8/26/10

Will Goodman named to Millsaps College Board of Trustees

The firm is pleased to announce that William (“Will”) F. Goodman III has been selected for the Board of Trustees of Millsaps College.

Millsaps College is a private college in Jackson affiliated with the United Methodist Church, and, among its myriad accolades, takes pride in being the first college in Mississippi granted a Phi Beta Kappa chapter, the nation’s oldest honor society. Will is a life-long supporter of Millsaps College and a 1974 cum laude graduate, earning his Bachelors of Arts degree in English.

The Watkins and Goodman families have played an integral role throughout the venerated history of Millsaps College. Will Watkins, the founder of our firm, and Will’s great-grandfather, attended Millsaps in the early 1890’s. Will’s great-great uncle, A. F. Watkins, was the third President of the College (1912–1923). Will’s late grandmother, Marguerite Watkins Goodman, was a beloved Professor of English at Millsaps, serving the College in this role from 1935 to 1967. Goodman House, one of Millsaps’ dormitories, is named for Mrs. Goodman and was formally dedicated as a tribute to her and her family in 1985. In addition to Will, his father, Bill Goodman, his aunt, Julia Goodman Puryear, and his sisters and brothers-in-law, Pat and Clifford Ammons and Meg and Dan Richards, are proud Millsaps graduates.

Watkins & Eager is honored to have a long standing and rewarding relationship with Millsaps College. The firm’s legal representation of Millsaps College dates back for almost 75 years. Beginning with Will Watkins, and including Bill Goodman and Clifford Ammons, our lawyers have counseled Millsaps College on a variety of matters, including student and faculty related issues, organizational structure, tax matters, acquisitions, bond issues, employment, and litigation. One of the more interesting assignments called for a Watkins & Eager attorney to travel to Mexico in 2000 with then-President George Harmon to assist in the acquisition of a Mayan ruin.

Will Goodman has practiced law at Watkins & Eager since his admission to the Mississippi Bar in 1977. He is a litigator, practicing primarily in the areas of General Product Liability; Mass Tort and Repetitive Exposure; and Pharmaceutical and Medical Device. Will has been recognized as a leader in his field by several recognized publications including The Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA—America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, and Guide to the World’s Leading Product Liability Lawyers. Will is one of only two Mississippi attorneys ranked on the national level by Chambers USA. Will is a member of the American Bar Association, The Mississippi Bar, the International Association of Defense Counsel, the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association, and the Defense Research Institute. He serves on the Steering Committee of the Defense Research Institute's Drug and Device Committee.

Thirteen of Watkins & Eager’s lawyers are Millsaps graduates. The firm treasures its relationship with Millsaps College and looks forward to strengthening those existing ties with the College in the years to come. We congratulate Will for his outstanding achievement, and thank him for his continued service to the College and to the firm.