Attorneys
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Samuel L. Begley
Private Practice Lawyer
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Practice Areas
Labor and Employment Law; Administrative Law; Gaming Law; Constitutional Law; Municipal Law; Election, Campaign and Political Law
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Admitted
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1985, Mississippi; 1987, U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi; 1989, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 2004, U.S. Supreme Court
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Law School
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University of Mississippi, J.D.
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Member
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The Mississippi Bar (Chairman: Labor and Employment Law Section, 1995; Gaming Law Section, 2005); International Masters of Gaming Law; Fifth Circuit Bar Association.
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Biography
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Law Clerk: Judge Walter L. Nixon, Jr., 1985-1986; Magistrate Judge Britt R. Singletary, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Mississippi 1986-1987.
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Reported Cases
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Barbour v. Berger, 2008 Miss. Lexis 476 (Miss. Sept. 25, 2008) (upholding circuit court's declaratory judgment against Governor and Secretary of State on improper placement of the special United States Senate election on the official sample ballot); Bayview Land, Ltd. v. State, 950 So.2d 966 (Miss. 2006) (casino; public trust tidelands lease); City of Jackson v. Greene, 869 So.2d 1020 (Miss. 2004) (school board appointments, standing; ethics); Miss. Gaming Comm'n v. Freeman, 747 So.2d 231 (Miss. 1999) (casino patron dispute); Broadhead v. Bonita Lakes Mall, Limited Partnership, 702 So.2d 92 (Miss. 1999) (Sixteenth Section land lease); Miss. State Gaming Comm'n v. Imperial Palace of Miss., Inc., 751 So.2d 1025 (Miss. 1999) (sports book, statutory interpretation, testimony as expert witness); Marx v. Broom, 632 So.2d 1315 (Miss. 1994) (state income tax imposed on federal retirees); Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. v. Marx, 594 So.2d 615 (Miss. 1992) (commerce clause, use tax on natural gas transmission); Young v. Stevens, 968 So.2d 1260 (Miss. 2007) (election contest); Moore v. Parker, 962 So.2d 558 (Miss. 2007) (election contest); Esco v. Scott, 735 So.2d 1002 (Miss. 1999) (election contest); Cummings v. Benderman, 681 So.2d 97 (Miss. 1996) (election contest); Hatcher v. Fleeman, 617 So.2d 634 (Miss. 1993) (election contest); Miss. Real Estate Comm. v. Falls, 620 So.2d 974 (Miss. 1993) (real estate broker's license revocation); Miss. Real Estate Comm. v. Geico Financial Services, Inc., 602 So.2d 1155 (Miss. 1992) (regulation of time share plans); Miss. Employment Security Commission v. Sanderson Plumbing Products, 604 So.2d 615 (Miss. 1992) (unemployment benefits for striking workers replaced by employer); Miss. Real Estate Comm. v. White, 586 So.2d 805 (Miss. 1991) (real estate broker's license revocation); Holland v. Kennedy, 548 So.2d 982 (Miss. 1989) (real estate broker's license revocation); Hearn v. City of Jackson, 110 Fed. Apx. 424 (5th Cir. 2004); 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 26166 (S.D. Miss. 2003) (Title VII employment discrimination, disparate impact; police sergeant's exam); Kelly v. Moore, 376 F.2d 481 (5th Cir. 2004) (City of Jackson; false arrest; violation of civil rights); Smith v. City of Jackson, 544 U.S. 228, 125 S. Ct. 1536 (2005) (City of Jackson police pay plan; age discrimination); American State Ins. Co. v. Natchez Steam Laundry, 131 F.3d 551 (5th Cir. 1998) (insurance coverage; duty to defend; sexual harassment matter); Smith v. Alumax Extrusions, Inc., 868 F.2d 1469 (5th Cir. 1989) (union breach of duty of fair representation); Picou v. City of Jackson, 153 F.Supp.2d 891, 91 Fed. Appx. 340 (S.D. Miss. 2002) (Sex discrimination; job transfer); American Financial Services Group v. Treasure Bay Gaming & Resorts, Inc. 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8668 (S.D. NY 2000) (commercial fraud case); THH Real Estate Service Corp. v. Mississippi Real Estate Commission, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24060 (S.D. Miss. 1997) (real estate licensure matter); Freeman v. AT&T Fitness and Accident Plan, 823 F. Supp. 404 (S.D. Miss. 1993) (health and welfare benefits coverage); Raju v. Rhodes, 809 F. Supp.1229 (S.D. Miss. 1992) (due process; employment contract); Hughes v. Hollywood Casino Corp. (N.D. Miss. 2008) 2007 WL 3256583, 2008 WL2164570 (sexual harassment; statute of limitations); Watkins Strategy and Resource Group v. WLC, LLC, 443 F.Supp.2d 778 (S.D. Miss. 2006) (venue); Ameristar Casino v. Duckworth, 990 So.2d 758 (Miss. S. Ct., June 19, 2008) (patron dispute jurisdiction) (amicus curiae brief filed in behalf of Miss. Casino Operators Association); Columbia Land Development, LLC v. Secretary of State, 868 So.2d 1006 (Miss. 2004) (tidelands lease for casino development) (amicus curie brief filed in behalf of Treasure Bay Corp.).
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Transactions
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$35,000,000 City of Jackson, Mississippi Water and Sewer Revenue Bond, Series 1999 (Co-Bond Counsel); $50,000,000 Mississippi Development Bank Special Obligation Bonds, Series 2002 (City of Jackson, Mississippi Combined Water & Sewer System Revenue Bond Project) (Co-Bond Counsel); $30,000,000 City of Jackson, Mississippi General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series 2002 (Co-Underwriter's Counsel); $40,520,000 City of Jackson, Mississippi Water and Sewer System Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2003 (Co-Bond Counsel); $20,000,000 Mississippi Development Bank Special Obligation Bonds, Series 2003 (City of Jackson, Mississippi General Obligation Bond Project) (Co-Underwriter's Counsel); $78,000,000 Mississippi Development Bank Special Obligation Bonds, Series 2004 (City of Jackson Water and Sewer System Revenue Refunding Bond Project) (Co-Underwriter's Counsel); $20,960,000 City of Jackson Mississippi General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series 2005 (Co-Bond Counsel) (Co-Underwriter's Counsel); $27,180,000 City of Jackson, Mississippi, Water and Sewer System Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2005 (Co-Bond Counsel); $9,695,000 Mississippi Development Bank Special Obligation Bonds, Series 2006 (Natchez, Mississippi Convention Center Refunding Bonds) (Co-Underwriter's Counsel); 2006 Interest Rate Swap with The Bank of New York in connection with the $12,000,000 ($11,225,000 outstanding) Mississippi Development Bank Special Obligation Bonds (Natchez Convention Center Project) (Counsel); Lady Luck Gaming Corporation Initial Public Offering of 5 million shares priced at $16 per share, July 1993 (Mississippi Counsel).
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ISLN
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909146649
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Mr. Begley is a 1985 graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law. Following graduation he served as a law clerk to, respectively, Judge Walter L. Nixon, Jr., and Magistrate Judge Britt R. Singletary of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. Mr. Begley is a 1980 graduate of Millsaps College in Jackson where he received a B.A. in Political Science. Immediately after graduating from college he served for one year as a legislative assistant to Mississippi Governor William Winter and, afterwards, served for one year as administrative assistant to Jackson Mayor Dale Danks. He has been in private law practice in Jackson since 1987.
A significant part of Mr. Begley's practice involves the Mississippi casino industry. He represented Lady Luck Gaming Corporation, the first Nevada gaming company to obtain a Mississippi gaming license. He served as Lady Luck's attorney in connection with the licensing and development of casino projects located in Natchez, Tunica (Mhoon Landing), Biloxi and Lula (Coahoma County). He also handled all licensing and regulatory issues attendant to the development of Hollywood Casino Corporation's casino and hotel located in Robinsonville (Tunica County). He has handled the licensing and regulatory work for Treasure Bay Gaming & Resorts, Inc.'s casino in Biloxi. Mr. Begley represents Myriad World Resorts, Inc. in connection with its proposed casino and resort development to be located in Tunica County. He recently served as Myriad's counsel before the Mississippi Gaming Commission on the issue of site development plan approval. Mr. Begley has represented the casino industry in litigation concerning public trust tidelands leases on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He represented the plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking to set aside the tribal gaming compact between the State of Mississippi and the Mississippi Band of Choctaws. Mr. Begley lobbied the Mississippi Legislature during the Katrina special session to secure the passage of limited landbased gaming legislation for the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Mr. Begley was the first President of the Mississippi Association of Gaming Attorneys and is a member of the International Masters of Gaming Law. In 2005 he served as Chairman of the Gaming Law Section of the Mississippi Bar. His name has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the area of gaming law.
Mr. Begley represented Federated Technologies, Inc. in behalf of its efforts to obtain a permit to store and dispose of hazardous waste at a facility to be developed in Noxubee County, Mississippi. He has represented the Two Lakes Foundation in its effort to create a flood control plan that would convert the Pearl River at Jackson into eleven miles of recreational lakes with major waterfront development for the City's downtown.
In connection with his representation of his gaming clients, Federated Technologies and the Two Lakes Foundation, Mr. Begley has handled a wide range of environmental issues causing him to appear before the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He has also secured alcoholic beverage and beer permits from the Mississippi State Tax Commission for his casino clients.
Mr. Begley has represented individuals and employers in various labor and employment law matters. He has represented individuals on professional licensure matters before the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure, the Mississippi Dental Board, and the Mississippi Board of Nursing. In 1995 he served as Chairman of the Section on Labor and Employment Law of the Mississippi Bar.
Mr. Begley has represented numerous candidates for elective office and political committees in election related proceedings. On September 18, 2008 Mr. Begley successfully argued before the Mississippi Supreme Court the case of Berger v. Barbour, which declared unlawful the Governor and Secretary of State's placement of the special U.S. Senate race at the bottom of the 2008 general election ballot.
He has lobbied the Mississippi Legislature on various issues including hazardous waste, gaming, liquor regulation, and certificate of need issues for a Jackson, Mississippi hospital.
Mr. Begley has been retained by the City of Jackson, Mississippi as counsel in numerous public works bond issues, including the 1999 issuance of water and sewer system revenue bonds in the amount of $35 million, the 2003 issuance of general obligation bonds in the amount of $20 million and the 2004 water and sewer system revenue bond issue in the amount of $78 million. He has served as counsel for the City of Jackson in employment discrimination and police brutality cases and in a constitutional challenge to the City's adult entertainment ordinance. He appeared before the United States Supreme Court in the case of Smith v. City of Jackson (decided March 30, 2005), which considered the question of whether a disparate impact claim can be made under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. He has advised the City on downtown development projects and was counsel for the City's petition for the annexation of 50 square miles of additional territory.
Recently Mr. Begley served as bond counsel to the City of Natchez in connection with the refunding of its Convention Center Bonds and as counsel in a related interest rate "swap" transaction.
Mr. Begley presently represents Belle La Vie, a proposed 5,000 unit master planned community, in court proceeding to cause its territory to be annexed into the City of Biloxi.
In 1995, Mr. Begley was recognized as one of the "Top Forty Under Forty" leaders in the state's business community by the Mississippi Business Journal. He is the 1995 recipient of the Young Democrats Award from the Mississippi Democratic Party. In 1997, he chaired the transition team for Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson. He served on the Board of Directors of the Greater Belhaven Neighborhood Foundation, a nonprofit organization involved in the redevelopment and preservation of Jackson's oldest neighborhood. He is a member of the Board of the Oaks House Museum located in Jackson. He is a member of the Cathedral Church of St. Peter the Apostle, Catholic Diocese of Jackson. He resides in Jackson at 854 North Jefferson Street in the Belhaven Heights Historic District.
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Areas Of Practice
- Administrative Law
- Gaming Law
- Labor and Employment Law
- Municipal Law
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