Robert B. Ireland, III

Robert B. Ireland, III is admitted to practice before all state and federal courts in Mississippi and the United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Robert has handled all aspects of a wide variety of litigated matters, through trial and appeal, in both state and federal courts as well as in arbitration proceedings. He has also appeared before municipal and county authorities on numerous zoning related matters. Robert has developed lasting relationships with clients in the employment, trucking, and commercial and residential landlord-tenant areas, and also handles a wide range of general and commercial litigation matters. He has also helped both educational institutions and individuals address sexual misconduct issues governed by Title IX.

Robert has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America in seven different areas and received the Lawyer of the Year designation for “Litigation-Land Use and Zoning” multiple times since 2022. He is also a frequent speaker on landlord-tenant matters – including accessibility issues, Fair Housing matters, bankruptcy motions, evictions, and everything in between – and has worked with the Legislature on passage of multiple bills impacting this industry. Robert routinely assists the Mississippi Judicial College with training of the judicial and law enforcement communities about legal developments.

Before joining Watkins & Eager in 2003, Robert served as law clerk for United States District Judge Sharon L. Blackburn, Northern District of Alabama. Robert is an active member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. For many years, he has served as Vice-Chancellor and Chancellor of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi. He is also a proud former member of the University of Alabama golf team. 

• AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
• The Best Lawyers in America (2018-25, Commercial Litigation; Land Use and Zoning Law; Litigation - Construction; Litigation - Labor and Employment; Litigation - Land Use and Zoning; Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants)
• The Best Lawyers in America – Lawyer of the Year (2022 & 2024, Litigation - Land Use and Zoning)
• Mississippi Apartment Association, President’s Award (2021)
• Mid-South Super Lawyers (2013-17, General Litigation; 2011–12, Rising Star, General Litigation)
• Mississippi Law Journal, Executive Editor

• Mississippi Apartment Association, former Board Member and long-time Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman
• Chancellor, Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi
  

• Feb. 2018 & Nov. 2021, Mississippi Apartment Association (“MAA”), "Handling Requests to Live with Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals Under the FHA and ADA"
• March 2019, MAA, “Laws Applicable to Our Communities”
• Sept. 2019, MAA, “Overview of Fair Housing Act and Recent ‘Testing’”

• Feb. 2021, Mississippi Judicial College, Justice Court Training, “Evictions and Rental Assistance” during COVID

• July 2021, Mississippi Judicial College, Justice Court Training “CDC Eviction Moratorium Coming to an End, Rental Assistance Status and Effect on Eviction Cases to Come, Plan for Warrants of Removal”

• July 2021, National Business Institute (NBI), “FLSA Essentials: Practically Applying the Most Recent Legal Perspectives”

• May 2022, Mississippi Judicial College, Justice Court Training, “Residential Evictions Update” following passage of S.B. 2461

• Dec. 2023, Mississippi Judicial College, Justice Court Training, “Practical Perspectives on Landlord-Tenant Law and How Those Decisions Affect the Cases You’ll Decide”

• March 2025, Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) Symposium, Panel Discussion on Current Real Estate Issues

• June 2025, Mississippi Constables’ Association, Legislative Updates, including new eviction-removal amendments