Founder of Chinn & Associates, Mark A. Chinn is a seasoned Jackson, Mississippi family law attorney who has dedicated his career to helping clients through some of the most difficult times in their lives. He is dedicated to using his talent and experience to empower his clients to lead the lives they want to lead.
Through his nearly 50 years of practice, Mark has seen it all. Early in his legal career, he worked in every area of law, but soon realized his skillset and personal mission in life matched perfectly with family law. Mark has met with considerable success in this arena, helping clients with the most complex divorce and family law matters with grace and tenacity. He has authored and co-authored six books on family law, is a frequent lecturer and speaker on this subject, and has received numerous accolades from respected publications and legal rating entities. Mark’s books are all published by the American Bar Association and they include, The Divorce Paralegal Handbook, published along with partner Janeah Kerr (2023); How to Build and Manage a Family Law Practice (2nd Ed. 2018); Forms, Checklists and Procedures for the Family Lawyer (2nd Ed. 2021) and The Constructive Divorce (2007)); Mark has authored chapters in How to Capture and Keep Clients (2005) and 101+ Practical Solutions for the Family Lawyer.
Mark graduated from Iowa State University with his undergraduate degree in 1975 and went on to obtain his Law Degree from the University of Mississippi in 1978. He is admitted to practice in all Mississippi courts, the Fifth and Seventh Circuits, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Some notable distinctions include:
- Top 50 Lawyers in Mississippi by the Mississippi Business Journal
- Best Family Law Firm in Mississippi by Corporate INTL Magazine
- Mid-South Super Lawyers
- The Best Lawyers in America
- Martindale-Hubbell’s Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
- Selected from Mississippi for membership into the Outstanding Lawyers of America
Mark and his wife, Cathy, have been married since 1978 and have four daughters and four grandchildren. Mark has a black belt in karate and kickboxing and is a 20-year veteran of rugby. He is also a private pilot and enjoys golf and weightlifting.
Licenses:
- United States Supreme Court
- Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
- State of Mississippi, License to Practice Law
Degrees:
- Juris Doctor, University of Mississippi Law Center, 1978
- Bachelor of Arts, Iowa State University, 1975 (Political Science)
Specific Areas of Expertise:
- Family Law: Our firm helps families with family problems such as divorce, modification, contempt, guardianships, youth court matters, and support.
- Motivational and educational speaking: Mark presents all over the United States and Canada to various groups of lawyers and bar associations on the topics of law practice management, marketing, client service, trying skills, and life and practice balance.
- Mark also has expertise in law practice management, marketing, client service, and trial skills.
Honors & Awards:
- America's Top 50 Lawyers - Family Law - Mississippi - 2026
- Award of Merit, Presented by the Mississippi Bar once each year in recognition of distinguished service and valuable contributions to the public and the profession as a Bar volunteer. 1996
- Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, presented by Martindale-Hubbell®, each year since 1998. Perfect 5.0 AV Preeminent® rating. According to the publishers, this publication by the World’s most respected lawyer rating service, lists only the most distinguished law practices.
- The Best Lawyers in America, 2001 to present. More than 350,000 individual evaluations are processed with the simple question, “If you had a close friend or relative who needed a (family lawyer), and you could not handle the case yourself…to whom would you refer them?”
- Mid-South Super Lawyers, 2006 to present. According to the publisher, only 5% of the lawyers in a state are named. This is not a popularity contest, but ratings backed by considerable polling and peer evaluation efforts with a detailed research process on each candidate based on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. A series of safeguards is built into the database.
- Outstanding Lawyers of America, 2003 to present with only 100 selected per state.
Contact info:
601-202-5594
wendy@chinnlaw.com