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Robert Alan Byrd

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Practice Areas:

  • Commercial and Consumer Bankruptcy
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Creditors Rights
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Biography

Attorney Robert (Bob) Alan Byrd of Byrd & Wiser, the premiere business and commercial law and litigation firm on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, practices in the areas of commercial and consumer bankruptcy, creditors’ rights, and commercial litigation.  He was born in Highland Park, Michigan on July 12, 1950, and was admitted to practice in the states of Mississippi and Michigan in 1978.

Mr. Byrd is a member of the Harrison County Bar Association (President 1987), the State Bar of Michigan, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and the Mississippi Bankruptcy Conference (President 1988).  

He graduated from Wayne State University in 1977 (J.D., cum laude) and attended the University of Warwick Law School, Coventry England.  He was a member of the Wayne State Law Review (1975-1976); co-authored “Mississippi Collection Law and Practice” (P.E.S.I., 1986); served as teaching assistant with Professor Kevin Tierney at Wayne State University (Contracts, 1975-1976); and served as Law Clerk to Hon. Dan M. Russell, Jr., Chief Judge, US District Court, Southern District of Mississippi (1977-1980).

Mr. Byrd has had a varied and active bankruptcy practice since 1980.  He has numerous successful Chapter 11 reorganizations, ranging from farmers, contractors, small family businesses, to coast casinos and hotels.  

In 2016, he was the first Mississippi bankruptcy practitioner to receive The Michelle Mendez Serviam (Service) Award from the Center for American and International Law (C.A.I.L.).

He has spoken at numerous educational seminars from the Mississippi Bankruptcy Conference, C.A.I.L., A.I.R.A., the American Bankruptcy Institute and the Michigan Federal Bar Association.

Mr. Byrd was inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy in 2001 (12th Class) and the Mississippi Bar Foundation (2007).

He has served as General Counsel for the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center for over thirty (30) years.

In February 2020, Mr. Byrd was appointed by the United States Trustee, Region V, to serve as a Trustee for cases under new Subchapter V of Title 11, known as the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019.  

Education

  • Wayne State University Law School, Detroit, Michigan
    • J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence - 06/1977
    • Honors: cum laude
  • Warwick University School of Law, Warwickshire
    • 1976
  • Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan
    • B.B.A., Bachelor of Arts - 06/1973

Bar Admission

  • Mississippi, 1978
  • Michigan, 1978
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1980
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Mississippi, 1980
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Mississippi, 1980

Published Works

  • Mississippi Collection Law and Practice, (Co-Author), P.E.S.I., 1986

Classes & Seminars

  • Teaching Associate, Professor Kevin Tierney, Contracts, Wayne State University, 1975 to 1976

Representative Clients

  • Ally Bank/Financial
  • Community Bank
  • 1st State Bank
  • 1st Southern Bank
  • Citizens Bank
  • Keesler Federal Credit Union
  • Navigator Credit Union
  • Gulf Coast Community Federal Credit Union
  • Covington County Bank
  • Southeast Auto Financial
  • Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum and Convention Center

References

  • Ally Financial
  • Keesler Federal Credit Union
  • Community Bank

Past Positions

  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Mississippi, Hon. Dan M. Russell, Chief Judge, Law Clerk, 1977 – 1980
  • Rushing & Guice, Biloxi, MS, Partner, 1980 – 1987
  • Byrd & Wiser, Founding Partner, 1987 – Present

Professional Associations

  • Harrison County Bar Association, President, 1999
  • Mississippi State Bar
  • State Bar of Michigan
  • American Bankruptcy Institute, Member
  • Mississippi Bankruptcy Conference, Member, Past President, 1987 to 1988

Current Employment Position

  • Managing Partner, Byrd & Wiser Attorneys at Law 1987-Current