Paris, TN

Carl Hagwood

Carl Hagwood is a founding shareholder of the firm and practices in the firm’s Greenville, Mississippi and Charlotte, North Carolina offices. Carl serves on the Board of Directors and is the President of the firm. He has defended general casualty claims, medical malpractice claims against physicians and hospitals, and medical negligence claims against nursing home and assisted living providers in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, Colorado, South Carolina, and Florida. Carl and his trial team employ innovative approaches using multiple media visual technology in the complex medical negligence and long term care cases that he defends. Carl has served the Bar as a member of the Bar Associations of each of the states where he is licensed to practice. His service includes Chairperson of the Medical Malpractice Section of the Mississippi State Bar Association, President of the Local Bar Association, and service on numerous Bar Committees through the years. Carl holds the AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethical standards and legal ability, and is listed in the Best Lawyers in America in Health Care Law and in Super Lawyers in Medical Malpractice Defense.

Pete Bloss

George F. “Pete” Bloss is a shareholder based in the firm’s Gulfport office. Mr. Bloss represents a broad range of clients in various fields, with a focus on hospitals, health systems, clinics, medical staff, physician groups, individual physicians, and other health care providers. He also represents a wide variety of defendants in civil litigation, including products liability, admiralty, and maritime matters. Pete is perhaps best known and recognized by his clients and peers for his vigorous and effective defense of physicians and other healthcare providers in medical malpractice claims. He has been recognized with an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale Hubbell. He is listed in US News and World Reports, Best Lawyers in America in both Medical Malpractice-Defendants, and Litigation-First Amendment Law. He has three times been named “Lawyer of the Year - Medical Malpractice - Defendants” (2019, 2016 and 2012) by Best Lawyers in America in his geographic area, and is listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers in the field of Medical Malpractice - Defendants. In his counseling practice, Mr. Bloss advises clients on compliance with the full range of healthcare-related federal laws and regulations, including privacy requirements of HIPAA, EMTALA and reporting requirements for the National Practitioners Data Bank. He also provides guidance on state healthcare statutes and agency policies. Pete advises hospital medical staffs, officers and committees on a broad range of healthcare licensure, certification, operational, and delivery issues. He routinely conducts risk-management analyses to help healthcare organizations identify and correct potential concerns before they develop into systemic, less tractable issues. Mr. Bloss has a robust government relations practice and represents industry participants and trade associations before elected and appointed officials, particularly in the field of tort reform.

Michael E. Phillips

Michael Phillips is a founding shareholder with Hagwood and Tipton. He serves on the Board of Directors as the Secretary. Michael oversees staff in both the Jackson, Mississippi, and Charlotte, North Carolina, offices. A significant portion of Michael’s cases involves the defense of physicians, nurses, hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other health care providers. He handles all phases of the litigation process - with a particular emphasis on trial - and has defended claims against nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and North Carolina. Michael also has extensive experience in the areas of complex defense litigation involving premises security/liability, insurance coverage, and general insurance defense. Michael holds the AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethical standards and legal ability. After law school, he served as a judicial law clerk for The Honorable William L. Waller Jr. of the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Hunter C. Carroll

Hunter C. Carroll is a founding shareholder in the Birmingham, Alabama office of Hagwood and Tipton. He has served as the firm’s president and is currently on the Board of Directors and serves as the firm’s vice president. He practices in the Birmingham, Alabama, and Charlotte, North Carolina, offices. Hunter is a trial lawyer with a diverse litigation practice. He specializes in defending businesses and professionals, including physicians, hospitals, long-term care, and senior housing facilities. Hunter also handles complex matters involving insurance, mass tort, premises liability, products liability, construction defect, and commercial disputes. He has defended cases and claims in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Hunter has tried dozens of cases to verdict, both jury and non-jury, and has handled appeals at all levels. Additionally, Hunter advises clients throughout the Southeast on compliance practices, risk management, and litigation strategies.

Senith C. Tipton

Senith Tipton is a founding shareholder of the firm who is currently retired from HAT. Senith practiced in the firm’s Jackson, Mississippi office. Senith holds the AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethical standards and legal ability. She handled primarily defense of medical professional malpractice claims, hospital and nursing home negligence claims, and insurance coverage matters. A native of Natchez, Mississippi, Senith is past president of the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association and was its first female president. She served as Chair of the Litigation and General Practice Committee of the Mississippi Bar Association and as a Fellow and a Trustee of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Defense Research Institute, the primary national organization of defense attorneys. Senith was a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, the Professional Liability Defense Association, and the U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society.

Julie B. Mitchell

Julie B. Mitchell is an equity shareholder at Hagwood and Tipton. Julie holds a Master’s Degree in Health Law (LL.M. Health Law). She served as chair to the Mississippi Bar, Health Law Section for 2018-2019, and is named as one of the Best Lawyers in America in Health Law and a Super Lawyer in health care law. As an attorney whose initial focus has been health care law, Julie’s practice encompasses such matters as: stark, fraud and abuse, Medicare and Medicaid payment issues, corporate compliance, CON law, provider and physician contracts, health care corporate matters, hospital law, DMEPOS matters, licensure and certification, HIPAA, nursing home law and health care integration. She also works closely with the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure, Mississippi Board of Nursing, Mississippi Board of Pharmacy, and the Mississippi State Department of Health as well as other state and federal agencies. Julie is also uniquely suited to meet the needs of those getting involved in the cannabis industry. As cannabis businesses face challenges with state regulations, Julie is available to provide guidance and advice regarding cannabis law.

Christopher L. Shaeffer

Chris Shaeffer is a shareholder in the firm and practices in the Birmingham, Alabama office. A focused and determined advocate, Chris has been involved in the successful litigation of complex legal matters on behalf of his clients. From complicated appellate issues to large chemical exposure cases, he has addressed a wide-range of legal issues. Chris has represented clients in varied legal matters including mass tort defense, nursing home and long-term care defense, construction defect, product liability, medical malpractice, appellate practice, insurance defense, insurance coverage, and as outside general counsel. Specifically, Chris has been involved in the resolution of complex mass tort and construction defect cases sometimes involving hundreds or thousands of plaintiffs. His appellate practice, often dealing with medical malpractice issues, has resulted in several successful appeals before the Alabama Supreme Court and other appellate courts across the southern United States. Chris has also evaluated complicated insurance coverage issues resulting in thorough coverage opinions and successful declaratory judgment actions. He acts as outside general counsel for both medical providers and technology companies throughout the United States. Chris is a member of the prestigious Claims & Litigation Management Alliance and holds the AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethical standards and legal ability.