Monday, January 6, 2020

A.G.-Elect Announces Senior Staff

Attorney General-Elect Lynn Fitch issued the following statement. 

Attorney General-Elect Lynn Fitch is pleased to announce the following senior officials to help lead her team at the Attorney General's Office.

Jesse Graham, Deputy for Administrative Operations. Jesse has over thirty-five years of professional experience in both the public and private sectors, including serving as Deputy Treasurer for the last eight years. He has a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Mississippi State University. Jesse will oversee the administrative functions of the office, including human resources, accounting, information technology, and procurement.

Whitney Lipscomb, Deputy Attorney General. Whitney comes to the Attorney General's Office from Governor Phil Bryant's staff, where she served most recently as Deputy Chief of Staff and Counsel. Prior to that position, Whitney was in private practice with a firm in Gulfport. She received her Bachelor's degree, summa cum laude, from Mississippi State University and her J.D., also summa cum laude, from the University of Mississippi. Amongst her responsibilities, she will oversee State agency support operations, legislative and policy functions, civil litigation, Attorney General's opinions, and a new Solicitor General.

Mary Helen Wall, Deputy Attorney General. Mary Helen has more than sixteen years of criminal litigation experience in both state and federal courts, including the last twelve as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi. Prior to that, she served as a Hinds County Assistant Public Defender and clerked for U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael T. Parker in Hattiesburg. Mary Helen has a Bachelor's degree from Millsaps College and a J.D. from the University of Mississippi. She will oversee, amongst other responsibilities, criminal legal and investigative work, including public integrity and Medicaid fraud, cybercrimes, consumer fraud, and federal habeas cases.

Ray Coleman, Director of Communications. Ray has nearly fourteen years in public communications, including as Director of External Affairs for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). Prior to serving at that State agency, he was a television anchor and reporter at 16-WAPT News in Jackson. He has a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from the University of Southern Mississippi. He will oversee media relations and serve as the primary spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office.

"The most important resource that any Attorney General's office has at its disposal," said Attorney General-Elect Fitch, "is its human capital. I am working to assemble a team of talented, innovative, and enthusiastic minds that can not only execute the agenda we laid out for Mississippi's Attorney General's Office, but build on it to construct the best possible outcomes for our great State. I am pleased to have Jesse, Whitney, Mary Helen, and Ray help lead this team and I look forward to all we will be able to accomplish in the next four years."

Attorney General-Elect Fitch continues to conduct interviews and review resumes and will announce further additions to her team in the weeks ahead.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

The only name I recognize is Mary Helen Wall, who should be an excellent choice.

An official SG is a good idea. Pizetta’s been the de facto SG; will he be tapped for the post?

Anonymous said...

These all appear to be good hires. A little on the young side all in all, but they appear well-qualified to hold the posts indicated. My friend at 11:31 misunderstands the role of a Solicitor General. The Solicitor General would have authority or ALL appeals coming to the AG's Office, both civil and criminal, if that post is a true Solicitor General post. While Harold Pizetta is a fine civil litigator and appellate lawyer, to my knowledge he has not handled any criminal appeals whatsoever. Whoever is tapped to be Solicitor General should be well versed in criminal and civil appeals.

Anonymous said...

I’m more interested in how Fitch will decorate her office. If it’s anything like her past public positions, it will be only the finest.

Anonymous said...

12:05—nice to find such a person, just as it’s nice for a judge to be a lawyer who’s practiced in both those fields.

In practice, many judges haven’t, and a good appellate lawyer can handle either kind of appeal.

So maybe I just disagree, rather than misunderstanding?

Anonymous said...

12:12 - One thing for sure...the carpet will NOT be red and beige. If it were and she fell down and couldn't get up, they'd never find her.

Anonymous said...

She takes Jesse Graham with her everywhere she goes. He was with her at MDES, Treasury, and now AG. Apparently he is great grant writer who pulls in tones of money from the Federal Government.

Anonymous said...

She was barely at MDES long enough to learn where the powder-room was. Never even knew what the mission was or the scope of work.

Kleenex and peppermints said...

I assume Tony Geiger will be responsible for carrying her purse

Anonymous said...

Why does she need a Director of Communications? Can’t she speak directly to the people and hold her own press conferences? Why a spokesperson?

Anonymous said...

Who will now give us twice a month commercials for college savings programs?

Anonymous said...

3:11 every agency has a director of communication, they communicate to the public per the director, they also do newsletters and stuff like that! You know what I mean. Every politician needs a mouth piece. Rays Coleman a good choice, adds a little color to the mix. You must never worked in state government!

“We’re from the Government and here to help you”!!!

Anonymous said...

1:57
I think it will be Deez !

Anonymous said...

Sad day for the state. Had an opportunity to elect a qualified attorney and blew it. Now comes an 'agency bouncer-around', a Barbour 'shove', who has never actually practiced law who is in charge of our government legal department.

Anonymous said...

Why would the creation of a position of solicitor general be a good thing? The AG's office has had for many years a criminal division that handles all appeals from convictions in criminal cases originating State courts. The civil litigation division handles appeals in civil cases. I'm wondering why it would be necessary or simply a better thing to place all appellate work under a solicitor general, unless to relieve the civil litigation division from handling appeals in civil cases. It probably would be difficult to find a lawyer to fill the position who would be well-versed in criminal law and also in the areas of civil law the civil division works with.

Anonymous said...

Has Fitch alreay bought her furniture ($30,000 or so?) and got her portrait taken (another $6000?).

She can't assume the position until the furniture trips to Atlanta with her girlfriends and the portrait is taken. She should just use the camera on her cell phone.

Anonymous said...

She has scads of fifteen year old pics in her carousel. She's been using them for years. Quite vain. Well, vanity seems to go with that particular job, no?

Anonymous said...

The Solicitor General would be over all of the criminal and civil cases, but would also seek to have amicus (friends of the Court) briefs filed in support of the State's position in cases, as well as file amicus briefs in cases that are important to Mississippi in the U.S. Supreme Court and other state courts.

The criminal appellate division is a bunch of complete morons with the exception of one or two people. The civil division is much, much better, but has its hands full already. A Solicitor General would bring continuity to appeals to which the State is a party, as well as dramatically improve the quality of the State's appellate litigation.

I know of several attorneys who are well-versed in both criminal and civil appeals, and who would be an excellent choice for the position.

Anonymous said...

Did Hood have all the hard-drives replaced like Moore did on his way out?

Anonymous said...

Pizzetta is really good. Justin Matheny and Krissy Nobile are great too. I’ve heard them all argue. There are many good lawyers in civil.

Anonymous said...

I'm curious to know why you think the AG's criminal division is staffed with morons, excepting one or two people. Have you had any dealings with the lawyers of that division, know any of them? There seems to be a bit of hostility against them. I think it would be more helpful for us to know why you say that an entire division of the AG's office is so deficient. If what you say is correct, then the incoming attorney general has a real problem on her hands. If you are correct, then you really ought to explain why they are or what makes them so since what you are saying is that the State is not being well represented in appeals from criminal convictions. That would be a real problem if you are right.

Anonymous said...

I hope you will explain your reasons for describing the lawyers of the criminal division as being morons. I figure that a number of Lynn Fitch's people read this blog. If you do not explain why you have described a group of lawyers as being "morons", it is wrong of you to possibly put their positions at risk by an unexplained, unsupported opinion that may make her people question the competence of the staff she has. That division is the largest one in the AG's office, so you are potentially affecting quite a number of lawyers. In any event, if you read the annual reports by the attorney general to the legislature you will see that the criminal division wins about 90% of the cases it handles. One would not think a division of morons would be capable of such a level of success year in and year out. I regularly read your blog, enjoy it, and agree with much of what you write. But, unless you can explain the reasons for your opinion, I think you have unjustly maligned a group of lawyers, and without cause.

Anonymous said...

I would assume that January 7, 2020 at 9:00 AM is either a) an attorney who did not have the research/writing chops to make the cut for the criminal division or b) an attorney (Capitol PCR, State Public Defender, Zealot Criminal Defense Attorney, etc) who regularly loses cases to the division.

The Criminal Appellate Division is packed with former Clerks from MS COA, MSSC, and the Federal Courts, and enjoys the best win percentage in the office. Ask any DA's office what they think of the Appellate Division.

Anonymous said...

I’ve never heard anything bad about the criminal division at all. And the civil litigation attorneys I’ve seen are top notch. Krissy Nobile argued in October during the Fifth Circuit conference, and it was one of the best, if not the best, Fifth Circuit outings I have seen or heard.


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