Former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and his Former Chief of Staff Paul Hurst Join Butler Snow

RIDGELAND, Miss., Jan. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada PLLC (Butler Snow) announced today that Former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and his Former Chief of Staff Paul Hurst will join the firm.  Barbour and Hurst will provide leadership to the firm in the areas of economic development, government relations, strategic planning and business development.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120111/CL34447 ) 

"Governor Barbour and Paul are tremendous assets for our firm, and we are excited to have them as part of our team," said Butler Snow Chairman Donald Clark Jr. "Their leadership during some of the most difficult times in our state's history is unprecedented.  We are fortunate that this legacy of leadership and innovation will continue at our firm, and both our team and our clients will benefit greatly."

Barbour became just the second Republican governor elected in Mississippi since Reconstruction, and has served as governor for the past eight years.  During his tenure, Barbour and his team realigned economic development and created thousands of higher paying jobs, enacted comprehensive tort reform, reorganized job training efforts and led the state through the worst natural disaster in American history. 

Barbour also previously served as the chairman of both the Republican National Committee and the Republican Governors Association and as the White House political director for President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s.  He later helped found the lobbying group now known as BGR Group, a Washington, D.C.-based lobbying firm.

"I am excited about this next chapter in my career and very pleased that I will be working with Butler Snow, a firm with strong Mississippi roots and one with a progressive regional and national platform.  I also look forward to working with the new leadership in the state to continue to focus on issues important to our people and our businesses," stated Governor Barbour. 

Hurst was named chief of staff by Barbour in 2007 and previously served as chief counsel for the administration. Prior to serving in the governor's office, Hurst was a member of Butler Snow. Hurst received a Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Vanderbilt University.

"The last eight years have been enormously challenging and we've accomplished a great deal, but I'm anxious to get back to Butler Snow to take on new and different challenges.  The firm is committed to strategic growth and innovative approaches and I look forward to helping achieve those objectives," Hurst said. 

Butler Snow is one of the largest firms in the Southeast and has a significant regional presence and an ever-growing national and international reputation. Butler Snow has gained major recognition in various practices including the public finance and incentives practice; products liability and commercial litigation; business and financial services; and real estate, energy and tax. The firm has also developed a significant practice in the pharmaceutical, medical device and healthcare industry for both business and litigation, and the firm represents clients nationally and internationally.

In addition to joining Butler Snow as described above, Barbour will also join BGR Group as its Founding Partner and will work on national and international policy matters with that firm. He will also speak at political and business events and write a book about leadership during the Hurricane Katrina crisis. 

About Butler Snow
Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC, is a full-service law firm with more than 175 attorneys representing local, regional, national and international clients from offices in Birmingham and Montgomery, Ala.; Greater Jackson, Bay St. Louis, Gulfport and Oxford, Miss.; Greater Nashville and Memphis, Tenn.; Baton Rouge and New Orleans, La.; and Greater Philadelphia, Penn. For more information, visit www.butlersnow.com.

About BGR Group
BGR Group is a global leader in government affairs, strategic communications, and investment banking with offices in Washington, D.C. and London.  BGR has extensive business relationships around the world and the firm represents a diverse, blue-chip clientele which includes Fortune 500 companies, international governments, trade associations, non-profits, academic institutions, hospitals, coalitions, and state and local governments.

SOURCE Butler Snow