Bar/Professional Activity:

• BAR ADMISSIONS: Missouri 1984, Illinois 1985, United States District Court Eastern District of Missouri, United States District Court Western District of Missouri, United States District Court Southern District of Illinois, United States District Court Central District of Illinois, United States District Court District of Kansas, United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, United States Supreme Court

Scholarly Lectures and Writings:

• "Avoiding Retaliation Claims," United Educators Publication, 2002.  "Turning Bad Claims into Good Lawsuits – Retaliation and Whistleblower Suits," National Association of College and University Attorneys, Austin, Texas, 2003.  "How to Lose a Jury Trial," Employment Law Alliance, Montreal, Canada, 2003.  "Managing the Embarrassing Executive in Litigation," Employment Law Alliance, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2003.  "Auditing Hiring Practices and Policies," National Association of College and University Attorneys, Atlanta, Georgia, 2004.  "Lessons Learned from the Trenches," College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, San Diego, California, 2006.  "Emerging Employment and Disability Law Issues," University of Vermont Legal Issues in Higher Education Conference, Burlington, Vermont, 2006.  "Amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act," Employment Law Alliance Webinar, January 2009.  "Missouri Human Rights Act Caselaw and Proposed Legislative Changes," Missouri Department of Higher Education Conference, May 2009.  "Effective Mediation Advocacy from the Advocate's Perspective," Bar Assocation of Metropolitan St. Louis, August 2009.  "Missouri Human Rights Act: Expanding Employer and Supervisor Liability," St. Louis Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, October 2009.  "Campus Safety and the Clery Act," Midwestern Regional Conference of the University Risk Management & Insurance Association, May 2010.  "My Space is not Your Space: What Employers Need to Know About Employee Social Networking," Employment Law Alliance Webinar, May 2010.

Verdicts and Settlements:

• SIGNIFICANT TRIALS:  Petkoff v. Metropolitan Community College. Claim of disability discrimination and retaliation by former facilities superintendent at College's campus.  Plaintiff, an Iraq war veteran, claimed he was terminated because of a disability (PTSD), and because he had filed a discrimination claim.  Plaintiff sought $1 million settlement prior to trial.  Plaintiff's counsel requested over $1.2 million in actual damages and $9 million in punitive damages at trial.  Defendant's verdict.  Moll v. General Automatic Transfer Company. Product liability claim (serious burns alleged) tried before a jury.  Defendant’s Verdict. Page v. Fort Zumwalt R-II School District. Negligence claims against District and teacher (serious personal injury alleged). Defendant’s Verdict. Schaefer v. Spider Staging Corporation.  Personal injury negligence and product liability claims tried before a jury in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.  Judgment for Defendant following two jury trials. Shafer v. Parkway School District.  ADA claim tried before a jury in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.  Defendant’s Verdict. Zuelke v. Southern Illinois University.  Title VII and retaliation claims tried before a jury in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.  Defendant’s Verdict.  SIGNIFICANT ARBITRATIONS:  In re: Engineered Fastener. Obtained award of actual and punitive damages for client on counterclaim relating to the dissolution of business partnership. In re: Pandjiris. Obtained actual damages for client in dispute over sale of equipment. In re: Corrigan v. Sun Container. Obtained award of damages, interest and expenses exceeding $740,000 in dispute over employment agreement.  SIGNIFICANT APPEALS:  Amir v. St. Louis University, 184 F.3d 1017 (8th Cir. 1999).  Important ADA and retaliation decision. Cross Oil v. Phillips Petroleum Company, 944 F. Supp. 787 (E.D.Mo. 1996).  Summary judgment in RCRA and common law tort action for environmental contamination. In re First Escrow, Inc., 840 S.W.2d 839 (Mo. 1992).  Key Supreme Court decision regarding unauthorized practice of law. Keveney v. Missouri Military Academy, ___ S.W.3d ____ (Mo. 2010).  Leading case on rights of contract employees to assert wrongful termination tort claims.  Nemsky v. ConocoPhillips, et al., 2009 U.S. App. LEXIS 17227 (7th Cir. 2009). Judgment in favor of employer in hybrid-Section 301 claim under the National Labor Relations Act. Nichols v. Southern Illinois University, 510 F.3d 772 (7th Cir. 2007).  Summary judgment for employer in multi-plaintiff discrimination/retaliation case. Peile v. Skelgas, Inc., 163 Ill. 2d 323 (Ill. 1994).  Illinois Supreme Court’s key ruling upholding intrastate forum non conveniens. State ex rel Burlington Northern v. Forder, 787 S.W.2d 725 (Mo. banc 1990).  Key venue decision regarding municipal corporations. White v. Thomson Concrete Pump Co., 747 S.W. 2d 655 (Mo. App. 1988).  Affirming Defendants’ verdict in wrongful death products liability action.

Representative Clients:

• Columbia College, ConocoPhillips Company, Kenworth Truck Company, Lincoln College, Maryville University, Metropolitan Commuity College, Missouri State University, Southern Illinois University, St. Louis Community College, University of Missouri, Washington University, Westminster College, William Woods University.

Educational Background:

• B.A., Rice University, 1981. J.D., Washington University School of Law, 1984, Notes and Comments Editor, Washington University Journal of Urban and Contemporary Law.B