Best's Insurance Professional Resources
Client-Recommended Attorneys, Adjusters and Experts
Best's Insurance Professional Resources
Client-Recommended Attorneys, Adjusters and Experts


Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys - General Defense

4270 I-55 North, Jackson, Mississippi 39211-6391

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 16114, Jackson, MS 39236-6114

Practice Areas

  • Admiralty and Maritime Law
  • Appellate Practice
  • Bad Faith
  • Bankruptcy
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Complex Litigation
  • Construction Litigation
  • COVID-19/Coronavirus
  • Employment Litigation
  • Employment Practices Liability
  • Energy
  • Environmental Litigation
  • ERISA
  • Health Care
  • Insurance Coverage & Defense
  • Intellectual Property
  • Jones Act
  • Labor and Employment
  • Litigation
  • Oil and Gas
  • Personal Injury
  • Premises Liability
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Liability
  • Railroad Law
  • Real Estate Litigation
  • Reinsurance
  • Securities
  • Tax Litigation
  • Toxic Torts
  • Tort Litigation

About Us

With offices positioned along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida, Phelps Dunbar is a regional law firm of nearly 270 attorneys uniquely equipped to serve clients in the major commercial centers of the burgeoning "Third Coast" of the United States. Locations in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Jackson, Tupelo and Gulfport, Mississippi; Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; Tampa, Florida; Mobile, Alabama as well as Raleigh, North Carolina; and London, England enable Phelps Dunbar to serve clients not only along the Third Coast, but also the South, nationwide and abroad.

Regardless of a client's size or stage of development, we believe that successful legal representation begins with a clear understanding of our client's business, industry and objectives, followed by collaboration with the client to achieve the best possible results. Our lawyers and our support staff work together to deepen client relationships through a commitment to understanding their businesses and their goals, and we strive to advance our clients' interests by providing excellent, effective and efficient legal services and creative solutions across all areas of our practice.

Additional Locations

  • New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Canal Place
  • 365 Canal Street, Suite 2000
  • New Orleans, Louisiana 70130-6534
    • Telephone: 504-566-1311
    • Fax: 504-568-9130
  • Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • II City Plaza
  • 400 Convention Street, Suite 1100
  • P.O. Box 4412 (70821-4412)
  • Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802-5618
    • Telephone: 225-346-0285
    • Fax: 225-381-9197
  • Tupelo, Mississippi
  • One Mississippi Plaza
  • 201 South Spring Street, Seventh Floor
  • P.O. Box 1220 (38802-1220)
  • Tupelo, Mississippi 38804
    • Telephone: 662-842-7907
    • Fax: 662-842-3873
  • Gulfport, Mississippi
  • 2602 13th Street, Suite 300
  • Gulfport, Mississippi 39501
    • Telephone: 228-679-1130
    • Fax: 228-679-1131
  • Houston, Texas
  • 910 Louisiana Street, Suite 4300
  • Houston, Texas 77002
    • Telephone: 713-626-1386
    • Fax: 713-626-1388
  • Tampa, Florida
  • 100 South Ashley Drive, Suite 2000
  • Tampa, Florida 33602-5311
    • Telephone: 813-472-7550
    • Fax: 813-472-7570
  • Mobile, Alabama
  • 101 Dauphin Street, Suite 1000
  • P.O. Box 2727 (36652-2727)
  • Mobile, Alabama 36602
    • Telephone: 251-432-4481
    • Fax: 251-433-1820
  • London, United Kingdom
  • Lloyd's, Suite 725, Level 7
  • 1 Lime Street
  • London, United Kingdom EC3M 7DQ
    • Telephone: 011-44-207-929-4765
    • Fax: 011-44-207-929-0046
  • Raleigh, North Carolina
  • 4141 Parklake Avenue, Suite 530
  • Raleigh, North Carolina 27612
    • Telephone: 919-789-5300
    • Fax: 919-789-5301
  • Dallas, Texas
  • 2102 E. State Highway 114, Suite 207
  • Southlake, Texas 76092
    • Telephone: 817-488-3134
    • Fax: 817-488-3214

Client Information

Insurance Clients

*Principal outside law firm as designated by insurance companies

Personnel Information

Members of the Firm


Reuben V. Anderson

Jackson, MS

Admitted
  • Mississippi, 1967
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1968
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1971
Memberships:
  • National, Hinds County, Fifth Federal Circuit and Magnolia Bar Associations
  • The Mississippi Bar
  • U.S. Supreme Court Bar Association
Education:
  • Tougaloo College, B.A., 1964
  • The University of Mississippi School of Law, J.D., 1967

Fred L. Banks, Jr.

Jackson, MS

Admitted
  • Mississippi, 1968
  • District of Columbia, 1969
Memberships:
  • National, American and Magnolia Bar Associations
  • The Mississippi Bar
  • The District of Columbia Bar
  • American Law Institute
Education:
  • Howard University, B.A., 1965
  • Howard University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 1968

Ross F. Bass, Jr.

Jackson, MS

Admitted
  • Mississippi, 1973
  • Georgia, 1973
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1977
Memberships:
  • American Bar Association
  • The Mississippi Bar
  • State Bar of Georgia
Education:
  • Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1970
  • The University of Mississippi School of Law, J.D. (with honors), 1973

G. Todd Butler

Jackson, MS

Admitted
  • Mississippi, 2008
  • U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Memberships:
  • The Mississippi Bar (Chairman, Appellate Practice Section)
  • Capital Area Bar Association
  • Jackson Young Lawyers Association
Education:
  • Mississippi State University, B.S. Business Admin. (summa cum laude), 2005
  • Mississippi College School of Law, J.D. (summa cum laude), 2008

Gary E. Friedman

Jackson, MS

Admitted
  • Mississippi, 1982
  • U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships:
  • Federal and Capital Area Bar Associations
  • The Mississippi Bar
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
Education:
  • Georgia Institute of Technology, B.S.I.E., 1971
  • The University of Mississippi School of Law, J.D. (with distinction), 1982

Jason T. Marsh

Jackson, MS

Admitted
  • Mississippi, 2008
  • Arkansas, 2009
  • U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Memberships:
  • The Mississippi Bar
  • Arkansas State Bar
  • Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association (Editorial Board Member)
  • Charles Clark American Inn of Court
  • Jackson Young Lawyers Association
Education:
  • LaGrange College, B.S. (cum laude), 2005
  • Mississippi College School of Law, J.D. (summa cum laude), 2008

LaToya C. Merritt

Jackson, MS

Admitted
  • Mississippi, 2000
  • U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Memberships:
  • American Bar Association
  • The Mississippi Bar
  • Mississippi Women's Law Association
Education:
  • Grambling State University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1997
  • North Carolina Central University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2000

James W. Shelson

Jackson, MS

Admitted
  • Mississippi, 1993
  • Alabama, 1996
  • U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Memberships:
  • American, Capital Area and Fifth Federal Circuit Bar Associations
  • The Mississippi Bar
  • Alabama State Bar
  • International Association of Defense Counsel
Education:
  • Michigan State University, B.A., 1984
  • The Pennsylvania State University, J.D., 1993

W. Thomas Siler, Jr.

Jackson, MS

Admitted
  • Mississippi, 1983
Memberships:
  • American and Capital Area Bar Associations
  • The Mississippi Bar
  • Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association
  • Defense Research Institute
  • International Association of Defense Counsel
Education:
  • Millsaps College, B.B.A., 1979
  • The University of Mississippi School of Law, J.D. (with distinction), 1983

Frank W. Trapp

Jackson, MS

Admitted
  • Mississippi, 1972
  • Georgia, 1979
  • District of Columbia, 1980
  • Florida, 1982
  • U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi
  • U.S. District Court, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits
Memberships:
  • American Bar Association
  • The District of Columbia Bar
  • The Florida Bar
  • The Mississippi Bar
  • State Bar of Georgia
  • Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association
  • American Trial Lawyers Association
Education:
  • The University of Mississippi, B.A., 1969
  • The University of Mississippi School of Law, J.D., 1972

News

Publications

(See profile under New Orleans, LA for additional information)

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