Contact

Jackson Office

One Jackson Place
188 E. Capitol Street
Suite 400
Jackson, MS 39201

P: 601.592.9935

F: 601.592.1435

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Secretary:

P: 601.592.9929

Services

Attorney Information

Education

Mississippi College School of Law, J.D., 2007, summa cum laude
Millsaps College, B.A., 2000, magna cum laude

Clerkships

United States Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit

Admissions

United States Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
United States District Court, Northern District of Mississippi
United States District Court, Southern District of Mississippi
Mississippi State Bar

Michael J. Bentley

Associate

Experience

Battle v. GMAC Mortgage, LLC (S.D. Miss. 2012)

Obtained dismissal of wrongful foreclosure claims by debtor on legal theory that Court need not look beyond publicly-recorded MERS deed of trust to determine rights to foreclose.

FL 410 LLC v. Raburn et al. (S.D. Miss. 2011)

Obtained dismissal of fraud and breach-of-duty claims brought by customer against former officers and directors of bankrupt New Mexico-based corporation.

Mortgage Electronic Registration Services (MERS) v. Chancery Clerk of Hinds County, Miss. (S.D. Miss. 2011)

Represented MERS in challenge to chancery clerk’s failure to provide notice of tax sale. Case settled successfully.

Williams Opportunity Fund LLC v. Gran et al. (Miss. Circuit Ct. 2011)

Represented Wells Fargo bank in interpleader action involving fraud claims.

American Service Group Inc. v. Zurich American Ins. Co. (M.D. Tenn. 2010)

Represented policyholder in insurance coverage dispute regarding application of prior acts exclusion in a Directors & Officers Liability policy. Case was successfully resolved in mediation.

Carothers Construction, Inc. v. E-Builds, LLC (N.D. Fla. 2010)

Successfully represented general contractor in suit to confirm and collect on arbitration award.

Double Quick, Inc. v. Lymas, 50 So. 3d 292 (Miss. 2010)

Filed amicus brief on behalf of Mississippi Manufacturers’ Association and other trade groups in support of prevailing party.

McDermott Gulf Operating Co. v. Oceanografia S.A. de C.V. (11th Cir. 2010)

Represented international oil and gas exploration company in appeal of maritime dispute arising from district court’s vacatur of an attachment and arrest to secure unpaid charter hire.

Oceanografia S.A. de C.V. v. Secunda Marine Services (S.D. Ala. 2010)

Defended international maritime charter company against wrongful arrest claims.

Toole v. Illinois Attorney Disciplinary Comm., et al. (S.D. Miss. 2010)

Obtained dismissal of claims that attorney disciplinary body negligently failed to prevent out-of-state attorney from committing malpractice.

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Holaday & Yoder, PLLC, et al. (S.D. Miss. 2010)

Successfully opposed abstention motion so that bank could continue federal court action against borrowers and guarantors.

Yoder v. Holaday et al. (Miss. Chancery Ct. 2010)

Successfully set aside default judgment against Wells Fargo obtained by personal guarantor of loans.

Conerly v. Marshall Durbin Food Corp. (S.D. Miss. 2009)

Defended trial counsel against subpoena seeking to discover information obtained in interviews with corporation’s former employees.

Dillard’s v. Lauderdale County, Mississippi (Miss. Circuit Ct. 2009)

Obtained $2.5 million reduction in appraised value of commercial property in ad valorem tax appeal

NDC Healthcare v. Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services (Miss. Chancery Ct. 2009)

Successfully represented healthcare services provider in action to prevent the release of bid proposal containing confidential and proprietary software descriptions.

Plains Marketing, L.P. v. Prairie Pipeline Contractors, Inc. (D. Utah 2009)

Defended non-party subcontractor against subpoena for confidential and proprietary records.

Watson Quality Ford, Inc. v. CFF Sales & Leasing, et al. (S.D. Miss. 2009)

Represented retailer of FedEx delivery vans in dispute over non-conforming goods under the Uniform Commercial Code.

Wilbourn v. The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S. (Miss. Circuit Ct. 2009)

Represented insurer in vanishing premiums lawsuit. Case was settled successfully.

Delta & Pine Land Co. v. Nationwide Agribusiness, Co., 530 F.3d 595 (5th Cir. 2008)

Successfully represented seed producer in appeal of coverage dispute with commercial liability insurer.

Jackson v. Balboa Insurance Company, 590 F.Supp.2d 825 (S.D. Miss. 2008)

Successfully removed and obtained dismissal of claims against mortgage lender in insurance coverage dispute.