Clifford K. (Ford) Bailey, III

AWARDS AND HONORS

Member

Ford Bailey has a general civil litigation practice with an emphasis primarily in the defense of direct actions against insurance companies. Ford has represented insurance carriers at the trial and appellate level for over 47 years in a wide variety of insurance disputes involving all lines of insurance, including life, health, disability, property, casualty, automobile, and workers’ compensation policies. These include claims involving ERISA, misrepresentation in the procurement of various types of policies, disability, conditional receipts, accidental death, suicide, interpleaders, annuities, health insurance disputes, coverage disputes, uninsured motorist, hurricane, fire and other property/casualty claims, assigned risk coverage, employers’ liability, and workers’ compensation.

Ford has extensive experience at the trial and appellate level defending bad faith actions filed against insurers arising out of all types of insurance claims. Through his practice, Ford has developed a wide-ranging knowledge of the internal operations of insurance companies and has conducted in house training on the good faith handling of insurance claims and how to avoid bad faith. His clients are major national and international carriers and third-party administrators. Ford also has twenty years of experience defending railroads in actions involving crossing accidents, FELA, derailments, and flood claims.

Areas of Practice

Bad faith claims (all lines of insurance)
Property/casualty insurance
Automobile and uninsured motorist insurance
Life, health and disability insurance
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Coverage opinions and coverage actions
Railroad defense
Drainage/flood claims
Civil litigation in Mississippi state and federal trial & appellate courts

Bar Admissions

Mississippi, 1979
U.S. District Court – Northern District of Mississippi, 1979
U.S. District Court – Southern District of Mississippi, 1979
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 1979
U.S. Supreme Court, 2000

Education

J.D., University of Mississippi School of Law
- Mississippi Law Journal, 1977 – 1978, Articles Editor
B.B.A., University of Mississippi
- With Distinction
- Major: Economics

Honors and Awards

Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating
Best Lawyers in America (Insurance Law, Litigation- ERISA) – 2013- 2027
Best Lawyers in America “Lawyer of the Year” 2021, 2023- Litigation-ERISA
Mid-South Super Lawyer – 2006- 2026 and is recognized as a 20 year+ Mid-South Super Lawyer
The Top 50 Mississippi Super Lawyers List for 2011-2026
Benchmark Litigation “Local Litigation Star”- 2013- 2026

Reported Cases

Appellate Court Decisions (*successful appeal)

Sinjel, LLC v. Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, 2024 WL 3842089 (5th Cir.2024)*
Samson v. Unum Life Ins. Co. of America, 300 So.2d 930 (Miss. 2020)
Liberty Insurance Corp. v. Tutor, — So.3d —, 2019 WL 5566235 (Miss. Ct. App. 2019)*
Liberty Mutual Ins. Co. v. State ex rel. Hood, 277 So.3d 542 (Miss. 2019)*
Safeco Insurance Co. of America v. State ex. rel. Hood, — So.3d —, 2019 WL 3955084 (Miss. 2019)*
Williams v. Liberty Mutual Fire Ins. Co., — So.3d —, 2018 WL 6061017 (Miss. Ct. App. 2018)*
Williams v. Liberty Mutual Fire Ins. Co., 187 So.3d 166 (Miss. Ct. App. 2015) (case won following remand)
Walls v. Franklin Corp., 177 So.3d 1156 (Miss. Ct. App. 2015) (remains pending after remand)
Knights Marine & Indus. Services, Inc. v. Lee, 110 So.3d 795 (Miss. Ct. App. 2012)*
Casey v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 308 F. App’x. 743 (5th Cir. 2009)*
Essinger v. Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 534 F.3d 450 (5th Cir. 2008)*
Essinger v. Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 529 F.3d 264 (5th Cir. 2008)*
Tarver v. Colonial Life & Accident Co., 294 Fed.Appx. 873 (5th Cir. 2008)*
McCord v. Healthcare Recoveries, Inc., 960 So. 2d 399 (Miss. 2007)*
Confer v. UNUM Life Ins. Co. of Am., 221 F. App’x 304 (5th Cir. 2007)*
Hand v. UNUM Provident Corp., 202 F. App’x 689 (5th Cir. 2006)*
McDonald v. Entergy Operations, Inc., 167 F. App’x 373 (5th Cir. 2006)*
Lynch v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 909 So. 2d 1289 (Miss. Ct. App. 2005)*
Means v. UNUM Life Ins. Co. of Am., 115 F. App’x 301 (5th Cir. 2004)*
Woodmen of the World Life Ins. Co. v. Lewis, 118 F. App’x 826 (5th Cir. 2004)*
Pulmonary Advisory Servs., Inc. v. Aetna Life & Cas. Co., 58 F. App’x 597 (5th Cir. 2003)*
Keszenheimer v. United Servs. Auto. Ass’n, 78 F. App’x 333 (5th Cir. 2003)*
Green v. Wausau Ins. Co., 31 F. App’x 836 (5th Cir. 2002)*
Braswell v. Illinois Central R.R., 250 F.3d 738 (5th Cir. 2001)*
Provident Life & Accident Ins. Co. v. Goel, 274 F.3d 984 (5th Cir. 2001)*
Hollis v. Provident Life & Accident Ins. Co., 259 F.3d 410 (5th Cir. 2001)*
Hollis v. Paul Revere Life Insurance Co., 259 F.3d 410 (5th Cir. 2001)*
Bigelow v. United Healthcare of Miss., Inc., 220 F.3d 339 (5th Cir. 2000)*
USAA Life Ins. Co. v. Keszenheimer, 209 F.3d 719 (5th Cir. 2000)*
Brien v. Equitable Assurance Soc’y of the U.S., 211 F.3d 593 (5th Cir. 2000)*
West v. First Allmerica Fin. Life Ins. Co., 167 F.3d 538 (5th Cir. 1998)*
Delta Pride Catfish, Inc. v. Home Ins. Co., 697 So. 2d 400 (Miss. 1997)*
Bailey Mortgage Co. v. Minn. Mut. Life Ins. Co., 723 So. 2d 1247 (Miss. Ct. App. 1996)*
McPherson v. UNUM Life Ins. Co. of Am., 68 F.3d 469 (5th Cir. 1995)*
Illinois Cent. R.R. Co. v. White, 610 So. 2d 308 (Miss. 1992)*
Davis v. Illinois Cent. R.R. Co., 921 F.2d 616 (5th Cir. 1991)*
Lose v. Illinois Centra R.R. Co. 584 So.2d 1284 (Miss. 1991)*
CFC Fabrication, Inc. v. Dunn Constr. Co., 917 F.2d 1385 (5th Cir. 1990) (aff’d in part)
Gladney v. Paul Revere Life Ins. Co., 895 F.2d 238 (5th Cir. 1990)*
Laughlin v. Prudential Ins. Co., 882 F.2d 187 (5th Cir. 1989)*
Mitcham v. Illinois Cent. Gulf R.R. Co., 513 So. 2d 880 (Miss. 1987)*
Ford v. Lamar Life Ins. Co., 513 So. 2d 880 (Miss. 1987)*
Lamar Life Ins. Co. v. Shaw, 502 So. 2d 323 (Miss. 1987)*
Estate of Fishel v. Guardian Life Ins. Co., 781 F.2d 901 (5th Cir. 1986)*
Ford v. Lamar Life Ins. Co., 449 So.2d 1204 (Miss. 1984)(case won following remand)
Hales By and Through Williams v. Illinois Central Gulf R.R. Co. 718 F.2d 138 (5th Cir. 1983) (case won following remand)

Successful lower court dispositive opinions (excluding above cases)

Kumpf v. Safeco Ins. Co. of America, 2026 WL 1964834 (N.D. Miss. 2026)(on appeal 2026)*
Lee v. American Fire and Casualty Co., No 2019-0076 (Cir. Ct. Leflore County, Miss. Dec. 18, 2023)*
Franks v. Safeco Ins. Co. of America, No. CV18-077 (Cir. Ct. Lee County, Miss. July 12 2022)*
In re Myers, 546 B.R. 363, 2016 WL 772408 (Bankr. S.D. Miss. 2016)*
In re Myers, 486 B.R. 365 (Bankr. S.D. Miss. 2013)*
Palmer v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 2011 WL 284495 (S.D. Miss. 2011)*
Lowery v. UNUM Life Ins. Co. of Am., 2008 WL 1805747 (S.D. Miss. 2008)*
Turman v. Colonial Life & Acc. Co., 2008 WL 352490 (N.D. Miss. 2008)*
Smith v. Unum Life Ins. Co., 2008 WL 4549717 (S.D. Miss. 2008)*
Kilgore v. Peoples Bank and Trust Co., 2006 WL 1984603 (N.D. Miss. 2006)*
Sansone v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 2006 WL 286779 (S.D. Miss. 2006)*
McArthur v. Provident Life & Accident Ins. Co., 2005 WL 3502057 (S.D. Miss. 2005)*
Toney v. Lowery Woodyards, 278 F. Supp. 2d 786 (S.D. Miss. 2003)*
Frazer v. Provident Life & Accid. Ins. Co., No. 2:00-cv-281 (N.D. Miss. Oct. 29, 2001)*
McBride v. Provident Group Disability, No. 2:99-cv-154 (S.D. Miss. Sept. 26, 2001)*
Hasselle v. Illinois Central R.R., No. 3:00-cv-302 (S.D. Miss. May 9, 2001)*
Blue Diamond, Inc. v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 21 F. Supp. 2d 631 (S.D. Miss. 1998)*
Presley v. Provident Life and Cas. Co., No. 3:96-cv-59 (S.D. Miss. Mar. 6, 1998)*
Dedeaux v. Principal Mut. Life Ins. Co., No. 1:95-cv-555 (S.D. Miss. Aug. 23, 1996)*
Carbo v. Paul Revere Life Ins. Co., No. 1:94-cv-262 (S.D. Miss. June 20, 1996)*
Stanford v. The Travelers Ins. Co., No. 1:93-cv-381 (N.D. Miss. May 1, 1995)*
Smith v. The Travelers Ins. Co., No. 3:93-cv-99 (S.D. Miss. Mar. 31, 1994)*
Martin v. The Travelers Ins. Co., No. S91-142 (S.D. Miss. Nov. 16, 1992)*
Employers Reinsurance Corp. v. Martin, Gordon & Jones, Inc., 767 F. Supp. 1355 (S.D. Miss. 1991)*
Caldwell v. Paul Revere Ins. Group, No. J91-0378 (S.D. Miss. Nov. 16, 1992)*
Laughlin v. The Prudential Ins. Co. of America, No. 7588 (Cir. Ct Alcorn County, Miss. Dec. 16,1991)*
Byrd v. The Prudential Ins. Co., No. S89-0039 (S.D. Miss. Feb. 28, 1991)*
Freeman v. Mowdy, 743 F. Supp. 475 (S.D. Miss. 1990)*
Stegall v. Travelers Ins. Co., No. J89-0146 (S.D. Miss. April 17, 1990)*
Mason v. Paul Revere Life Ins. Co., No. S88-0701 (S.D. Miss. Oct. 16, 1990)*
Davis v. Illinois Central R.R., No. J89-0483 (S.D. Miss. Aug. 16, 1990)*
Swilley v. Reserve National Ins. Co. No. J87-639 (S.D. Miss. Nov. 18, 1988)*
Walters v. UnionMutual Stock Life Ins. Co., No. H86-0020 (S.D. Miss. Feb. 12, 1988)*
Crawford v. Prudential Ins. Co. of America, No. DC83-258 (N.D. Miss. Mar. 18, 1985)*

Associations and Memberships

American Board of Trial Advocates
Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
The Mississippi Bar
Bench Bar Relations Committee
- Former Member and Chairman
Mississippi Bar Task Force on Judicial Discipline (2005-06), Chairman
Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association
Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit

Past Employment Positions

Wells Marble & Hurst, PLLC- Attorney/Partner, 1979 – 1989
Wise Carter Child & Caraway, Attorney/Shareholder, 1989 – 2003
Wells Marble & Hurst, PLLC- Attorney/Member, 2003- Present

Fraternities / Sororities

Phi Delta Phi
Phi Kappa Phi

Birth Information

1954, Grenada, Mississippi

Other

Member- First Baptist Church of Jackson, Mississippi
Madison Ridgeland Academy
- Board Member – elected for six terms (1990-1996, 1999-2005, 2007-2011)
- Chairman (1993-1996, 2009-2011)
Jackson Metro Young Life
- Former Board Member, Board Chairman
Madison-Ridgeland Youth Club
- Former Board Member
- Boys baseball/Girls softball coach
Madison MS Airport Commission
- Former Board Member