Melissa A. Trout

Patricia D. Gray is a partner at Muhm & Reilly, LLC. She received a B.S.N. degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1963 and a J.D. from Washington University in 1981. She is admitted to practice in Missouri and the U.S. Tax Court, and is a member of the Missouri Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Bar Association of Metropolitan Saint Louis and the Women Lawyer’s Association. Ms. Gray is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, a former Adjunc...

Kenneth P. Danzinger is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs and Workers' Compensation Law - Claimants. Kenneth P., who practices law in Alton, Illinois, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kenneth P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Patrick W. Stufflebeam is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Insurance and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants. Patrick W., who practices law in Edwardsville, Illinois, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Patrick W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Don O’Keefe has over 25 years of experience as a trial lawyer. In all, he has tried more than 100 cases to verdict in state and federal courts in Missouri and Illinois and arbitrations before the American Arbitration Association and United States Arbitration and Mediation. Don has argued before appellate courts in both Missouri and Illinois and has been before the Missouri Supreme Court on multiple cases. Don is a member of many prominent legal and state bar organizations including the ...

Kimberly A. Yates focuses her practice on labor and employment litigation, particularly in the areas of: Wage and hour collective and class action matters Restrictive covenant contracts and non-competes cases Discrimination and retaliation lawsuits Originally from mid-Missouri, she currently resides in southern Illinois and predominately practices in Missouri and Illinois federal and state courts and represents clients across a multitude of industries, ranging from national restaurant chains ...

AJ Bruning – Attorney at Law AJ Bruning is a nationally recognized trial lawyer and founding attorney at The Bruning Law Firm in St. Louis, Missouri. For more than two decades, AJ has dedicated his career to representing individuals and families injured by negligence, workplace accidents, and unsafe products. His practice focuses on workers’ compensation , personal injury , and catastrophic injury claims , where he has built a reputation for securing meaningful results for his cli...

Kevin M. Kercher is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Patent Law. Kevin M., 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 Kevin M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

James G. Thomeczek is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Education Law. James G., 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 James G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Luther W. Simmons, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Luther W., who practices law in Alton, Illinois, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Luther W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

James F. Bennett has a national practice of cases that are not expected to settle before trial or appeal. He is lead trial and appellate counsel in high-profile cases, and has tried to verdict many cases involving eight- and nine-figure amounts in dispute. He has also prevailed before trial in other, similar cases and has argued appeals in eight different appellate courts around the country. Three times in recent years, he was awarded the “largest” defense or plaintiff verdict awa...