Paul N. Venker

Firm Partner Michael Stewart focuses his legal practice on helping individuals and families who have been wrongfully injured. Mike has represented people across the United States in wrongful death and personal injury cases. He currently represents individuals and their families in product liability, wrongful death, railroad injury and FELA claims and other catastrophic injury cases. Before joining the firm, Mike was a member of the United States Marine Corps from 1984 to 1988. His Education &...

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...

John Kemppainen has more than 30 years of courtroom experience defending clients in Missouri and Illinois. He is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell, recognized as a Missouri Super Lawyer, and has been named one of the Top Lawyers in Missouri by the St. Louis Post Dispatch . His practice includes personal injury, products liability, wrongful death, class actions, and toxic torts, with clients ranging from insurers and corporations to municipalities and individuals. He also serves as National Coord...

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...

Deborah C.M. Henry is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Deborah C.M., who practices law in St. Louis, Missouri, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Deborah C.M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Karen Milner's practice focuses on the representation and counsel of management in matters and disputes related to employment law and labor relations. Clients rely on Karen's day-to-day employment law counseling in the areas of wage and hour compliance, affirmative action planning and compliance, business immigration law, and workplace safety & health. She routinely works with in-house counsel, human resources directors and staff, and directors of labor relations to develop litigation avo...

Michael Shelton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Michael, who practices law in St. Louis, Missouri, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

This year I was selected as Lawyer of the Year for 2016 by Mo. Lawyers Weekly. Also received award for 2nd largest defense verdict in Mo. for year 2015. ($50,000,000)

Bob Stewart has extensive employment law/labor law trial experience in federal and state courts (jury and non-jury), as well as before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and arbitrators. Throughout his career, counseling clients on virtually all aspects of the employment relationship, successfully to avoid litigation, has also been a focus. Another significant aspect of Bob’s practice has been assisting employers in dealing with labor unions, both during collective bargaining, st...

Conard Metcalf has successfully represented hundreds of men and women diagnosed with asbestos-caused cancers, such as mesothelioma and lung cancer, as well as individuals suffering from asbestosis and other occupational diseases and toxic injuries. Mr. Metcalf has been invited to speak about asbestos-related diseases at medical conferences and legal seminars and has published articles about occupational diseases in several legal journals. Mr. Metcalf received his law degree from the Universit...