Attorney Joel Dillard

A pragmatic, creative approach

My unique approach blends proactive advice and relentless advocacy to achieve clients' employment-law goals. My clients are not just a case or a recovery: they are real people, strong but in need of support. We will investigate thoroughly to help clients understand the situation. We will creatively explore the practical and legal options. And, if necessary, we will work together to fight for the best outcome for the client.

Learn more about Joel's approach to the practice.

A thorough understanding of employment law and labor law

Joel Dillard has drafted major labor regulations, federal appeals court decisions, and federal agency decisions which continue to govern daily working life. This experience, seeing the law from the inside out, provides for depth and nuance of understanding. No stone remains unturned in the firm's efforts to resolve clients' problems favorably.

One-of-a-kind national experience

• Current member of the executive committee of the Mississippi Bar Labor and Employment Law Section
• Five years' experience working for the Special Litigation Branch and the Board Members of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
• Clerked with Judge Timothy B. Dyk of the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
• Editor-in-Chief of the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy
• Law School magna cum laude at the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC
• Undergraduate summa cum laude at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN
• Seasonal associate work with:
• Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Naomi Earp
• NLRB Region 2 field office in New York City
• American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) General Counsel's office
• Dickstein Shapiro's Washington, D.C., office (now Blank Rome)
• AFL-CIO General Counsel's office

Intake Officer Mary Quinn

Mary joined the firm as its Intake Officer in January of 2022. She is a graduate of Lafayette High School, Oxford, MS. She obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from the University of Mississippi. Before joining the firm, she had a thirty-plus year career as a claims adjuster and supervisor for Travelers Insurance Company and the Mississippi Municipal Service Company. In that role, she attended numerous trainings on EEO law, and has also participated in numerous settlement conferences involving race, sex, age and disability discrimination cases. She has also been extensively involved in cases that were in litigation. In her spare time, she enjoys comedies, movies, music and spending time with her grandchildren.

Attorney Kevin Hanlon

Your guide through the pre-trial process

Kevin joined the firm in 2024. The journey to trial can be long and difficult, and Kevin will be your companion throughout the process. He came to the practice of law later in life, and builds on a wealth of practical experience in other industries. He went to law school after a successful career managing a premier senior living facility. Prior to that, Kevin managed and supported commercial and residential construction projects in Charlotte, Jackson, and New Orleans. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 130. This experience gives him a deep understanding of the worker's world from the inside.

He lives in Gluckstadt with Kreslyn, his wife of 14 years, and their two children. An avid sports fan who supports the New Orleans Saints and SEC Athletics, Kevin maintains a reasonably neutral stance in regards to Mississippi universities. (Roll Tide™)

Administrative Assistant Dwayne Starling

Dwayne joined the firm in June 2025. He is an alumnus of Benton High School in Benton, Mississippi, and earned a Master of Science in Management from Belhaven University. Dwayne's professional background includes warehousing, distribution, and retail management. His hobbies include playing drums and guitars, and flying remote-controlled helicopters.