Russell Scott Manning

Review Title: Six Months With No Attorney Contact and Dismissive Treatment During a Critical Case I contacted Byrd & Wiser in January 2026 after being abandoned by William Drinkwater of the Brunini Law Firm, whose mishandling of my case contributed to my hospitalization in February. I sought Byrd ...& Wiser’s help to enforce my approximately $220,000 Mississippi judgment against Stephen Daniel Sanders, who violently attacked me on August 15, 2011 and later pleaded guilty in Indiana, receiving an 18‑month jail sentence in 2013. For almost 15 years, Sanders has repeatedly ignored court orders and avoided accountability. I turned to Byrd & Wiser hoping for stability and competent representation after years of harm. Attorney Russell D. Manning was assigned to my case, and paralegal Ashleigh White informed me the firm would take 25% of any recovery. A judgment‑debtor hearing was scheduled for April 28, 2026, and Sanders again failed to appear. Despite the importance of this hearing and the long history of evasion, I was never allowed a single conversation with Mr. Manning during the entire six months they represented me. Throughout this period, I repeatedly asked Ms. White to speak with my attorney because of the severe financial and emotional harm I have endured over nearly 15 years of trying to enforce this judgment. Instead of facilitating communication, she refused every request, often laughing at me, and warned that if I continued asking to speak with my own lawyer, the firm would withdraw. When I explained that I had been hospitalized in February due to the stress caused by Drinkwater and Brunini’s actions, she again responded with laughter. After I stated that I intended to file a Mississippi Bar complaint, she informed me that Byrd & Wiser was dropping me as a client. In six months, I received no communication from the attorney assigned to my case, no updates, and no direct contact whatsoever. For a matter involving a violent injury, a substantial judgment, and nearly 15 years of ongoing harm, the lack of communication and professional care was deeply damaging. This experience fell far below the level of representation I expected or needed.