Firm History

Mills Scanlon Dye & Pittman has a long and successful history, and the firm's specialty area of municipal law began when founding partner, Arnold "Red" Pyle tried the landmark case of Dodd v. Jackson, 238 Miss. 372, 118 So. 2d 319 (Miss. 1960). Pyle started his legal practice in New Albany in 1936 as a sole practitioner. Eventually Pyle joined a regional law firm with more than 200 attorneys. After having served as a U.S. JAG officer, worked in private practice, and presided as a Hinds County Chancellor, Judge Pyle formed Pyle & Pyle with his son in January of 1981.  As the firm continued to grow from there, Jerry Mills began work with Judge Pyle in 1982.  James Gabriel came on board later, and former Lt. Gov. Brad Dye and former Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Ed Pittman also joined the firm.  Jerry’s wife Carolyn, who had worked in private practice with Justice Pittman, eventually joined the firm after her years with the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.  John Scanlon began working at the firm in 2008.  The firm has gone through other names over the years, but one thing has not changed – our commitment to providing the best possible service for our clients.  The lawyers of Mills Scanlon Dye & Pittman have tried hundreds of cases, including scores of municipal boundary expansion cases, and have served as city attorneys for multiple municipalities for more than forty years.  The firm holds the recent distinction of having incorporated Mississippi's three newest municipalities, Byram (2009), Diamondhead (2011), and Gluckstadt (2021).  Click here to see a comprehensive list of representative cases.

Although the lawyers at Mills Scanlon Dye & Pittman have a broad range of experience from both sides of civil and criminal matters, their practice philosophy focuses on individual client service.  We offer a wide variety of legal services — please select one of our specialties under Practice Areas.