The Team

Who We Are

Jennifer Jameson McKendree

Managing Member

Jennifer is a graduate of Magnolia High School (2000), Southern Arkansas Univer-sity (2004), and the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville (2007). Her areas of practice include adoption, guardianship, divorce and child custody, estate planning and estate administration, real estate, general litigation, and assisting small businesses with their legal needs. Jennifer joined Bell Law Firm, P.A. in 2007 and worked under the guidance of the firm’s widely respected and much revered principal, Ronny J. Bell. Jennifer and Michael W. Boyd became friends and colleagues when he joined the firm in 2008, and the firm became Bell & Boyd, P.A. In 2012, Jennifer relocated with her husband, Michael ("Mikey"), to Central Ark-ansas, where she served as Assistant General Counsel for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, working closely with Commissioners, administration, and staff on contractual, regulatory, real estate, litigation, legislative, and compliance matters. She returned to private practice with the firm (then Bell & Boyd, PLLC) in 2018, became a member (partner) in February 2022, and became principal and managing member in June 2022. Jennifer is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association, the Columbia County Bar Association, and Magnolia Rotary Club; an adjunct instructor at Southern Arkansas University; and a former Deputy City Attorney (2018-2020) for the City of Magnolia. She enjoys fishing, gardening, quilting, and spending time with her family and friends. She resides in Magnolia with her husband and their dogs, Fig "Figgy" Newton and Honey Bun.

Joel I. Hutcheson

Attorney

Joel was born and raised in Magnolia, Arkansas, and attended Southern Arkansas University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in History in 2013. After college, Joel worked for three years as a title insurance agent with Title Guaranty of Columbia County, Inc. He received his Juris Doctorate in 2019 from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. While at law school, Joel founded the Property Law Society. Joel's practice focuses on issues related to real estate, including oil and gas. He also serves as Deputy City Attorney for the City of Magnolia, Arkansas. Joel is a member of the Columbia County Bar Association, Magnolia Lions Club, and Bethel Church. Joel clerked for Bell & Boyd during his law school career, and we are proud to have him as our newest associate!

Michael W. Boyd

Of Counsel

Reared in Cleveland County, Arkansas, Michael graduated in 1994 from the Uni-versity of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a Bachelor of Arts in broadcast journalism. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas School of Law at Fayetteville in 1997 and is licensed to practice in Arkansas. Michael joined Ronny J. Bell to form Bell & Boyd in 2008, and he became managing member is 2014. In June 2022, Michael left the active private practice of law to join Farmers Bank & Trust Company as Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Michael is City Attorney for the City of Magnolia, Arkansas; chairman of a panel for the Office of Professional Conduct; Vice-President of the Arkansas 4-H Foundation; and a board member of Magnolia Arts, The Caring Place, and Farmers Bank & Trust Company. He is a member of the Arkansas and Columbia County Bar Associations and a member and past president of the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association. He is a past president of the Magnolia Economic Development Corporation and Magnolia Unlimited. Michael enjoys fishing, kayaking, and officiating high school football. He and his wife, Jamie, have four adult children and three grandchildren.

Ronny J. Bell

Of Counsel

After serving honorably in the Air Force, Ronny received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1973 and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1977 and began practicing law that same year with the firm of Anderson and Crumpler in Magnolia, Arkansas, where he became partner in 1979. In 1993, Ronny formed Bell Law Firm, P.A., offering the same quality of service and integrity that forged his reputation early in his career. In 2008, Ronny accepted Michael W. Boyd as partner and changed the firm's name to Bell & Boyd, P.A. Ronny served as elected City Attorney for Magnolia, Arkansas, from 1983 to 2013. He is a former member and past past president of the Magnolia Rotary Club, and is a Paul Harris Fellow. Ronny is an avid outdoorsman and especially enjoys fly fishing. Ronny has two children and one grandchild and resides with his wife, Kittena, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Ronny retired from the active practice of law in late 2013 but continues to be licensed to practice law in Arkansas. Although he is no longer involved in litigation or other contested matters, he continues to handle transactional real estate matters and remains an important member of the Bell & Boyd firm family.

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