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John P. Talbot VCard PDF

Practices

Education

  • University of Arkansas School of Law J.D., with honors (1997)
  • Westminster College B.A. (1993)
VCard PDF

John P. Talbot

Counsel
Email:jtalbot@mwlaw.com
Phone:(870) 938.6255
Location: Little Rock
Bar Admissions: Arkansas

Jack Talbot has extensive experience as a trial lawyer with a focus on business law, agriculture and real estate.  He assists agribusinesses, landowners, farming partnerships, cooperatives, forest product companies and other commercial clients with litigation and advice in a range of operational matters, including contracts and contract disputes, leasing and landlord/tenant issues, title, boundary and easement disputes, bankruptcy, finance and open account disputes, and business torts. He provides regulatory counsel and litigation services to 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.

Experience

  • Extensive experience representing individual and corporate clients in wide range of commercial, real estate, contract and bankruptcy disputes.
  • Counsels and assists local and absentee landowners, farming partnerships, input suppliers and crop lenders in both litigated and non-litigated operational matters.
  • Represents farm and conservation program participants in contested matters before the United States Department of Agriculture, including the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the National Appeals Division.
  • Represents cooperatives and other regulated businesses in agency-related litigation, including administrative trials and appeals.
  • Represents parties in disputes involving probate estates, wills and trusts. 
  • Counsels large, self-insured clients, primarily in the paper and timber industries, in the area of worker’s compensation defense.

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).
  • Defeated attempts by selling company’s officer and his new employer to nullify covenant not to compete provided to input supplier expanding into Arkansas.  Norris and Bostick Brothers, Inc. v. Scott Petroleum Corporation, Chicot County Circuit Court (2010).
  • Successfully enforced equipment leases with terminal rental adjustment clauses against debtor in possession’s attempts to treat them as disguised security agreements.  In re Double G Trucking of the Arklatex, Inc., 432 B.R. 789 (Bankr. W.D. Ark. 2010).
  • Obtained administrative expense treatment for payments due to equipment lessor during period preceding debtor in possession’s rejection of leases and surrender of equipment.  In re Double G Trucking of the Arklatex, Inc., 442 B.R. 684 (Bankr. W.D. Ark. 2010).
  • Reversed default judgment, and obtained dismissal of putative class action complaint, after out-of-state counsel filed defensive pleadings prior to pro hac vice admission in Arkansas.  Tobacco Superstore, Inc. v. Darrough, 362 Ark. 103, 207 S.W.3d 511 (2005).
  • Obtained summary judgment dismissing crop lender’s claims against guarantor, based on lender’s improper application and accounting of payments received from agricultural producer. Southern States Cooperative, Inc. v. Stokes, Desha County Circuit Court (2005).

Professional Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America®: Commercial Litigation (2025)
  • Fellow, Arkansas Bar Foundation
  • Paul Harris Fellow, Pine Bluff Rotary Club

Involvement

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