Trey Jones joined the Brunini Firm in 1999 after serving as law clerk to then Chief Judge Tom S. Lee, United States District Court, Southern District of Mississippi. He practices general civil litigation and focuses primarily in the areas of commercial litigation, mass torts, environmental litigation and products liability. Trey was selected by Best Lawyers® in America in the fields of Commercial Litigation and Environmental Litigation.

His professional and civic activities include membership in numerous state and federal bar associations, and he is also a past board member of the Downtown Jackson Exchange Club and Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the MS Arthritis Foundation.

Representative Matters

• United States District Court issued opinion dismissing claims against Trustmark, having found them to be time-barred. [Soriano v. Trustmark, et al.] The Plaintiff filed the action against his accountant and Trustmark alleging misappropriation of funds by the accountant and the failure of an unstated legal duty by Trustmark with regard to the bank account opened in connection with the Plaintiff's bankruptcy.  Although no specific cause of action could be gleaned from the Complaint, the alleged conduct occurred more than three years prior to the filing of the Complaint and, thus, was barred by the statute of limitations.

• Defended a Mississippi Supreme Court appeal, along with Chris Shapley, concerning a statute of limitations issue.  Following en banc oral argument, the Mississippi Supreme Court ruled in favor of Brunini's client and held that the statute of limitations begins to run on the date the plaintiff is diagnosed with the disease.

• Obtained summary judgment, along with Chris Shapley, on behalf of two owners and operators of a wood-treating facility.  Shapley and Jones were successful in obtaining Daubert exclusions of plaintiff's causation experts and dismissal of all claims.

• Obtained summary judgment, along with Chris Fontan, on behalf of a major lending institution in a lawsuit in which two plaintiffs sought compensatory and punitive damages based on the bank's alleged breach of a loan agreement and other wrongful acts in connection with a residential construction project. Rushing v. Trustmark National Bank, 2011 WL 2847447 (Miss. Ct. App. 2011).

• Obtained a ruling from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversing a verdict against a wood treating company and rendering judgment in favor of the defendant. 

• Obtained a ruling from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, along with Chris Shapley and Brian Kimball, affirming the district court’s dismissal of ERISA claims filed in a putative class action against a major lending institution.

• Defended multiple companies in toxic tort environmental litigation involving claims by thousands of plaintiffs alleging exposure to various wood treating chemicals.

• Obtained a judgment on the pleadings in a suit filed against a major lending institution. In this case, the Plaintiff alleged that his property had been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and that he had suffered damages as a result of an erroneous flood zone determination and the failure to obtain flood insurance in connection with the mortgage closing.  In a case of first impression for Mississippi state courts, the Brunini attorneys successfully obtained a ruling that lenders are immune from such suits, and all claims were dismissed. 

• Obtained summary judgment in an alleged ERISA class action.  The case involved allegations of breach of fiduciary duty, misrepresentation and other statutory violations against major lending institution.  After substantial briefing, the court determined that all of the plaintiffs' claims should be dismissed.

• Obtained a summary judgment and dismissal of all claims in a suit brought in state court against a major lending institution and one of its loan officers.  The plaintiffs in the case alleged claims of breach of contract, fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation and negligent hiring, supervision and retention.

• Obtained a defense verdict in Hinds County Circuit Court in a suit brought against a lender. The plaintiff alleged that the lender failed to compensate him appropriately for his work assisting in bringing several large custodial accounts to the bank. The jury found for the lender and awarded plaintiff no damages.

• Obtained a summary judgment and dismissal of all claims in a suit in federal court against a lender. The plaintiff alleged various tort claims and violation of banking regulations.

Speeches & Publications

• "Maverick or Trendsetter?: Fifth Circuit Addresses Slippery Questions in Employment Discrimination", 20 Miss. C.L. Rev. 277 (2000)

Community & Professional Activities

• Capital Area Bar Association
• Rankin County Bar Association
• Mississippi Bar Association (Executive Committee Member, Litigation and General Practice Section)
• American Bar Association (Member, Sections on Environmental Law and Litigation)
• Federal Bar Association
• Fifth Circuit Bar Association
• Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association
• Defense Research Institute
• Federalist Society
• American Inns of Court
• Christian Legal Society
• Mississippi College School of Law Fund-Raising Committee
• Rankin County Chamber of Commerce