Skip to Content

Russell C. Atchley

Partner

Russell has practiced law as a trial attorney in Arkansas as well as in many other states across the country for more than 35 years. He regularly handles a variety of complex commercial matters for his clients in high stakes litigation in both state and federal courts.

Russell focuses his trial practice on construction disputes, product liability litigation, complex business litigation, financial institutions litigation and health care litigation. He has extensive experience representing, design/build firms, architects and engineers, contractors and owners in construction disputes and professional liability matters, national banking institutions in business related disputes, manufacturers and retailers in products liability claims and healthcare organizations in several types of litigation. Russell has acted as lead or co-lead counsel in more than 50 jury trials and as lead counsel in more than 250 bench trials in matters in both state and federal courts in Arkansas, as well as many other states across the country. In addition, Russell is frequently engaged as a third-party neutral to act as a mediator in all kinds of complex commercial disputes.

  • Representation of a global foil and die manufacturer in a legal malpractice suit, achieving a multi-million dollar verdict after a 17 day jury trial.
  • Representation of a major foreign agricultural equipment manufacturer in a wrongful death-product liability suit, achieving a defense verdict in a 7 day jury trial.
  • Representation of a major retailer in a product liability suit, achieving a defense verdict after an 8 day jury trial.
  • Representation of a national design/build firm in claims for breach of contract, claims for delay and defending a major counterclaim surrounding a multi-million dollar hospital project in an arbitration matter.
  • Representation of a design/build firm in a major construction dispute involving allegations of breach of contract, professional negligence, fraud and violation of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
  • Representation of a major national retailer in its claim for property loss damages resulting from an electrical explosion due to negligence on the part of an electrical contractor during hurricane Irene.
  • Representation of a major regional healthcare organization amid allegations of intentional interference with existing contract, deceptive trade practices, and violations of Stark and Anti-kickback laws.
  • Representation of a design/build firm (plaintiff) in a case involving claims and counterclaims for breach of a project development agreement relating to the construction of a medical office building.
  • Representation of a foreign manufacturer of farm equipment defending against product liability claims.
  • Representation of an ambulatory surgery center in a civil False Claim Act case involving allegedly false claims for reimbursement.
  • Representation of a publicly traded transportation company in defense of allegations of theft of trade secrets, misappropriation of proprietary information and tortious interference with business relationships.
  • Representation of a major general contractor in multi-day jury trial regarding breach of contract and non-performance allegations.
  • Representation of a publicly traded manufacturing company against an international casualty insurance syndicate in multimillion-dollar litigation involving allegations of breach of contract, fraud and bad faith relating to insurance coverage issues.
  • Representation of a general contractor in a multi-day trial amid allegations of breach of contract and tortious interference with a business relationship made by a package post and beam house construction design company.
  • Representation of hotel owners in multi-day trial against contractor and surety for faulty construction of parking facility.

  • Barrister, Order of Maximus, Construction Lawyers Society of America™ 
  • The Best Lawyers in America© “Lawyer of the Year” in Fayetteville for Litigation – Construction, 2021
  • The Best Lawyers in America©, Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Construction, 2016-2024
  • Rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell®