Representing Plaintiffs Since 1895

In October of 2000, Hare Wynn lawyer Jim Thompson was approached by an Arkansas lawyer and friend to assist in the trial of a case in El Dorado, Union County, Arkansas. A few weeks later, the team tried that nursing home abuse case against Hillsboro Manor Nursing Home which resulted in a jury verdict of $2.98 million dollars. The result created a great deal of interest in the legal landscape of Arkansas, particularly whether a Hare Wynn office in Arkansas might prove fruitful to deserving clients, as well as associating or referring lawyers. The firm quickly saw an opportunity to meet the needs of both, and in early 2001, Hare Wynn opened its first satellite office in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Over these last several years, Hare Wynn has had the great pleasure of representing a number of deserving victims of nursing home abuse, clients involved in catastrophic personal injury accidents, as well as the unique opportunity to represent thousands of honest, hardworking farmers in the chicken, hog and rice businesses. In July 2005, Hare Wynn secured a $42.5 million dollar settlement on behalf of 84 Arkansas hog farmers in a fraud lawsuit brought against Tyson Foods. Not only were the farmers compensated for their losses and able to financially move forward with their lives, but many life long relationships were developed with lawyers and clients alike which continue to the present day. In addition, this case led to the establishment of annual college scholarships awarded by Hare Wynn to deserving college students who are the children or grandchildren of the Tyson plaintiffs.

Hare Wynn currently represents several hundred rice farmers in litigation against Riceland Foods and Bayer CropScience, as well as dozens of chicken producers in claims against Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation. Since coming to Arkansas, the firm has prosecuted several catastrophic personal injury cases, including cases involving oil drilling rig explosions; electrocutions; motor vehicle accidents; medical malpractice claims; a propane gas explosion; and product liability claims, including a recent multi-million dollar product liability claim against a major automobile manufacturer.

The Arkansas office is operated by managing partner, Paul Byrd, the current President of the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association.