News

With interest rates remaining historically low, a number of Arkansas banks have taken steps to secure an additional capital cushion through a subordinated debt offering. As reported earlier this year by American Banker, the pandemic has incentivized institutions to shore up capital as a protection against credit losses, as well as preparing to take advantage of potential lending and M&A opportunities.

Friday, Eldredge & Clark has been voted Best Law Firm by the readers of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Each year, readers of the newspaper vote for the best Central Arkansas businesses in its Best of the Best Readers' Choice Awards. The winners are featured in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Sunday, October 25th issue and posted online.

Attorneys Price C. Gardner, Michael S. Moore and Bryan W. Duke have recently been named to the Legal Elite 2020 rankings by Arkansas Money and Politics. The Legal Elite is a collection of 100 of the state’s top attorneys with emphasis on specific areas of law. The list is created from nominations from AMP readers.

While healthcare providers were reeling from the chaos surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) quietly released two final regulations related to interoperability and data exchange across the healthcare industry. These rules implement directives from the 21st Century Cures Act and President Trump’s Executive Order 13813, and both final rules bring change and new compliance concerns for healthcare providers.

Attorney Taylor A. Stockemer graduated on Friday, Oct. 9 from the Leadership Greater Little Rock Program. He is a member of the Class of XXXV. LGLR is a nine-month community leadership program from the Little Rock Regional Chamber.

James C. Baker Jr., a partner with Friday, Eldredge & Clark, was voted into the American Board of Trial Advocates at the National Board Meeting on Saturday, October 3, 2020. Attorneys Michelle Ator, Donald H. Bacon, William Mell Griffin III, Michael McCarty Harrison, James M. Simpson, Jr.and Frederick S. Ursery are also members.

The Defense Research Institute (DRI) recently presented Attorney Bradley S. Runyon with the Exceptional Performance Citation for his exemplar performance as the President of the Arkansas Association of Defense Counsel. The DRI is the largest international association of defense lawyers. Brad is lead counsel in many medical malpractice cases and conducts all aspects of discovery and defense preparation. He has served as counsel in several medical malpractice jury trials resulting in defense verdicts.