ATTORNEYS

“I wanted to practice law with men and women who had a passion for the practice of law and had a reputation for unequivocal professional ethics and personal integrity. I found that when I met Jim Carroll, Jim Warren, and Myles Parker.”

Mr. Mask is in his 28th year of practicing law. His practice includes extensive trial experience in state and federal courts. He has served as lead counsel on approximately 60 cases that have been tried to conclusion. His litigation practice includes the full spectrum of state and local governmental litigation as well as commercial litigation, trial of insurance bad faith and coverage claims, product liability claims, construction and contractual disputes, and Section 1983 constitutional and civil rights claims. In recent years, Mr. Mask has successfully defended and prosecuted claims arising out of the decisions of municipal and county-governing authorities, has prevailed in having county and state legislation ruled unconstitutional, and has prosecuted successful annexations on behalf of multiple cities. His practice also includes administrative proceedings and regulatory compliance, including proceedings before the Mississippi Public Service Commission and the United States Department of Justice. Mr. Mask has served as lead appellate counsel for numerous clients at both the Mississippi Supreme Court level and the federal appellate court level. He also heads CWP’s governmental litigation section, which provides the full spectrum of governmental litigation, regulatory compliance, and administrative law representation.

In addition to Mr. Mask’s extensive jury trial experience, he has tried numerous bench trials as counsel for Mississippi municipalities and county Boards of Supervisors. In recent years, he has represented approximately 50 municipal and county governmental entities, fire districts, and school districts in the State of Mississippi. Such representation includes annexation litigation, zoning litigation, civil rights litigation, employment litigation, and utility construction litigation. He has successfully annexed territory for municipalities in all regions of the state and has also successfully opposed municipal annexations on behalf of county governments, individual objectors, and private developers. Mr. Mask has also prosecuted many eminent domain matters on behalf of the Mississippi Transportation Commission, municipalities, and county governments.

• Mid-South Super Lawyer
• American Bar Association
• The Mississippi Bar
  • Litigation Section
  • Government Law Section
  • Appellate Section
• The Lamar Order, The University of Mississippi School of Law
• Capital Area Bar Association
• American Association for Justice, Business Torts Section
• Mississippi Municipal League
• Mississippi Municipal Attorneys
• Mississippi Forestry Association
• Hinds County Forestry Association
• Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation
• Greater Belhaven Neighborhood Foundation
• Belhaven Improvement Association
• Christ United Methodist Church

• Mississippi State Courts
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Mississippi
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Mississippi
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
• U.S. Tax Court

• University of Mississippi (Bachelor of Accountancy, 1992)
  • Sigma Nu Fraternity
• University of Mississippi (M.B.A., emphasis in Finance, 1994)
• University of Mississippi (J.D., cum laude, 1997)
  • The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
  • Associate Mississippi Cases Editor, Mississippi Law Journal
  • Author, “Gambling Debts: Should Policy Considerations Affect Their Treatment Under the Bankruptcy Code,” Mississippi Law Journal, Vol. 67, No. 1 (Fall 1997)
  • Ole Miss Alumni Association Member
  • University of Mississippi Foundation Member

• Administrative Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Eminent Domain Litigation
• General Civil Litigation
• Local and State Government Law
• Municipal Annexation Litigation
• Political Redistricting
• Product Liability Litigation
• Public Utility Law
• Regulatory Law
• Zoning Litigation

• Member, Mississippi Municipal League
• Member, Mississippi Forestry Association
• Member, Hinds County Forestry Association
• Member, Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation
• Member, Greater Belhaven Neighborhood Foundation
• Member, Belhaven Improvement Association
• Member, Christ United Methodist Church

• “Planning for the Future: The Links Between Comprehensive Planning and Municipal Annexation”
• “Redrawing the Lines: An Overview of Municipal Annexation”
• “Bad Faith Insurance Claims in Mississippi”:
  • “Consider the Ethical Consequences: It’s Legal But Is It Right?”
  • “Successful Courtroom Strategies”
• “Municipal Budgeting and Capital Improvements, Planning and Budgeting” -2013
• “The Links Between Comprehensive Plans and Municipal Annexation” -2014
• “Eminent Domain Trial Practice and Strategy” -2014
• “Eminent Domain Settlement Strategies” -2014
• “Annexation” – Mississippi Trial & Appellate Judges Fall Conference 2016
• “Lessons from Bench Trials: Genesis of Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law—Mississippi Municipal Annexation and Incorporation Proceedings” 2019 Presentation to the Charles Clark American Inn of Court
• “A Primer on Municipal Annexation Law in Mississippi” – 2019
• “Working with Special Counsel:  What Board Attorneys Need to Know (and Other Practice Pointers)”  – 2022 Winter Mississippi Municipal Attorneys’ CLE Seminar
• “Working with Outside/Special Counsel: Practice Pointers for Mississippi Governmental Entity Attorneys” – July 2022 Mississippi Bar Convention