Press Release

NEW ORLEANS and MOBILE, Ala.—William H. Hines, Managing Partner of the law firm of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègre L.L.P, and Ronald A. Snider, Managing Partner of the law firm of Miller, Hamilton, Snider & Odom LLC, today announced plans to combine firms. The combination, approved by the members of Miller Hamilton and the Jones Walker partnership this month, is effective September 1, 2008. The combined firm will have more than 270 attorneys. The transaction adds new Jones Walker offices in Birmingham, Mobile, and Montgomery in Alabama, and in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as additional Miller Hamilton lawyers in Jones Walker's Miami and Washington, D.C. offices.

Mr. Hines commented, "Miller Hamilton has a strong and long history in the financial services sector, representing financial institutions across the South. This expansion for Jones Walker into additional states and the addition of capabilities to our banking practice offers a wider range of services and locations to our corporate and financial services client base. One of Jones Walker's larger clients, International Shipholding Corporation, recently relocated to Mobile, and we can service them more efficiently with a local office."

Mr. Snider stated, "This combination made sense on many levels. We expand the practices that we are able to offer to our clients, and the culture between the two firms is a great fit. Together, our firm will become one of the largest regional firms in the southern U.S., offering a full range of legal services. The combination of the two firms fits well with both firms' strategic business objectives and allows us to take advantage of a number of opportunities throughout the South."

John C. H. Miller, Jr., founding partner of Miller Hamilton, said the combination will bring together two organizations that have a long history of working together. "Since we first opened our offices in Mobile, our lawyers have had the privilege and pleasure, on many occasions, of working with and alongside lawyers from the Jones Walker firm. These experiences over the years, I believe, have bred in both firms a great deal of mutual respect, and that, among other things, makes the prospect of this combination something that we look forward to with great excitement."

The law firm will continue under the name of Jones Walker, led by Mr. Hines as Managing Partner. Jones Walker previously had 240 attorneys practicing in 3 states and the District of Columbia. Miller Hamilton added 32 attorneys to Jones Walker in 3 states and the District of Columbia.

Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègre L.L.P. provides an extensive range of legal services to a national and international corporate client base through offices in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Washington, D.C.

The firm of Miller, Hamilton, Snider & Odom LLC was founded in Mobile in 1977 primarily as a banking regulatory firm.

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