Purpose & Chairs

Sections of The Mississippi Bar are separate groups having special interests in particular substantive areas of practice. Sections function under Bylaws approved by the Board of Commissioners of The Mississippi Bar and broad policy guidelines also established by the Board of Commissioners.

"The Commissioners may create a Section of the Bar at any time. Each Section may adopt, amend and repeal Bylaws by a vote of 2/3 of its members present at any meeting thereof. The Bylaws of any Section shall not be in conflict with these Bylaws. The initial Bylaws of the Section shall conform to Model Bylaws approved by the Board of Commissioners, and no amendment thereto shall be affected without approval of the Board of Commissioners." (Bylaws of The Mississippi Bar, Article 8).

Membership in all Sections is open to any Bar member in good standing upon payment of the prescribed Section dues. As voluntary, non-appointed groups, Sections elect their own officers and choose their own activities with the limitations established by the Bylaws of the Bar and the Section, as well as general policies established by the Board of Commissioners and the Section Executive Committees.

Sections provide the structure through which all members of the Bar have the opportunity to participate in its work. Sections may be divided into smaller units. For example, committees of Sections may be appointed to undertake particular assignments such as membership, newsletter, legislation, annual meeting program, etc., or practice areas may be further divided within Sections by the establishment of committees. The Executive Committee of each Section should serve to govern and coordinate the work of the Section committees rather than attempt to undertake all Section work.

Alternative Dispute Resolution - Chair: Anne P. Veazey
Appellate Practice Section - Chair: John C. Henegan
Business Law Section - Chair: Kenneth D. Farmer
Estates and Trusts - Chair: Karen O. Green
Family Law Section - Chair: Sheila H. Smallwood
Gaming Law Section - Chair: Cathy M. Beeding
Government Law Section - Chair: Michael J. Wolf
Health Law Section - Chair: Kathryn R. Gilchrist
Intellectual Law Property - Chair: A. Meaghin Burke
Labor and Employment Law - Chair: Robert C. Richardson
Litigation Section - Chair: Brooke N. Driskell
Prosecutors Section - Chair: Hal J. Kittrell
Real Property Section - Chair: David M. Allen
Senior Lawyers Section - Chair: Jimmie L. Collins
SONREEL Section - Chair: John A. Brunini
Taxation Section - James L. Pettis III
Workers' Compensation Section - Chair: Amanda Green Alexander

Bar Hosts the 2012 Section Orientation Session
Section Officers attended the FY 2012-13 Orientation Session on August 15, 2012. The half day program is designed to familiarize new Section leaders with their duties and brief them on resources available to them through the Bar. This year's Session included an overview by MB President Lem Adams, and briefings by Bar staff on administration, governance, finance, the attorney discipline process, the ethics process and legislation. Section leaders spent time in breakout sessions discussing plans for FY 2012-13.