Jackson, Miss. – July 2026
Watkins & Eager is proud to announce that Jamie G. Houston III and Robert H. (“Bob”) Pedersen were recognized as Sustaining Members of The Mississippi Bar in honor of their 50 years of membership and service to the legal profession. The recognition ceremony took place during The Mississippi Bar’s Annual Meeting this week in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Both attorneys were admitted to The Mississippi Bar in 1976, marking a half-century of professional achievement, leadership, and dedication to clients, the legal profession, and their communities.
“Jamie and Bob exemplify the professionalism, integrity, and commitment to excellence that have defined Watkins & Eager for more than a century,” said C. Joyce Hall, Chair of the firm's Executive Committee. “Their contributions to the practice of law and to generations of Mississippi lawyers have left a lasting impact on our firm, our clients, and our state.”
Jamie G. Houston III
Jamie Houston serves as Senior Counsel in Watkins & Eager’s Jackson office and is widely recognized as one of Mississippi’s leading attorneys in the areas of corporate law, tax law, estate planning, trusts and estates, and closely held business matters. He was admitted to The Mississippi Bar in 1976 and later earned an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law.
Over the course of his distinguished career, Jamie has advised families, businesses, charitable organizations, and fiduciaries on complex tax, succession, and wealth-planning matters. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and has consistently been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, and Mid-South Super Lawyers for his work in corporate, tax, and trusts-and-estates law.
In addition to his legal practice, Jamie is a Certified Public Accountant and has held numerous leadership positions in professional and civic organizations, including service with the University of Mississippi Foundation, The Mississippi Bar’s Estates and Trusts Section, and The Luckyday Foundation.
Robert H. Pedersen
Bob Pedersen serves as Senior Counsel in Watkins & Eager’s Jackson office. Since his admission to The Mississippi Bar in 1976, he has built an accomplished practice focused on insurance litigation, appellate advocacy, civil rights and Section 1983 litigation, Mississippi Tort Claims Act defense, and complex tort litigation.
Throughout his career, Bob has represented clients in significant state and federal cases and has earned the respect of peers and clients alike for his advocacy and judgment. His experience spans decades of litigation and appellate work involving public entities, insurers, businesses, and individual defendants.
Before entering the practice of law, Pedersen honorably served as a United States Army Infantry Officer from 1969 to 1973, a reflection of the commitment to service that has characterized his professional life.
Celebrating a Legacy of Service
The designation as a Sustaining Member recognizes attorneys who have maintained membership in The Mississippi Bar for fifty years, an achievement reflecting extraordinary longevity, dedication, and professionalism within the legal profession. Watkins & Eager is honored to celebrate this milestone with Jamie Houston and Bob Pedersen and congratulates them on this well-deserved recognition. Their combined century of service to clients, the courts, and the Mississippi legal community represents the very best traditions of the profession.