Tony Watkins III

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 ...

Lisa G. Moore was working full time in business management while she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Columbia College in 1994. When she entered law school in 1995, she began her legal career as a law clerk with Paule, Camazine and Blumenthal, P.C. and in 1998 she received her law degree from St. Louis University School of Law. Ms. Moore’s natural leadership skills are evident in both her legal career and business career prior to law school. Listed as a Missouri and...

Mark Piontek is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Municipal Law. Mark, 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 Mark is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Chad Reis is a skilled trial lawyer and focuses his practice on employment law, representing clients in employment litigation before juries in state and federal courts and before state and federal administrative agencies. He has a broad range of employment trial experience, including claims involving: Discrimination Harassment Whistleblowing and retaliation Wage and hour matters Chad represents numerous national and local employers in the following industries: Retail Hospitality Construction ...

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...

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

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...

Attorney Nick Angelides is a shareholder at Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC. He joined the firm in 2003. He currently helps direct the legal strategy for all of the firm’s asbestos and mesothelioma cases. In addition, he oversees the firm's Los Angeles office. A veteran of more than 300 asbestos cases, Nick has extensive experience representing individuals exposed to asbestos through their work as pipefitters, sheet metal workers, ship yard workers, HVAC workers and more. His legal career span...

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...

Jonathan P. Soifer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Copyright Law, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Patent Law and Trademark Law. Jonathan P., who practices law in Clayton, Missouri, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jonathan P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.