John P. Talbot

Jack Talbot has extensive experience as a trial lawyer with a focus on business law, agriculture and real estate. He represents a variety of clients but primarily assists agribusinesses, landowners, land managers, farming partnerships, cooperatives, forest product companies and other business entities. He provides litigation services and advice on a range of operational matters including contract and transactional issues, leasing, tenant and land management issues, title, boundary and easement disputes, bankruptcy, debt and finance disputes, and environmental and business torts. He handles administrative and regulatory litigation for clients having contested matters before the United States Department of Agriculture and various state-level agencies and commissions. He also represents individuals, families and fiduciaries in disputes involving wills, trusts and gifts and the administration of trusts and estates.

Representative Experience

• Successful enforcement of landlord’s crop lien on behalf of agricultural investment company in priority dispute with multiple claimants and lienholders from multiple crop years. Agrifund, LLC et al v. Regions Bank et al, 2020 Ark. 246, 602 S.W.3d 726.
• Obtained dismissal of siblings’ claims against administrator of estate involving stock transfers and contracts related to closely held family business. Schmidt v. Newland & Associates, PLLC, Trustee et al, 927 F.3d 1038 (8th Cir. 2019).
• Obtained summary judgment for seller of large recreational tract in real estate broker’s claim for commission pursuant to procuring cause doctrine.  Six Pine Trees, Inc. and 1,000 Acre Wood, Inc. v. Agriworld, Inc, Jefferson County Circuit Court (2019).
• Defeated removal to federal court by seed and chemical manufacturer, and further attempt to transfer litigation to manufacturer’s home state pursuant to forum selection clause, in business tort action by agricultural input supplier.  Hampton Pugh Company, LLC v. Monsanto Company, 2018 WL 295563.
• Defended farm credit lender in multi-million-dollar clawback action by bankruptcy trustee following collapse of large grain buyer. Rice v. AgHeritage Farm Credit Services PCA (In re Turner Grain), 2:16-ap-01098 (Bankr. E.D. Ark.).  
• Defended wide-ranging legal and equitable claims between family members, primarily involving title to farmland, numerous crop accountings and other ancillary matters. Stokes v. Stokes, 2016 Ark. 182, 491 S.W.3d 119.
• Intervened and successfully enforced agricultural input supplier’s lien claim under lis pendens doctrine as against bankruptcy trustee and numerous other claimants in fraudulent transfer action involving insolvent farming entity.  Williams v. Maple Ridge Farming Co. (In re Maple Ridge Farming Co.), 5:16-ap-01017 (Bankr. E.D. Ark.).
• Defeated attacks on class certification in consumer class action involving usury and deceptive trade practices related to real estate sales contracts.  Lambert and Lambert Investors, Inc. v. Harris, 2016 Ark. 24, 480 S.W.3d 138.
• Reversed summary judgment, entered on grounds of limitations and immunity, in novel wrongful death action under Arkansas law.  Fleming v. Vest, 2015 Ark. App. 636, 475 S.W.3d 576.
• Obtained venue transfer and jury verdict for landowner against county judge in dispute over responsibility for replacement of large farm bridge. Stokes v. Austin, Drew County Circuit Court (2013).

Professional Recognition

• The Best Lawyers in America®: Commercial Litigation (2025)
• Fellow, Arkansas Bar Foundation

Involvement

• Arkansas Bar Association
  • Member, Real Estate Section
  • Member, Agricultural Law Section
• American Agricultural Law Association
• Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law
• Chapter Author and Contributor to Handling Appeals in Arkansas
• Pine Bluff Rotary Club
  • Past President
  • Paul Harris Fellow
• Fifty for the Future of Pine Bluff Board of Directors
• Pine Bluff Downtown Development Board of Directors
  • Past President
• Warden, Vestry Member, Usher and Lay Reader, Grace Episcopal Church