation. His practice focuses primarily on complex commercial litigation, commercial eminent domain, class action defense, products liability, e-discovery issues, toxic tort litigation, medical malpractice defense, bid protests, and issues affecting the outdoor advertising industry. Mr. Shannon has represented a variety of clients in his private practice including shareholders in closely held businesses, owners of nur...
Mr. Tull is a founding member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC. In over 100 jury trials, Mr. Tull has served as lead counsel on behalf of large and small businesses and individuals in cases involving business torts, breach of contract, products liability, toxic torts, environmental litigation, securities fraud, franchise disputes, trade secrets, personal injury, First Amendment, and other matters. Mr. Tull serves as general counsel for the Arkansas Press Association and instituted the L...
David B. Vandergriff concentrates his practice on business, banking, and insurance issues in a variety of transactional and litigation contexts. He has participated in transactions and tried lawsuits all over central and western Arkansas, mainly representing corporate defendants in personal injury cases, banks and businesses in general commercial litigation, and creditors in bankruptcy matters. He has practiced law in Arkansas for over 40 years and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America®...
William A. Waddell Jr. is a member of the firm’s litigation practice group. Bill’s work is focused on litigation and other representation for banks, insurance companies, healthcare entities, and other businesses. He has deep experience in class actions, bet-the-company jury trials, and regulatory litigation.
David D. Wilson is a partner in the firm’s litigation section, with 28 years of experience as a trial lawyer. He has tried over 70 state and federal trials in the Arkansas courts in areas of business/commercial litigation and personal injury matters including business torts, contract disputes, trademarks, trade secrets and product liability. David has tried numerous multi-million dollar cases involving retailer/vendor contract disputes. He represented retailer Dillard’s, Inc. in a...
Mr. Younger focuses on business-related litigation involving breach of contract, fraud, class actions, products liability, insurance, condemnation, oil and gas, and other matters. He has trial and appellate experience in state and federal courts. Mr. Younger is listed in The Best Lawyers in America ® in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, and recognized as a Mid-South Rising Star in the are...
Devin Bates is a strategic litigator and trusted advisor to his clients. As a trial lawyer, he has experience in complex litigation including business matters, intellectual property disputes, constitutional litigation, and products liability actions. He also represents clients in conflicts involving governmental agencies and in administrative proceedings. Devin handles cases from inception through resolution at trial, appeal, and alternative dispute resolution where appropriate. Devin also re...
Cara Butler served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Lavenski R. Smith of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit where she gained experience on a wide variety of labor and employment issues. She now combines her knowledge and experience to counsel businesses and not-for-profits on employment and workplace issues to ensure compliance with federal, state and local laws. She advises human resources administration on hiring and termination, employee discipline, state an...
Ms. Causey’s practice focuses on electronic discovery and information governance, including the identification, preservation, collection, review, and production of electronically stored information. Ms. Causey also provides counsel to clients on a variety of technology related issues, including software licensing agreements, cloud computing and website privacy policies. She is recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch ® in America in the area of Commercial Litigation. Before joining...
Tom’s practice provides comprehensive and cost-effective service to a diverse client portfolio—from individuals to Fortune 500 companies—in litigation matters involving commercial and residential property development, land-use disputes, municipal interface and interference, complex commercial litigation, and products-liability defense, with a focus on drug and medical device cases. Tom has successfully tried cases to the bench and the jury, achieving judgments for his client...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.