Leading industry sources have recognized members of the firm as among the best lawyers in America.
The Best Lawyers in America® bases its listings on a year-long survey of the legal profession in which attorneys nationwide rate the top practitioners in their specialties in their jurisdictions. The 2012 edition of Best Lawyers® includes 13 attorneys from Quattlebaum, Grooms, Tull & Burrow PLLC honored in 23 practice areas. In addition, the firm was top listed in a number of practice areas for Little Rock and the State of Arkansas.
Best Lawyers® also designates "Lawyers of the Year" in high-profile legal specialties in large legal communities. Only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is being honored as the "Lawyer of the Year" and three of our attorneys have earned this distinction. Kristine Baker, Tim Grooms, and John Tull received particularly high ratings by earning a high level of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity, and have been named Best Lawyers' 2012 Lawyers of the Year.
Quattlebaum, Grooms, Tull & Burrow PLLC
- Top Listed in Little Rock and the State of Arkansas in Banking and Finance Law
- Top Listed in Little Rock and the State of Arkansas in Commercial Litigation
- Top Listed in Little Rock and the State of Arkansas in Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants
- Top Listed in Little Rock and the State of Arkansas in Product Liability Litigation
- Top Listed in Little Rock and the State of Arkansas in Litigation - Antitrust
- Top Listed in Little Rock and the State of Arkansas in Litigation - Banking and Finance
- Top Listed in Little Rock and the State of Arkansas in Litigation - ERISA
- Top Listed in Little Rock and the State of Arkansas in Litigation - First Amendment
- Top Listed in Little Rock and the State of Arkansas in Litigation - Real Estate
- Top Listed in Little Rock and the State of Arkansas in Media Law
- Top Listed in Little Rock in Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Kristine G. Baker
Commercial Litigation
Employment Law - Individuals
Employment Law - Management
Labor Law - Management
Litigation - First Amendment
Litigation - Labor and Employment
Best Lawyers' 2012 Little Rock Litigation - First Amendment Lawyer of the Year
Patrick A. Burrow
Banking and Finance Law
Securities/Capital Markets Law
E. B. (Chip) Chiles IV
Appellate Practice
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Commercial Litigation
Litigation - ERISA
Litigation - Labor and Employment
Joseph R. Falasco
Litigation - Real Estate
Timothy W. Grooms
Real Estate Law
Litigation - Real Estate
Best Lawyers' 2012 Little Rock Litigation - Real Estate Lawyer of the Year
Jeb H. Joyce
Banking and Finance Law
Real Estate Law
Steven W. Quattlebaum
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Commercial Litigation
Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants
Charles L. Schlumberger
Administrative/Regulatory Law
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Commercial Litigation
Litigation - Antitrust
Litigation - Real Estate
Michael N. Shannon
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Commercial Litigation
Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Geoffrey B. Treece
Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Litigation - Bankruptcy
John E. Tull III
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Commercial Litigation
Litigation - Banking and Finance
Litigation - First Amendment
Media Law
Best Lawyers' 2012 Little Rock Litigation - Banking and Finance Lawyer of the Year
David B. Vandergriff
Banking and Finance Law
Litigation - Banking and Finance
Thomas G. Williams
Product Liability Litigation
U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers® have released the Best Law Firms rankings for 2011-2012 and Quattlebaum, Grooms, Tull & Burrow PLLC, is pleased to be recognized at the national and local levels. Rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in their field, and review of additional information provided by the law firms as part of the formal submission process.
Following are the rankings received by the firm:
National Rankings
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants (Tier 3)
Metropolitan Rankings - Little Rock
Administrative / Regulatory Law (Tier 2)
Appellate Practice (Tier 1)
Banking and Finance Law (Tier 1)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law (Tier 1)
Commercial Litigation (Tier 1)
Employment Law - Individuals (Tier 1)
Employment Law - Management (Tier 1)
Labor Law - Management (Tier 2)
Litigation - Antitrust (Tier 1)
Litigation - Banking & Finance (Tier 1)
Litigation - Bankruptcy (Tier 2)
Litigation - Eminent Domain & Condemnation (Tier 1)
Litigation - ERISA (Tier 1)
Litigation - First Amendment (Tier 1)
Litigation - Intellectual Property (Tier 1)
Litigation - Labor & Employment (Tier 1)
Litigation - Real Estate (Tier 1)
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants (Tier 1)
Media & First Amendment Law (Tier 1)
Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants (Tier 2)
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs (Tier 1)
Real Estate Law (Tier 1)
Securities / Capital Markets Law (Tier 2)
Chambers USA’s Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business reviews and ranks individual lawyers and law firms by practice area in each state. Quattlebaum, Grooms, Tull & Burrow PLLC, received the highest ranking possible in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Real Estate for law firms in Arkansas and was also recognized for its Commercial/Corporate practice. Steve Quattlebaum, Tim Grooms, John Tull, Kris Baker, Chip Chiles, Charlie Schlumberger, and Cliff McKinney received recognition in the publication’s rankings of individuals.
As to the firm’s litigation practice, the publication noted: “Quattlebaum Grooms maintains its position as one of the premier litigation practices in Arkansas. The team focuses on complex business litigation, environmental litigation and toxic tort litigation.” Sources commented that “the litigators are extremely knowledgeable and take a down-to-earth, practical approach”.
For real estate, Chambers remarked: “This outstanding practice is commended for its technical command and depth of experience. It handles a diverse range of real estate matters for clients ranging from landlords and tenants to national corporations. ” According to sources, “The lawyers are top notch and always prepared to go the extra mile.”
Regarding the firm’s Corporate/Commercial practice, Chambers commented: “This regional firm is commended for its
high-quality commercial practice. In particular, it is recognized for its banking and transactional expertise.”
The following shows Chambers’ recognition of the firm and its attorneys:
Quattlebaum, Grooms, Tull & Burrow PLLC
Commercial Litigation (Band 1)
Real Estate (Band 1)
Corporate/Commercial (Band 3)
Kristine G. Baker - General Commercial Litigation (Band 4)
E. B. (Chip) Chiles IV - General Commercial Litigation (Band 2)
Timothy W. Grooms - Real Estate (Band *) and Corporate/Commercial (Band 2)
J. Cliff McKinney II - Real Estate (Band 3)
Steven W. Quattlebaum - General Commercial Litigation (Band 1)
Charles L. Schlumberger - General Commercial Litigation (Band 4)
John E. Tull III - General Commercial Litigation (Band 1)
Key
* - Star (above rank 1); given to lawyers with exceptional recommendations in their field.
Super Lawyers bases its listings on ballots sent to lawyers in practice more than five years. After receiving nominations, Super Lawyers analyzes the background and experience of each lawyer. Finally, a blue ribbon peer panel evaluates candidates from their practice areas. Only five percent of all lawyers in the state are selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers. Steven W. Quattlebaum, Timothy W. Grooms, and John E. Tull III received some of the highest point totals in the Arkansas nomination, research, and blue ribbon review process and are included in the list of the Top 50 Arkansas Mid-South Super Lawyers for 2011. The selection process for Rising Stars is similar to that for Super Lawyers. No more than two and one half percent of lawyers in the state are named to the Rising Stars list.
The following lawyers from our firm were recognized by Mid-South Super Lawyers for 2011:
Mid-South Super Lawyers
E. B. (Chip) Chiles IV - Business Litigation
William A. (Al) Eckert III - Environmental
Timothy W. Grooms - Real Estate
Steven W. Quattlebaum - Business Litigation
Charles L. Schlumberger - Business Litigation
Michael N. Shannon - Business Litigation
John E. Tull III - Business Litigation
David B. Vandergriff - Business Litigation
Mid-South Rising Stars
Joseph R. Falasco - Civil Rights/ First Amendment
Chad W. Pekron - Business Litigation
Mr. Quattlebaum was recently selected as a member of the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America for the third year in a row. Selection to this elite group comes through a group of veteran legal journalists who review reports on thousands of outstanding lawyers practicing in nearly 100 different areas. From that group, 3,000 lawyers and judges are selected as finalists from which the 500 leading lawyers are chosen by Lawdragon. Fewer than .01 percent of all lawyers in the United States are included as members of the Lawdragon 500. Lawdragon noted that “Quattlebaum’s quick wits served him well for herbicide makers, wood treatment facilities, plus Uniroyal Chemical when it faced Superfund litigation.”
The firm was recently recognized in the 2012 edition of Benchmark Litigation as one of only three "highly recommended firms" for litigation in Arkansas. Comments about the firm included that the firm has "developed a strong reputation in commercial and products liability work." The publication also highlighted Steven W. Quattlebaum, John E. Tull III, and E. B. (Chip) Chiles IV as Local Litigation Stars. Brandon B. Cate, Joseph R. Falasco, and Chad W. Pekron were named Future Stars by Benchmark Litigation. The firm was also recognized in the 2012 edition of Benchmark Appellate as one of two "recommended firms" for appellate work in Arkansas, and Steven W. Quattlebaum and John E. Tull III were recognized by Benchmark Plaintiff as Local Litigation Stars for 2012.
Benchmark Litigation identifies the leading U.S. trial attorneys at local and national levels. The publication's rankings are the result of extensive interviews with private practice lawyers and in-house counsel as well as additional information provided by the law firms as part of the formal submission process. Local Litigation Stars reflect lawyers who are recommended by peers and clients to have established consistent reputations as trial attorneys, while Future Stars are litigators likely to become Local Litigation Stars in coming editions.
Quattlebaum, Grooms, Tull & Burrow PLLC, is pleased to announce that Michael N. Shannon has been named a Managing Member of the law firm. Mr. Shannon is located in the firm’s Little Rock office, and his practice focuses primarily on commercial litigation. He received his B. A. from Arkansas Tech University and his J. D., with high honors, from the University of Arkansas where he graduated first in his law school class and served as Notes and Comment Editor for the Arkansas Law Review. Mr. Shannon joined QGTB in 2005 and became a Member of the firm in 2009.
Timothy W. Grooms has been named a member of Fifty for the Future, an Arkansas non-profit corporation which identifies, develops, and supports regional projects and policies that will have a significant long-term positive impact on the metro Little Rock region. Strategic priorities of Fifty for the Future include economic development, public education/workforce development, and public safety.
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John E. Tull III was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers at its recent annual meeting in La Quinta, California. The American College of Trial Lawyers is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada and is widely considered to be the premier professional trial organization in America. Fellowship is limited to the top one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province and is extended only by invitation, after careful investigation, to experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility, and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of 15 years of trial experience before they may be considered for Fellowship. Founded in 1950, the College is dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice, and the ethics of the profession.
Quattlebaum, Grooms, Tull & Burrow PLLC is pleased to announce that 13 of its attorneys were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012. The firm was also top-listed in a number of practice areas for Little Rock and the State of Arkansas. Details on these rankings can be found at the top of this page. Inclusion in Best Lawyers® is based on a peer-review survey in which leading attorneys vote on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. In addition, Kristine Baker, Tim Grooms, and John Tull received particularly high ratings by earning a high level of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity, and have been named 2012 Lawyers of the Year by Best Lawyers®.
QGTB is pleased to announce that Amber Davis-Tanner has joined the firm as an Associate in the Little Rock office. Ms. Davis-Tanner graduated with high honors in 2011 from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law as the top-ranked student in her law school class and served as Executive Editor of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review. She received the highest score on the Arkansas Bar Examination in the summer of 2011. Ms. Davis-Tanner graduated magna cum laude from Hendrix College in 2005 where she received a Bachelor of Arts in History and became a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Ms. Davis-Tanner’s practice will focus on litigation.
QGTB is pleased to be a participant in the recently announced partnership to provide legal services to Arkansas Children’s Hospital patients and their families at no charge. Known as a medical-legal partnership, or MLP, the pro bono corporate initiative is the first of its kind in the country. Under the partnership, Legal Aid of Arkansas and Walmart will provide legal assistance to patient families at clinics set up at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, as well as during inpatient visits. A number of QGTB attorneys have committed to volunteer their services for this program. Direct access to legal services will help many families address obstacles to good health and continuing recovery. MLPs now operate in more than 250 clinical sites across the U.S., bringing lawyers into hospitals and health centers to connect low-income and chronically ill patients to benefits and protections including disability income, adequate nutrition, and safe and affordable housing. Endorsed by the American Bar Association and the American Medical Association among other health and law leaders, medical-legal partnership is undergoing a rapid expansion in both rural and urban settings. The Arkansas MLP is poised to be a leader in applying MLP in a rural setting.
The 113th Annual Meeting of the Arkansas Bar Association was held June 8-11, 2011, in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Cliff McKinney received the Golden Gavel Award for his work as the Annual Meeting Chair and a number of attorneys from the firm participated as presenters at the meeting, including Steve Quattlebaum, Tim Grooms, John Tull, Patrick Burrow, Kristine Baker, Chip Chiles, Charlie Schlumberger, Al Eckert, Geoff Treece, Nathan Tyler, Joey Price, and Clarke Tucker.
The Spring 2011 issue of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review has been published and contains a couple of items authored by QGTB attorneys. Cliff McKinney co-authored the article Adverse Possession and Boundary by Acquiescence in Arkansas: Some Suggestions for Reform, 33 U. Ark. Little Rock L. Rev. 199 (2011). Amber Davis-Tanner, an associate with the firm, wrote Affirmative Acts and Antitrust: The Need for a Consistent Tolling Standard in Cases of Fraudulent Concealment, Note, 33 U. Ark. Little Rock L. Rev. 331 (2011).
Two QGTB attorneys were recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers for the 2011-2012 year. After previously serving two terms as Development Chair, Jennifer Merritt will serve as Scholarship Chair for the upcoming year, and Jamie Dempsey will serve as Vice Chair for the Development Committee. AAWL is a nonprofit organization dedicated to furthering the interests of women lawyers and their service to the legal profession.
Tommy Williams was recently elected to a three year term with the House of Delegates, the policy making body of the Arkansas Bar Association. The House of Delegates works closely with the Board of Governors to define policy, business and management of the Association.
Kristine Baker has been appointed to the Arkansas Bar Commission on Diversity for the 2011-2012 year by Arkansas Bar Association 2011-2012 President Tom D. Womack. This will be Ms. Baker’s fourth year to serve on the commission. The Arkansas Bar Association and its members participate in a variety of programs and services for the legal profession and society. Among the purposes of the Association are advancing the administration of justice in Arkansas and fostering high ideals of integrity, learning, and public service among its members.
Quattlebaum, Grooms, Tull & Burrow PLLC recently participated in the Pulaski County Corporate Trivia Challenge, an annual fundraising event for Economics Arkansas. Each year, local community leaders and businesses around Arkansas participate in this fun-filled event where teams compete to match one another’s wit and trivia knowledge. The QGTB team of Joel Carter, Joey Price, Clark Jennings, and Amber Davis-Tanner prevailed through three rounds to claim Third Place in the 2010 competition. Economics Arkansas is a private, non-profit, non-partisan, educational organization founded in 1962 to promote economic literacy in Arkansas.
Michael Shannon and Joey Price successfully represented the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission in an illegal exaction suit where the plaintiff sought a diversion of more than $32 million in gas lease revenues away from the Game & Fish Commission to the State of Arkansas General Fund. The case was dismissed in March 2010 by the Pulaski County Circuit Court for failure to state a claim and the dismissal was affirmed in a unanimous decision by the Arkansas Supreme Court in March 2011.
In February 2011, the firm received a favorable ruling from the Arkansas Supreme Court in a toxic tort trial in which Steve Quattlebaum served as lead trial counsel. In the May 2009 trial, which lasted nearly two weeks, the plaintiff claimed that arsenic used by poultry companies caused his leukemia. The jury found in favor of the defendants after only two hours of deliberation. The verdict for the defense was affirmed in a unanimous decision by the Arkansas Supreme Court.
Kristine Baker and Chip Chiles each spoke at the Arkansas Bar Association 2011 Mid-Year Meeting held on January 28, 2011, in Memphis, Tennessee. Ms. Baker, in her presentation titled Creating the Jury: Tips for the Voir Dire, outlined goals and objectives for attorneys engaged in the jury selection process. Mr. Chiles presented Using Technology at Trial. He identified and addressed available technology for lawyers, highlighting ways to use technology to improve performance at trial. These presentations can also be found on our Articles page.
Jennifer Merritt received a favorable ruling from the Arkansas Supreme Court affirming the grant of a new trial for her client, the plaintiff in a negligence matter. After a jury found in favor of the defendant, a witness admitted to the plaintiff that he had not testified accurately during the trial. The trial court granted the plaintiff a new trial based on newly discovered evidence, a decision that was subsequently reversed in a split decision by the Arkansas Court of Appeals. On Petition for Review, the Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed the new trial ruling, finding that the independent recollection of the witness constituted new evidence, not merely impeachment evidence.
QGTB has been recognized for its generous contribution to the Arkansas Bar Foundation by the naming of the Wall of Patrons at the Arkansas Bar Center. The Wall of Patrons, located on the first floor of the Arkansas Bar Center, gives tribute to the former bar center located at 400 West Markham Street. It contains photos of the former bar center and includes the actual marble Patrons’ block which lists names of the original Patrons of the Arkansas Bar Foundation.
QGTB was proud to be a sponsor of DRI’s Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Seminar held in New Orleans, Louisiana, in February 2011. This seminar provided attendees the opportunity to learn about many of the latest scientific, medical, and legal developments impacting toxic torts and the changing legal landscape from nationally recognized lawyers and scientists. DRI - The Voice of the Defense Bar is an international membership organization of nearly 23,000 attorneys defending the interests of business and individuals in civil litigation.
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QGTB was proud to be a Shining Star Sponsor for the third year in a row of the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers annual Holiday Brunch & Auction held on December 4. 2010. All proceeds of the brunch go to the Scholarship Fund, which financially supports deserving Arkansas law students who excel in academics, leadership, and community service. Jamie Dempsey and Jennifer Merritt served on the brunch committee. In addition, Ms. Merritt serves on the Board of Directors of AAWL as Development Chair for the 2010-2011 year. This is Ms. Merritt’s second year to serve on the AAWL Board and her third year of service on the Development Committee.