in and out of the courtroom

Laura K. Beasley618.202.5801

Courtney C. Ragland618.202.5818

For 2025, Madison and St. Clair Counties return to the Judicial Hellholes® list alongside Cook County, collectively ranked #7. Together, these three Illinois jurisdictions have developed reputations as plaintiff-friendly venues, attracting high volumes of asbestos filings, no-injury BIPA class actions, and increasingly, the same types of emerging litigation seen across the river in St. Louis—including lawsuits targeting manufacturers of medically necessary infant formula used to treat premature infants. This regional concentration of mass-tort and high-exposure litigation, coupled with the prevalence of nuclear verdicts, also contributes to St. Louis's placement as the #6 Judicial Hellhole.

Philip V. Sumner816.460.2811

Baker Sterchi Member Phil Sumner will speak at the will speak at the 2026 CLM Annual Conference held March 25-27 at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Florida.

Lee J. Hurwitz618.202.5824

On March 26, Baker Sterchi Member Lee Hurwitz will speak at the 2026 CLM Annual Conference held March 25-27 at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Florida.

Max R. Mosley816.448.9396

John A. Watt816.471.2121

The Missouri Supreme Court has reaffirmed that expert testimony must meet the requirements of Section 490.065 that the opinion be the product of reliable principles and methods, reliably applied.

Heather Field Shore816.448.9329

John A. Watt816.471.2121

Baker Sterchi Kansas City Members Heather Shore and John Watt have been named to the 2026 Missouri Lawyers Media Construction Law POWER List, which recognizes attorneys representing contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers and property owners in construction-related matters.

Katherine Cortesy608.662.1159

Christa L. Keel608.662.1162

David Pliner608.662.1151

Aaron Baratz608.662.1152

The firm sponsored the 13th Annual Jackie Macaulay Auction held Mar. 7 at the University of Wisconsin Law School Atrium.

Amy C. Nevad314.345.5004

On March 6, Baker Sterchi Director of Office Operations Amy Nevad, secretary of the Gateway Chapter Executive Board of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), served as a panelist at the chapter's program, "Inside the Modern Law Firm: Opportunities Beyond the Practice of Law," co-sponsored by Webster University.

Laura K. Beasley618.202.5801

Baker Sterchi Member Laura Beasley co-authored the article, "Rewriting the Business of Law Through Non-Lawyer Involvement," published in the first-quarter edition of the Illinois Defense Counsel (IDC) Quarterly.

Brian G. Maxey206.973.8680

On March 16, Baker Sterchi attorney Brian Maxey will serve as a panelist at the Second Annual Leading Without a Badge Summit being held in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Laura K. Beasley618.202.5801

Alena N. Johnston314.345.5081

Tom A. Kammerer314.345.5013

Jennifer L. Maloney314.345.5076

Emily C. O'Connor618.202.5820

Courtney C. Ragland618.202.5818

Jessica M. Reis314.345.5023

The firm sponsored the Fourth Annual Women in the Law Symposium held March 5 at the St. Clair Country Club in Belleville, Illinois.