After 45 years in private practice as a family law attorney, author, and tireless advocate for the legal profession, Mark A. Chinn was honored with the Mississippi Bar's 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award — read the full presentation transcript below.
PRESIDENT RHEA TANNEHILL:
"This next gentleman, we are going to recognize an award that is ‑‑ I don't know. I mean, he is so deserving. I think there are like eight pages for me to read here of all of his accomplishments.
But I first met Mark Chinn in a divorce case where I was a witness. So I got called as a witness, and I have known him ever since then. He is a gentleman and a scholar. He truly is a scholar, and an innovator.
Mark, come on up. I'm going to make you endure this as I read this.
The Mississippi Bar presents the Lifetime Achievement Award to individuals who have devoted themselves to serving the public, the legal profession, and the administration of justice over the span of their professional careers, contributing significantly to our system of justice and to the legal profession. Today, Mark Chinn joins the list of notable honorees as the 2026 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Chinn is a distinguished attorney who has spent more than 45 years in private practice. He earned his undergraduate degree from Iowa State University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi School of Law.
And he is no stranger to awards. Chinn was named to the Top 50 Lawyers in Mississippi by the Mississippi Business Journal and was a finalist for the MBJ's Business Integrity Award. Chinn has been named to the Mid‑South Super Lawyers list, The Best Lawyers in America list, the Martindale‑Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, the Outstanding Lawyers of America ‑‑ blah, blah, blah.
He was appointed chair of the Bar's Collaborative Law Study Committee by Past President Jennifer Ingram Johnson, and his tireless work resulted in the Mississippi Supreme Court's adoption of Rules for Collaborative Law in 2025. If you practice domestic law, you know what that means.
Chinn is a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation and has chaired the Bar's Family Law Section. Over the years, Chinn has also been a part of several Bar committees, including Solo & Small Firm Practice, Ethics, Client Relations, and Fee Dispute Resolution.
He has been active with the University of Mississippi Law School Alumni Association and has served as chair of the Lamar Order.
Nationally, Chinn served two terms on the American Bar Association's Governing Council and for many years on the ABA Publications Board. He is a Fellow of the American Bar Association Foundation.
Chinn received the Pro Bono Volunteer Award from the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project in 2011. He is a past president of the Hinds County Bar, now known as CABA.
A prolific writer, Chinn has authored six books on family law published by the American Bar Association and dozens of articles for legal publications. He has spoken throughout the country to legal groups on the topics of law practice management, marketing, client service, and life balance.
Those who nominated Chinn for the award said, "Mark has dedicated his life to the service of the legal profession, his clients, and the public at large. He has certainly contributed significantly to the system of justice." Another nominator said, "Without fail, Mark is always prepared, courteous, honest, and level‑headed. At the national and state levels, Mark represents Mississippi beautifully. He exemplifies the qualities one looks for in a member of our Bar."
Chinn and his wife, Cathy, have four children and four grandchildren.
In recognition of a lifetime of dedicated and devoted service to the legal profession and the American system of justice, it is with great pride that we present Mark A. Chinn with The Mississippi Bar's 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award.
Well deserved, my friend."
(Applause.)