Recognizing Excellence: Parker Named YoungWilliams 2021 Attorney of the Year

Merritt Parker, an attorney with the Mississippi Child Support Project, is the 2021 YoungWilliams Attorney of the Year. Attorneys are selected based on their excellent customer service, knowledge of child support, willingness to assist others, and outstanding courtroom skills.

Merritt is responsible for all license suspensions and inquiries for the entire state. Mississippi requires an attorney to authorize the lump sum payment for license reinstatement. Merritt handles this task for all of the Mississippi child support attorneys. This includes responding to inquiries from non-custodial parents and negotiating payment amounts.

In addition to her license suspension duties, Merritt manages child support cases in Alcorn, Prentiss, Tippah, and Tishomingo Counties. She ensures every pleading in her caseload is filed timely and that her cases move efficiently. Her skill and caseload organization are examples for new attorneys, too. In training for new attorneys, Merritt’s Attorney Activity Reports has been shown as a model for how to manage a legal caseload. She also helps new attorneys in courtroom procedures and how to handle a caseload at court or s that may be tried before the Chancellor. On top of her normal duties, Merritt participates in Access to Justice, which provides free legal advice to the public.

She maintains a stellar reputation among colleagues, the local bar, local judiciary, and court clerks. During the last Mississippi Continuing Legal Education conference one judge who was presenting recognized Merritt for her outstanding work, and she was praised by court clerks in the annual Court Satisfaction Survey.

Congratulations, Merritt!