Jim Neeld concentrates his practice in:

  • Business and corporate matters
  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Telecommunications
  • Commercial transactions
  • Corporate finance including early-stage venture financing structures and debt and equity offerings.

He has extensive experience and counsels clients in the following:

  • Sales and purchases of businesses
  • Antitrust, distribution and marketing/advertising issues
  • Shareholder and partnership disputes
  • Vendor/customer relationships
  • Executive employment agreements
  • Corporate and other business entity formations
  • Securities law issues
  • Corporate governance issues
  • General business and succession planning
  • Contract negotiations and preparation.

Jim previously served as Senior Vice President – General Counsel and Secretary of Tritel, Inc./SunCom, a wireless communications company affiliated with AT&T Wireless Services. In that position, he was responsible for all legal affairs of the company, which grew from a private start-up with a dozen employees to a publicly traded corporation with over 1,200 employees doing business over a six-state region. In addition to his legal responsibilities, Jim managed the governmental relations, real estate and regulatory functions of the company.

As corporate Secretary and General Counsel, he coordinated the activities of the company’s board of directors and acted as primary legal advisor to the board on issues as widely varying as litigation to the company’s IPO and subsequent merger with TeleCorp PCS, Inc. Jim worked with investment banks and led legal teams assisting the company through corporate finance transactions raising capital in excess of $1.3 billion, including private equity offerings, the strategic equity investment of AT&T Wireless, senior secured credit facilities, offerings of senior subordinated discount notes and an initial public offering. He also successfully negotiated the company’s $300 million equipment acquisition agreement with Ericsson and related vendor financing.

He is a shareholder in the firm, serves as its President and is Chair of its Business Opportunities Group.

Education

Memberships

Professional Acknowledgements

  • Peer Rated A-V in Martindale-Hubbell Legal Directory
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Law (2012-2021 Editions)
  • Chambers USA, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Corporate/Commercial (Mississippi) 2016-2020
  • Business/Corporate Section of the Mid-South Edition of Super Lawyers (2013-2018)

Case History

  • Joseph v. Joseph, 500 So. 2d 989 (Miss. 1986)
  • Bullock v. Roadway Exp., Inc., 548 So. 2d 1306 (Miss. 1989)
  • Shanghai Trading, Inc. v. Ridgeland Associates, 560 So. 2d 743 (Miss. 1990)

Other Achievements/Awards

  • Research Editor and Business Manager of the Mississippi Law Journal
  • Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity
  • American Jurisprudence Award in Antitrust
  • Beta Alpha Psi accountancy honorary society

Bar Admissions

  • Mississippi

Civic

  • Member, St. Vincent de Paul Society, St. Richard Catholic Church
  • Former President of the Advisory Council of St. Joseph Catholic School
  • Former President of the Board of St. Richard Catholic School

Previous Employment

  • Senior Vice President – General Counsel and Secretary, Tritel, Inc./SunCom: 1999-2001

Admitted

  • 1985