Charles J. Swartwout

Teneil Kellerman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Teneil, who practices law in St. Louis, Missouri, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Teneil is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mark R. Sanders is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Trusts and Estates. Mark R., who practices law in St. Louis, Missouri, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Mark R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Stephen M. Strum is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Health Care, Litigation - Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. Stephen M., who practices law in St. Louis, Missouri, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephen M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

My focus for more than 25 years has been to advocate fearlessly for clients who have been injured because of the negligence and recklessness of others. Whether you have been hurt by a healthcare provider’s error, a driver’s wrongful actions, or a corporation’s decision to sell a defective product, I have the expertise and insight to right that wrong. My clients hire me to take on their problems and solve them. Having tried nearly 50 cases to jury verdict brings an intensity ...

John Simmons founded the firm in 1999 with seven employees and a focus on asbestos litigation. Under his leadership, the firm has expanded to more than 250 employees, including more than 80 attorneys, spread between five offices in Alton, St. Louis, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. John has overseen some of the biggest verdicts and settlements in the history of asbestos litigation. The firm’s first trial involved a roofer and former Shell Oil employee diagnosed with mesothelioma...

Betty Schaefer draws on not only her significant knowledge of the St. Louis County Probate Division, where she served as legal counsel, but also her considerable experience in private practice to craft arguments that resonate in probate court. Her deep understanding of the probate and trust codes allows her to guide clients through administration and disputes with efficiency and precision. Betty assists clients with estate and trust administration, trust funding, guardianships, and estate pla...

Stephanie A. Black is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Stephanie A., who practices law in St. Louis, Missouri, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephanie A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Special Areas of Focus: Automobile Collision Birth Trauma Brain Injury Catastrophic Injury Hospital Malpractice Medical Malpractice Medical Negligence Nursing Homes Personal Injury Product Liability Professional Malpractic Wrongful Death Awards and Associations: American Bar Association The Missouri Bar Illinois State Bar Association The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis The Association of Trial Lawyers of America American Association for Justice Missouri Association of Trial Attorney...

Vincent D. Reese focuses his practice on labor, employment, and education law, in addition to commercial litigation. Vince has successfully litigated employment discrimination claims based on race, sex, age, disability, religion, national origin, and pregnancy in Missouri and Illinois State Courts as well as many federal district courts around the country. Vince has extensive experience in representing his clients’ interests with respect to investigations conducted by the U.S. Equal Emp...

Gary A. Growe is a 1977 graduate of the George Washington University National Law Center. He has spent his entire professional career devoted to civil litigation and civil trial work. He has handled a wide variety of civil cases, including commercial litigation (including breach of contract cases, franchise litigation, securities litigation, anti-trust litigation and security transaction litigation), personal injury litigation (covering product liability, medical negligence, automobile litiga...