UM Law Inducts 2026 Hall of Fame Class

On Saturday, March 28 the University of Mississippi School of Law will induct five distinguished alums into its Alumni Hall of Fame as part of Law Alumni Weekend.

This year's honorees are: the late E. Grady Jolly (LLB 62), Dennis J. Keough (JD 74), Charles M. Merkel, Jr. (JD 66), David H. Nutt (JD 71), and Charles J. Swayze, Jr. (JD 69).

The UM Law Alumni Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding alumni of the School of Law who have, through their professional achievements and service to the school, brought honor to the Law School.

A Louisville, Mississippi, native, Grady Jolly obtained a B.A. in history in 1959 and an LL.B. in 1962, both from the University of Mississippi. As an undergraduate student, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and was a member of the Associated Student Body. As a law student, he was a member of Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity.

Jolly began his legal career as a trial attorney with the National Labor Relations Board in Winston‑Salem, North Carolina, serving from 1962 to 1964. He then returned to Mississippi as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi from 1964 to 1967, followed by service in Washington, D.C., as a trial attorney in the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from 1967 to 1969. In 1969, he entered private practice in Jackson, where he built a strong regional reputation before being called to federal judicial service.

On July 1, 1982, President Ronald Reagan nominated Jolly to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, filling the vacancy left by Judge James P. Coleman. The Senate confirmed him on July 27, 1982, and he received his commission three days later. After 35 years of active service, he assumed senior status on Oct. 3, 2017.

Jolly’s judicial career is marked by influential and often nationally significant decisions. In 1986, he authored the panel opinion holding that Louisiana’s law requiring the teaching of creationism alongside evolution violated the Establishment Clause, a ruling later upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in Edwards v. Aguillard. Nearly three decades later, in 2014, he authored the majority opinion in Jackson Women’s Health Organization v. Currier, preventing the closure of Mississippi’s only abortion clinic on grounds that the state could not impose regulations that effectively eliminated in-state access to abortion.

Beyond his published opinions, Judge Jolly is remembered for the firm, direct, and disciplined way he ran his chambers. His interviews, mentoring style and insistence on clarity and brevity left lasting impressions on generations of young lawyers.

Across more than four decades of judicial service, Judge Jolly shaped constitutional law, influenced national debates and earned a reputation for integrity, intellectual rigor and unwavering commitment to the rule of law.

Dennis Keough is a distinguished jurist whose remarkable 41‑year judicial career spans service in both Nebraska and California, an uncommon accomplishment that underscores the breadth of his professional impact. A first‑generation American shaped by the diverse cultural landscape of Pittsburgh, Keough cultivated an early interest in history, literature and the American legal tradition. This intellectual grounding led him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in political science at California State University-Long Beach before studying law at the University of Mississippi, where he earned his J.D. in 1974. During his time at Ole Miss Law, he attained notable academic distinction, receiving the John H. Fox Jr. Memorial Scholarship, the Edward P. Connell Scholarship and induction into the Phi Delta Phi International Legal Honor Society. He also worked as a legal intern in Greenwood, an experience he later described as one of the most rewarding of his life.

Following graduation, Keough moved to Nebraska, where he entered private practice and represented clients in a wide range of civil and criminal matters in both state and federal courts. His early accomplishments led to his appointment as an Associate County Judge for Nebraska’s Fifth Judicial District, serving six counties. He regarded these years as profoundly meaningful, often recalling the deep connections he formed within the small‑town communities he served.

In 1981, Keough returned to California as an Assistant District Attorney in Santa Cruz County. In 1986, he began what would become a 37‑year tenure with the Orange County Superior Court, first as a juvenile court referee and later as a commissioner. In 2009, he was appointed judge of the Superior Court, where he served until his retirement in 2023.

Keough’s judicial assignments were extensive and demanding. He presided over juvenile dependency and delinquency matters, the omnibus civil calendar, the unlimited civil direct calendar and later the high impact trial team, where he helped reduce significant backlogs of complex civil cases. For the final 20 years of his career, he devoted himself to Dependency Court, overseeing an average caseload of more than 550 child abuse and neglect matters. This work earned him widespread admiration and several honors, including the Judicial Honoree Award from CASA and the Power of One Award from Olive Crest. In 2017, the College of Liberal Arts at California State University-Long Beach named him their distinguished alumnus.

Judge Keough’s career is defined not only by its length and complexity but by the compassion, intellectual rigor and humanity he brought to the bench. His legacy reflects honor upon the University of Mississippi School of Law, whose influence he proudly carried throughout his decades of service.

Charlie Merkel is among Mississippi’s most accomplished and respected trial lawyers, known for extraordinary courtroom skill, deep integrity and unwavering commitment to justice. As an undergraduate at the University of Mississippi, he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and was in the honors program. He graduated magna cum laude in 1964 and entered the University of Mississippi School of Law, where he was on the Moot Court Board and a member of Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity. He earned his J.D. in 1966, graduating magna cum laude. He began his legal career with an appointment under the U.S. Department of Justice Honors Program in the tax division, trying tax refund cases across a five‑state region. In 1969, he earned an LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center.

Returning home in 1970, Merkel launched what would become more than five decades of influence on Mississippi’s legal landscape. After early work with Sullivan, Dunbar & Smith and as a founding member of Holcomb, Dunbar, Connell & Merkel, he co‑founded Merkel & Cocke, P.A. in 1982. From this firm, he handled some of the most complex and challenging forms of plaintiff’s litigation, including medical malpractice, product liability, toxic torts, catastrophic injuries and highly technical cases. Over his career, he has delivered more than 400 jury presentations.

 His ability to gain the respect of adversaries, jurors and judges reflects a career grounded in honor, fairness and steadfast ethical standards. Merkel’s leadership extends beyond individual practice. He is a founding member of the Mississippi Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), where he has twice served as president. He is also a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American Association for Justice and the Mississippi Association for Justice. A widely respected authority on trial technique and persuasive advocacy, he frequently lectures at state and national programs.

His achievements have earned continuous recognition, including listings in Best Lawyers in America since 1989, “Lawyer of the Year” in 2012, annual Super Lawyer honors since 2006 and the prestigious AV Preeminent rating from Martindale‑Hubbell.

A devoted supporter of the University of Mississippi, and former Ole Miss baseball player, Merkel is also known for his loyalty to Ole Miss athletics. He and his wife, Donna, are both alumni, as are their two children. Outside the courtroom, he enjoys golf, duck hunting and traveling with his family.

David Nutt is a distinguished attorney, entrepreneur, and philanthropist whose career has spanned more than five decades. A native Mississippian, Nutt built the foundation of his professional life at the University of Mississippi, where he earned a B.A. in political science in 1970 while serving on the staff of The Daily Mississippian. He went on to receive his J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1971, beginning a career that would place him among the most influential figures in the state.

Shortly after graduating from law school, Nutt began practicing as a plaintiff’s attorney, quickly developing a reputation for skill, determination and an unwavering commitment to his clients. Over the years, he has represented thousands of individuals across the country in high‑stakes, complex litigation. His practice areas have included asbestos litigation, drug liability, healthcare fraud, environmental cases, products liability, personal injury and tobacco‑related litigation.

Nutt’s reputation in national litigation circles grew further through his pivotal role in the 1997 national tobacco settlement, a multi‑state legal effort against the tobacco industry. This involvement marked a significant chapter in modern American legal history and underscored his long‑standing dedication to public‑impact litigation.

Beyond his litigation accomplishments, Nutt has long been an entrepreneur and forward‑thinking investor. Through Cypress Funding, LLC, he has played an active role in sectors such as cleaner energy, real estate development, consumer finance and technology. Among these ventures is SecureBuy, an eCommerce fraud‑prevention platform he helped advance due to its importance in promoting secure digital transactions. His business portfolio reflects his commitment to innovation and to tackling emerging challenges in an evolving economy.

One of Nutt’s most transformative ventures is Reunion in Madison, a 2,100‑acre planned community that stands among the most ambitious residential developments in Mississippi. Nutt originally purchased the land in the late 1990s as recreational property, but as the city of Madison expanded toward it, he and his wife, Kirsti, recognized its potential and transformed the acreage into a master‑planned residential and commercial community featuring 400 acres of lakes, a white‑sand beach, a full‑service country club, an Olympic‑size pool, tennis facilities, miles of walking and biking trails, an equestrian center and extensive green space.

Nutt is also widely recognized for his philanthropy. His support for the University of Mississippi School of Law is reflected in his membership in the Lamar Order. The naming of the David H. Nutt Auditorium, an important instructional and performance space for the Department of Music, is the result of his investment in the academic environment. His continued generosity to Ole Miss Athletics has strengthened programs across the university, helping them obtain a variety of successes on a national scale.

David and his wife, Kirsti, reside in Flora, where they remain actively engaged in the legal, business and civic life of the state.

A native of Greenwood, Swayze graduated from Greenwood High School before attending the University of Mississippi, where he earned a B.B.A. in Banking and Finance in 1966. He obtained a J.D. at the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1969 and later earned an LL.M. in Labor Law from George Washington University in 1973. As an undergraduate, Swayze was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. In law school, he served on the Moot Court Board, participated in the Public Defender’s Program and joined the Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity.

Immediately after law school, Swayze served his country as a Captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps from 1969 to 1973. At the U.S. Army Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, he taught criminal justice and legal and paralegal subjects. He went on to serve as Military Counsel, Legal Assistance Officer and Post Labor Advisor, earning the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service.

Swayze then entered private practice and quickly became a central figure in Leflore County’s legal community. His public service included roles as Greenwood Public Defender, Greenwood Prosecuting Attorney, Greenwood City Judge Pro-Tem and ultimately Leflore County Prosecuting Attorney, a position he held for 25 years. His legal practice spanned civil and criminal litigation, commercial transactions, real estate and personal injury. He also shared his expertise with future practitioners by teaching business law at Mississippi Valley State University and trial advocacy at the University of Mississippi School of Law.

Swayze is widely regarded as one of Mississippi’s leading neutrals in alternative dispute resolution. He has mediated approximately 1,000 cases, arbitrated more than 175 matters and served as Special Master in roughly 25 Circuit and Chancery Court cases involving significant distributions. His experience and reputation led to his appointment as Special Circuit Judge by the Mississippi Supreme Court, and he is frequently called upon as an expert witness on reasonable attorney’s fees.

His professional leadership extends across local, state, and national organizations. Swayze has served as President of the Mississippi Bar, the National Caucus of State Bar Associations, and the Southern Conference of Bar Presidents. He chaired the Mississippi Bar’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee and became the founding President of the ADR Section, playing a key role in expanding mediation and arbitration practices throughout the state.

Swayze’s honors include multiple “Lawyer of the Year” recognitions, long-standing professional ratings, the 2000 University of Mississippi School of Law Alumnus of the Year designation and numerous civic awards. He and his wife, Jo Claire, reside in Greenwood, where they are active members of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity. They are the proud parents of four Ole Miss graduates: Julie, Allison, Melissa and Charlie III.