Forty-five years of practicing law in Mississippi have taught me a lot of things. Most of them were learned the hard way. I do not regret those hard days and hard lessons. Most of my education came from being in front of juries after I spent unbelievable hours and hours of preparation because I did not want to fail and let my client down.
Over those decades practicing personal injury law across Mississippi communities, I have learned the value of having deep roots in this state. When the internet came like an invading horde of grasshoppers, there were things I never saw coming. One of those was the ease with which out-of-state personal injury lawyers could reach into Mississippi and sign up cases involving injured residents here.
While I understand the openness and convenience of the internet, it still feels incongruous to see a Mississippi resident hire an attorney on the other side of the country, only to have that out-of-state lawyer then reach out to a Mississippi law firm to actually handle the case.
A Call From a Mississippi Injury Victim
The other day a fellow called the office. He had been in a serious car wreck — the kind of case we have handled for decades in Mississippi courts. He told me he had already “hired a lawyer” but wanted to ask me a question.
I asked who he had hired. He named a firm I had never heard of. It was a law firm based in a state far from Mississippi — nowhere you can drive to without crossing several others along the way.
He had seen a commercial somewhere. Maybe television. Maybe social media. He could not quite remember. What struck me was that I had represented this person before, and I wondered why he did not call us again given our prior relationship.
I spoke with him briefly about his recovery and advised him to direct any case-related questions to the lawyer he had already hired. He seemed frustrated that I would not engage further, but that is not how the attorney-client relationship works once someone has retained counsel.
How Out-of-State “Internet Law Firms” Operate
This is not the first time I have seen this, and it will not be the last.
There is a growing trend of large internet-based personal injury advertising firms that build their business almost entirely through digital marketing and paid search visibility. These firms often appear first when someone searches after a car accident in Mississippi.
In many cases:
- The injured person signs up with an out-of-state firm
- That firm does not litigate locally in Mississippi
- The case is then referred out to a Mississippi attorney
- The original firm requests a portion of the attorney fee for “bringing in” the case
That is a very different model than a Mississippi personal injury lawyer who has spent decades actually handling cases in Mississippi courts.
Why Local Experience Matters in Mississippi Injury Cases
I have practiced law in Mississippi since October 1980. Our firm focuses on car wrecks, motorcycle wrecks, and 18-wheeler accident cases. Over the years, we have handled significant verdicts and worked alongside attorneys from across the country in multi-district litigation when appropriate.
That type of collaboration is normal in complex litigation.
But what I am referring to here is different — the idea that an injured Mississippian is better served hiring a lawyer who has never stepped foot in a Mississippi courtroom, rather than a Mississippi personal injury attorney who lives and practices here every day.
Local representation matters because:
- Mississippi lawyers understand Mississippi juries
- They know the courts, judges, and procedures
- They live in the same communities as the people they represent
- Trust is built locally, not through advertising reach alone
Final Thoughts: Call a Mississippi Personal Injury Lawyer First
I am not against the internet. Our firm has a website. I am writing this on a device that connects to the entire world. The legal industry has changed, and ignoring that would be a mistake.
But distance is not expertise.
If you are injured in Mississippi, call a Mississippi personal injury lawyer first. If an out-of-state firm tells you they will “find you a local lawyer,” you can skip the middle step.
Mississippi has no shortage of experienced, respected law firms who have been doing this work for decades.
We hope you choose Coxwell & Associates. If not, choose another strong Mississippi law firm. Just make sure you are represented by someone who truly knows this state.
Forty-five years and counting.