Thomas C. "Tom" DeVoto

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...

Mark H. Levison is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Copyright Law. Mark H., who practices law in St. Louis, Missouri, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Mark H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Victor Essen is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. Victor, 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 Victor is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John S. Sandberg is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Real Estate, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. John S., who practices law in St. Louis, Missouri, has been recognized since 2005. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and...

Mr. Keller is a member in our wealth strategies and corporate practice areas. He concentrates his practice in estate planning, probate and general business, corporate law and succession planning. Mr. Keller is an adjunct professor at the Washington University School of Law in the Master's of Taxation Program where he teaches a class in business succession planning. Mr. Keller is a frequent lecturer and speaker on estate planning, business succession planning and tax issues. He has authored ar...

Thomas J. O’Toole, Jr. is a founding member of the law firm of Mickes O’Toole, LLC. He chairs the firm’s Business and Corporate Group, while his practice focuses on real estate, specializing in zoning/land use, condemnation and real estate transactions. He received both his undergraduate degree (1979) and law degree (1985) from St. Louis University. Tom is a respected leader in the St. Louis legal and business community. For nearly 30 years, he has built a solid reputation f...

Melanie Gurley Keeney practices in the areas of education, higher education, labor and employment, and immigration law. Her experience in education law includes representing school districts and institutions of higher education regarding various personnel and student matters, including tenure, terminations, discrimination, First Amendment, discipline, special education, Title IX, sexual discrimination, § 1983 claims, Open Meetings law, OCR complaints and other issues. Melanie represents ...

Gretchen Garrison graduated from the University of Missouri in 1982 with a degree in Hospital Administration. She earned her law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1986, where she served as managing editor of the UMKC Law Reviewand on the Moot Court Board. Ms. Garrison is admitted to practice before all Missouri state courts, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. She has appeared before every appellate court in...

Richard D. Watters advises all types of health care clients from large hospital systems to individual physicians, nurses and other health care professionals on various matters including general health care laws and regulations, business operations, contracting, governance and corporate issues, licensing/regulatory compliance, the Stark Law, fraud and abuse, EMTALA, Certificates of Need, medical staff issues, practice and business acquisitions, joint ventures, Medicare and Medicaid conditions ...

Don Schlapprizzi is the President of Schlapprizzi Attorneys at Law and is one of the most highly regarded trial lawyers in the State of Missouri. In 1981 he founded Schlapprizzi PC, which he has continued to expand through the years, to ensure those hurt by another's negligence or other wrongful act could obtain justice. He was the lead trial lawyer in the longest civil jury trial in the history of Missouri. Over the years, his firm has handled a wide variety of cases in Missouri and Illinois...