Meridian, MS

Charles M. Merkel, Jr.

For more than 40 years, Mr. Merkel has personally delivered more than 400 jury presentations in the representation of personal injury victims whose cases involved complex medical and technical injury mechanisms and causation problems. After graduating magna cum laude from the University of Mississippi School of Law in June 1966, Mr. Merkel accepted an appointment under the U.S. Department of Justice Honors Program and served for 4 years in the tax division of the Department of Justice in a refund trial section, trying tax refund cases in the U.S. District Courts over a five-state area. In October 1970, Mr. Merkel returned to his native Mississippi, accepting a position with the firm of Sullivan, Dunbar & Smith. In 1973, he was involved in the formation of the firm of Holcomb, Dunbar, Connell & Merkel, where he was involved primarily in litigation until the spring of 1982, when Mr. Merkel and Mr. Cocke formed Merkel & Cocke, P.A. for the purpose of handling complex plaintiff's litigation with emphasis in medical malpractice, product liability, toxic torts, drug reactions, brain damage cases, and in general, all catastrophic personal injury cases. Mr. Merkel has received multiple jury awards ranging from $1 million to $20 million, and many more million-dollar settlements. He is active in trial lawyer activities and is a frequent lecturer on trial technique and advocacy, appearing at seminars sponsored by the Mississippi State Bar, Mississippi Association for Justice, American Board of Trial Advocates, and others. Mr. Merkel, a former college baseball player at Ole Miss, is a sports enthusiast and lifelong Ole Miss and NY Yankees fan. He enjoys playing golf and traveling with his wife and children, and is an avid duck hunter and outdoorsman.

Charles M. Merkel, III

Charles M. Merkel, III was born and raised in Clarksdale, MS. He attended the University of Mississippi for his undergraduate and law degrees, graduating with honors both times. While at Ole’ Miss as an undergraduate, he was awarded the Taylor Medal for English; this is the University’s highest academic honor, awarded to fewer than 1% of the student body. Upon graduation, he received the coveted position as a judicial law clerk for US District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, Jackson Division. Mr. Merkel joined Merkel & Cocke, P.A. in 2002, where he works with clients who have sustained serious injuries because of negligence, medical malpractice and defective products. Mr. Merkel is a former board member of North Mississippi Rural Legal Services, and a member of St. George’s Episcopal Church. He is an avid outdoorsman and hunter, and spends his free time with his family.

John Hartwell Cocke

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.

R. Kevin Hamilton

R. Kevin Hamilton grew up around the law, spending many afternoons at his father's office and working summers as a file clerk. He attended Meridian Community College on an athletic scholarship and then the University of Alabama, graduating with high honors and inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He continued his legal education at the University of Mississippi School of Law, graduating with high honors in May 2002, where he was a member of the Mississippi Law Journal and Moot Court Board. Upon graduation, he joined a large regional law firm in New Orleans, specializing in commercial litigation for Fortune 100 companies. In late 2006, after experiencing Hurricane Katrina and a serious wreck himself, he returned home to practice with his father, focusing on helping injury victims. He has since obtained numerous million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements and successfully argued cases before the Mississippi Supreme Court and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2011, he was awarded the Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association, making him one of the youngest recipients of this honor.

Joe Clay Hamilton

Joe Clay Hamilton practiced law for more than 50 years, trying over 100 civil and criminal matters to jury verdict. He served in the United States Army in the Communications and Intelligence Division. After graduating with a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Alabama, he worked as a reporter before pursuing a legal career. He held numerous prosecutorial positions in Lauderdale County, serving as County Attorney and District Attorney. In 1991, he was elected to the Mississippi State Senate. In 1989, he founded The Hamilton Law Firm with the goal of helping injured individuals. He received numerous accolades, including being selected as Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2010 by the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association, an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale Hubbell, the Advocacy Award from The Mississippi State Coalition Against Domestic Violence in 1994, and the Certificate of Excellence by the NAACP in 1995. Joe Clay Hamilton passed away in 2023.

Cynthia I. Mitchell

Cynthia (Cindy) Mitchell is of counsel with the law firm of Merkel & Cocke, P.A. Ms. Mitchell received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University in 1981, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, with an Honors Degree. She received her J.D. from Harvard University Law School in 1981, graduating cum laude. Ms. Mitchell’s practice includes general litigation, personal injury, commercial litigation, and medical malpractice. She has handled numerous and varied appellate cases. She was a member of the litigation team representing Bob Wilson and Alwyn Luckey against Richard Scruggs of the Fall of the House of Zeus fame. Ms. Mitchell is admitted to practice before all state courts in Mississippi, the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi, the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, the Western District of Tennessee, and the Fifth and Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Ms. Mitchell is a member of the Mississippi State Bar Association, Mississippi Association for Justice (President 2016-17; Vice President 2015-16; Treasurer 2014-15; Secretary, 2012-13; Parliamentarian 2011-12), American Association of Justice, and the Coahoma County Bar Association (President, 1990-91). She currently serves on the Rules Advisory Committee to the Mississippi Supreme Court and as a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. She served on the Professionalism Committee of the Mississippi Bar Association from 2006-2011 and served as chair of the Mentoring Subcommittee from 2009-2011. She also served on the Women in Profession Committee of the Mississippi Bar Association from 2007-2011. Ms. Mitchell has also served on the Complaint Tribunal of the Mississippi Bar Association. Ms. Mitchell has been actively involved in both the Mississippi Bar Association and Mississippi Association for Justice. She has served as the representative to the Board of Bar Commissioners for the Eleventh Circuit Court District, as President of the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project and a long time MVLP Board member. She also served as chair of the Amicus Committee of the Mississippi Association for Justice from 2006-2010 and most recently as President of the Association. She continues as a member of the Amicus Committee and has written and assisted on numerous appellate briefs on issues of importance in the civil justice system, including the issue of the constitutionality of caps for noneconomic damages under Mississippi law. Ms. Mitchell is also active in the community and received the Mississippi State Bar’s Lawyer Citizenship Award in 2012. She serves on the Board of Trustees of Coahoma Community College and the Board of Directors of Clarksdale Animal Rescue Effort and Shelter. She is an avid runner, having run eleven marathons, including Boston, and ultra marathons, and is race director for several local 5k and 8k races.

Robert H. Compton

Robert H. Compton has been engaged in an active civil and criminal litigation practice at both the trial and appellate court levels in Meridian, Mississippi and around the State since 1978. As a member of the firm, the primary focus of his trial practice includes personal injury, DUI and criminal defense, contract disputes, commercial and complex litigation. His practice also includes transactional law, the drafting of contracts, last will and testaments, loan closings, transfers of business interests, business formations, and school law.