Workers' Compensation

Heber Simmons III, the founder of Simmons Dallas, PLLC, is a lawyer who always remembers whom he represents, and keeps their interests at heart from start to finish. He is licensed in all federal and state courts in Mississippi and Tennessee. He originally started his legal practice in 1989 with the firm of Watkins Ludlam and Stennis in Jackson, Mississippi. He then joined Armstrong Allen, a Memphis, Tennessee firm, to start a Mississippi office in 1994. After becoming Managing Partner, Mr. Simmons decided to pursue his individual interests and the freedom to represent clients across a broad spectrum of legal matters. His representations include Fortune 500 companies, as well as individuals and businesses, in matters involving medical malpractice, product liability, administrative healthcare matters, nursing law, nursing licensure, contracts, workers' compensation, wrongful denial of insurance, contract actions, personal injury, toxic exposures/injury, and business litigation. Mr. Simmons also serves as a mediator, and is approved by the Mississippi Bar and the Federal Panel of Mediators. Mr. Simmons received his law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where he served as Editor in Chief of the Mississippi Law Journal. He has served as an adjunct professor of Healthcare Law at the Else School of Management at Millsaps College, and authored and co-authored many published materials, including the Mississippi Chapter from West Publication's Product Liability in 50 States, and numerous lectures for continuing education seminars and in-house presentations. Mr. Simmons is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association, and National Health Lawyers Association. He serves as a member of the Mississippi Bar Committees for Health Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution. He is active with the Rotary Club of Jackson, where he currently serves as a member of its Board of Directors. He enjoys time with his family, as well as hunting, fishing, archery, tennis, golf, scuba diving and being an amateur carpenter. Mr. Simmons has been named a SuperLawyer by Top Lawyers of Mid-South for 2012, 2013, and 2014, and he has served as the Chairman of the Medicine and Law Committee of the American Bar Association, and President of the Jackson Rotary Club (2011-2012).

I graduated in 1993 at Faulkner School of Law with honors and was a member of the justice court. I have had my trial practice for 24 years which is a 2nd generation law practice and has existed in Mobile and Baldwin Counties of Alabama for over 50 years. My practice areas are Bankruptcy, Criminal, DUI, Personal Injury which includes: Maritime, Auto-Accidents,Workers Compensation and other type cases.

After graduating from the University of Virginia Law School in 1975, Mr. Cocke moved to Clarksdale, MS to begin practicing in a general litigation firm. In 1982, Mr. Cocke and Mr. Merkel left that firm and established Merkel & Cocke, P.A., and since that time the emphasis of Mr. Cocke's practice has progressed more and more toward medical malpractice. At the present time his practice is exclusively devoted to handling medical negligence cases for the plaintiff, either as a result of direct contact by the client or as, more commonly occurs, on referral from other attorneys who are not familiar with the handling of medical negligence cases. Mr. Cocke handles all types of medical negligence cases, but a uniform requirement is that serious injury or death have occurred as a result of the medical mistake. Mr. Cocke has established a reputation for complex cases involving babies who sustain permanent brain injuries. He also handles cases involving deaths as a result of the failure to treat in the emergency room setting and the premature discharge of patients after surgery, as well as failure to promptly diagnose cancer. Mr. Cocke has developed a particular interest in the use of modern technology in medical negligence cases and has spoken at seminars on this subject. The Internet has developed into a very useful tool in conducting medical research and communicating with other attorneys handling similar cases via the Internet is also a major help in the handling of medical cases. Mr. Cocke was selected Best Lawyer of the year for 2012 and 2014 in The Memphis area in the field of Medical Malpractice and has been selected a Best Lawyer and Super Lawyer every year since 2006. Mr. Cocke has his pilot’s license, and enjoys flying his airplane for work-related matters and for fun. He owns Yazoo Pass restaurant in Clarksdale, and enjoys being involved in that venture. He is an avid promoter of blues tourism in Clarksdale.

Mr. Boyd completed his undergraduate studies at Mississippi College in 1981. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. Mr. Boyd completed his legal education at Mississippi College School of Law in 1984. During law school, Mr. Boyd was selected to serve as a member of the Editorial Board of the Mississippi College Law Review, and he had a casenote selected for publication in the Fall1983 Law Review. Mr. Boyd is also a “graduate” of the 1996 MiniMed School seminar sponsored by the University Of Mississippi Medical Center. Mr. Boyd devotes most of his legal practice to personal injury and wrongful death claims including car wrecks, 18-wheeler/big truck wrecks, motorcycle wrecks, slip and fall injuries, and UM insurance claims (underinsured and uninsured auto insurance issues).

John Lake is an experienced, knowledgeable and compassionate attorney who is well-equipped to take care of you and your case. You will be well-advised regarding your legal rights, so you can confidently move forward with your pursuits.

A.J. Serafini grew up in Hagerstown, Maryland, and is the son of former State Senator Andrew Serafini, Sr. He graduated from Grace Academy in 2005 and went on to earn his Bachelor of Science in Government from Liberty University, graduating summa cum laude in 2008 after just three years. He further pursued his education at Liberty University School of Law, finishing in the top 5 of his class in 2011. During his time at law school, Serafini was active on the moot court board, mentored first-year students, and coordinated the Street Law program, which educates at-risk youth about the law’s significance. He is part of several legal associations, including the Maryland State Bar Association, the Maryland Association for Justice, The National Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Association for Justice. Professionally, A.J. concentrates on his practice in personal injury, medical malpractice, and nursing home abuse. He has achieved notable successes in personal injury cases throughout Western Maryland. He keeps his legal knowledge current by attending continuing education courses through associations like the American Association for Justice and the Maryland State Bar Association. A.J. is also a board member of the Washington County Bar Association and has served on the Judicial Nominating Commission under Governor Larry Hogan. A.J.’s excellence in his field has been recognized with several awards; he was voted Best Attorney in the Herald-Mail Readers' Choice Award in 2018, and received the Herald-Mail Media's “Best of the Tri-state” award in 2019 and 2020. His peers have recognized his skills and dedication with a Top 40 Under 40 ranking from the National Trial Lawyers Association. He has been four times named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers and was recently designated an Elite Lawyer. To schedule a free consultation, contact Serafini Law by filling out a form online, or calling 240-744-1600.

Joe Mallon is the managing partner of the firm with over 25 years of successfully litigating personal injury and employment cases in federal and state courts throughout the region. During this time, he had distinguished himself as one of Maryland's leading trial attorneys. He has been lead counsel in more than 70 civil trials before juries and judges in Maryland and the District of Columbia. He has achieved numerous large jury verdicts and settlements in state and federal courts in cases that are highly complex and often high profile. He is known for his thorough representation of clients, as evidenced by his remarkable courtroom victories. Described by The Baltimore Sun as advancing “precise legal arguments,” and by a federal judge as obtaining “extraordinary results,” Mr. Mallon has obtained many multi-million dollar results for his clients. The breadth of his practice includes cases of local and national importance. Based on his professional achievement, Mr. Mallon has been voted by his peers as a Super Lawyer in general civil litigation from 2009-2018. Mr. Mallon is a past leader of the J. Dudley Digges Inn of Court. He has frequently been invited to lecture at legal seminars for professional associations. Mr. Mallon previously served as Co-Chair of the American Bar Association, Litigation Section’s Standing Committee on Solo and Small Firms.

The firm is based on the belief that our clients' needs are of the utmost importance. Our entire team is committed to meeting those needs. As a result, a high percentage of our business is from repeat clients and referrals. Principal attorney Charles Chester has served thousands of clients successfully because of his background with judicial clerkships, jury trials, lobbying of public officials, appellate arguments, and years of counseling clients on their options. He has lectured and written extensively on many topics for both bar associations and various industry trade groups. He has been asked to serve on various boards, commissions and committees for county and state governments, bar associations and community groups. His local health care cases were reported on throughout the print and electronic media, including The Washington Post and DC area television stations, and his national election litigation in Florida was covered by CNN and MSNBC.

Carlos D. Perez-Mesa has been an active trial attorney in New Jersey and Hawaii since 1986. In Hawaii, he has tried over 20 jury and bench trials to verdict in state and federal court and participated in over 300 arbitrations and meditations. Mr. Perez-Mesa has wide ranging experience practicing in both federal and state court handling a broad range of litigation, including products liability, construction law, employment discrimination, personal injury, the Americans with Disabilities Act, environmental law, automobile and slip and fall accidents, Title VII civil rights law and workers compensation law. He also handles private arbitrations and mediations involving all types of civil actions, including auto cases, sexual harassment, age discrimination, wrongful discharge, racial discrimination, UM and UIM auto cases and AOAO disputes. Upon graduation of law school, Mr. Perez-Mesa served as a law clerk to Judge Nicholas in Mandak, Passaic County, New Jersey. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Perez-Mesa focused on litigation concerning personal injury, employment discrimination, products liability and condominium law. He defended AIG™ and Farmers™ Insurance insureds involved in automobile and slip and fall accidents. Mr. Perez-Mesa worked seven years as a trial attorney for AIG™’s Staff Counsel’s office in Honolulu. He also has three successful published Hawaii Supreme Court opinions.