Connor Walsh

Gene J. Brockland is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property. Gene J., who practices law in St. Louis, Missouri, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Gene J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

Derek P. Ruzicka focuses his trial practice in a diverse range of areas, with an emphasis in complex litigation. He has handled cases in a number of difficult venues, from the City of St. Louis, Missouri, to Madison and St. Clair Counties, in Illinois, and Federal Court in East St. Louis and St. Louis. Whether through dismissal, favorable trial verdicts, or reasonable case resolutions, he has successfully handled many difficult matters through completion. Derek’s experience is extensive...

Michelle H. Basi practices primarily in the areas of education, special education, litigation, and labor and employment law. Michelle regularly advises school districts and charter schools on student matters, including special education and Section 504 compliance, First Amendment rights, Title IX compliance and student discipline. Michelle also advises schools districts and charter schools on employment matters, including Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, the FMLA, and the Teacher Tenure Act. Mic...

Michael K. Daming is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Real Estate Law. Michael K., who practices law in St. Louis, Missouri, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Hallie Van Duren is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Collaborative Law: Family Law, Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Hallie, 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 Hallie is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Scott K.G. Kozak is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants. Scott K.G., who practices law in Clayton, Missouri, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Scott K.G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Shareholder Perry Browder is head of the Asbestos Department at Simmons Hanly Conroy. He has worked for more than 30 years helping numerous families resolve hundreds of million dollar-plus cases. He started at the firm in 2001 and played a key role in helping the firm develop a national reputation. Within a few years, he had successfully secured one of the largest asbestos verdicts in the country, a $250 million verdict against U.S. Steel. Today, Perry manages the firm’s more than 50 as...

Jim Layton joined the firm in 2017 after serving more than 22 years in the Missouri Attorney General’s Office—nearly all of those as the State’s principal civil appellate lawyer, Solicitor General. Jim practices in both appellate and trial courts, particularly in matters involving complex legal questions, including those arising under the U.S. and Missouri constitutions, Missouri school funding and other education statutes, discrimination laws, and Missouri tax laws. He repr...

Matthew J. Madsen’s practice includes the representation of affluent private clients in the structure and implementation of complex estate and wealth transfer planning strategies, estate and trust administration and litigation, and audits of gift and estate tax returns. Mr. Madsen advises private clients on their charitable giving strategies, ranging from charitable pledge agreements, donor-advised funds, supporting organizations to private foundations. Mr. Madsen similarly advises tax-...