SAMUEL L. BEGLEY

LEONARD A. BLACKWELL II

LEONARD ADAM BLACKWELL II received his A.A. Degree from Perkinston Jr. College and his B.A. and J.D. Degrees from the University of Mississippi, and was admitted to the Mississippi State Bar in 1966. While at Perkinston, he served as National President of Phi Theta Kappa Honorary Scholastic Fraternity. At Ole Miss, he was a member of the Student Honor Council and was elected president of Omicron Delta Kappa honorary leadership fraternity.

In law school he served on the Moot Court Board and was one of the Editors of the Mississippi Law Journal.

He served as an officer in Phi Delta Phi honorary legal fraternity. Len is licensed to practice in all state and federal courts in Mississippi and before the United States Supreme Court.

Len was elected president of the Mississippi Bar for the 1990-1991 term. He served as a member of the Gulfport Area Council of the Coast Chamber of Commerce 1990-1992 and chaired its Governmental Affairs Committee in 1991.

Len has been a member of several community service organizations and was elected the Gulfport Jaycees Outstanding Young Man in 1973. He is certified as an advocate by the American Board of Trial Advocacy. He is a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation and has held several national offices in the American Bar Association. He is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and the American Bar Association Section of Urban State and Local Law. He is a member of the International Association of Gaming Attorneys and Regulators. He has appeared on panels and as a lecturer on Gaming Law at the Southern Gaming Summit, IMGL Annual Conference, IAGA-IAGR annual meetings, the Mississippi State Bar Continuing Legal Education Seminar, the Mississippi Bar Gaming Law Section Annual Meeting, American Law Institute/ American Bar Association Annual Gaming Law Seminar, University Law Center, and to various law school, college, and civic groups. As a Tulane University adjunct faculty member, Len teaches a course in Gaming Regulation, Policy and Compliance. Mr. Blackwell has been called as an expert witness in cases involving Real Estate, Contracts, Corporations, and Gaming.

On September 30, 2000, Governor Ronnie Musgrove appointed Len to the three member Mississippi Gaming Commission, and in October 2001 elevated him to the position of chairman of the commission. Mr. Blackwell completed his service on the commission September 30, 2004.

In 2006, Len was elected by his peers for inclusion and listing in the 2006 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the field of Gaming Law.

Len is married to the former Mary Ladner of Jackson and they have two daughters, Daisy and Caroline. Len has practiced law in Gulfport continuously since his graduation from law school and admission to the Bar in 1966.

Blackwell’s is a Gulf Coast based law firm located in downtown Gulfport, Mississippi. The firm has grown from modest beginnings representing the interests of local individuals and governmental entities to an organization which today represents a broad based clientele throughout the entire Gulf Coast region.

We offer the highest quality legal services with a personal touch. Our goal is to provide this service in a prompt and economical manner.

FIRM PROFILE

Blackwell’s is engaged in a diversified general civil practice in all State and Federal Courts in Mississippi with an emphasis on representation of developers in the private sector and local government bodies. The firm handles various kinds of licensing and siting matters for gaming establishments, secured transactions, general real estate, urban planning, public utilities, loan closings, including Title Opinions and Title Insurance, and probate matters. The firm represents several local governmental entities and in affiliation with other law groups deals extensively in construction and eminent domain litigation as well as environmental law, negligence claims, maritime and products liability claims, and general litigation. The firm does not handle criminal cases, bankruptcy, or cases involving domestic disputes.

The firm is active in the National Association of Bond Lawyers and is listed in the section entitled "Municipal Bond Attorneys" in the most recent edition of The Bond Buyer's Municipal Marketplace, commonly known as the "Redbook". The firm is active in other various professional and community service organizations and has supported service to the legal profession by membership on Mississippi, American Bar and American Trial Lawyers' Associations committees and through service of one of its members as President of the Mississippi Bar.

AREAS OF PRACTICE IN WHICH THE FIRM ENGAGES

Administrative Law, Bad Faith (Insurance Companies), Corporate Law, Eminent Domain, Environmental Law, Estate Planning, Gaming Law, General/Civil Litigation, Local Government Law, Medical Malpractice, Municipal Public Finance Law, Personal Injury, Probate Law, Product Liability, Public Utility Law, Real Estate Law, and Urban Planning. The firm does not handle criminal cases, bankruptcy, or cases involving domestic disputes.*

The firm serves as general counsel for the Harrison County Utility Authority, the Diamondhead Water and Sewer District, and the Diamondhead Fire Protection District . The firm has acted as counsel or special counsel for Harrison County, Mississippi, Stone County, Mississippi, the City of Gulfport, Mississippi, the City of Biloxi, Mississippi, the City of D'Iberville, D’Iberville Planning Commission, Mississippi, the City of Pass Christian, Mississippi, the City of Long Beach, Mississippi, the City of Columbia, Mississippi, the City of Poplarville, Mississippi, the Harrison County School District, the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the Jackson County Port Authority.

The firm represents clients with various casino gaming licenses, sites and matters. The firm represents clients before the Mississippi Gaming Commission.

The firm is approved to serve as attorneys for Title Guarantee of Baltimore; Lawyers Title Insurance Corp.; Chicago Title Insurance Co.; American Title Insurance Co.; Mississippi Valley Title Insurance Co. (Issuing Agent) and First American Title Insurance Co. (Issuing Agent)

OUR ATTORNEYS

Our attorneys have consistently distinguished themselves in the practice of law, in professional activities and organizations and in public service. We have maintained an environment emphasizing professional work and quality service.

* The Mississippi Bar does not have a program to certify attorneys in areas of specialty and therefore requires that in any listing of areas of practice by a law firm that the following disclaimer be included: "Listing of the above legal services or areas of practice does not indicate any certification of expertise therein."

BRITT SINGLETARY

LARRY GREGORY

TINA ROSE SINGLETARY

PAUL A. HARVEY

TOM SAWYER

RONALD J. RYCHLAK

ALAN L. SILVER

ALAN SILVER, academic director of the casino resort studies program in the School of Continuing Studies at Tulane University, was appointed a judge by the American Gaming Association for the sixth annual Gaming Voice Awards, recognizing excellence in financial and corporate gaming communications. (Sept 2006)

MISSISSIPPI