Joe's primary emphasis is products liability and related personal injury cases, business litigation and employment litigation. He has tried numerous jury trials involving products liability matters and he has obtained defense verdicts in jury trials in states throughout the nation. Joe regularly handles cases alleging injuries due to defective products, including wrongful death cases. His products liability experience includes firearms, ammunition, other industrial products and failure to warn claims. Joe also handles cases covering all aspects of employment law issues including age, gender, race, sexual harassment, disability, hostile environment and non-compete agreements. Professional Associations & Memberships · Defense Research Institute · The Missouri Bar · Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers Civic Involvement · Ronald McDonald House Charities of Metro St. Louis, Golf Tournament Committee Experience · Obtained a defense verdict in an employment case when plaintiff sued client, BJC Medical Group, an affiliate of BJC HealthCare, alleging that she was terminated because she was disabled and/or the employer perceived her as disabled. The jury returned a defense verdict after approximately 30 minutes. BJC is one of the largest employers in the State of Missouri. · Obtained a defense verdict in a two-week jury trial in Milwaukee County, Wis., Circuit Court. Plaintiff alleged a traumatic brain injury and was seeking $21 million in damages. The jury returned a defense verdict and found no negligence by our clients and found plaintiff negligent and assessed her 100 percent of the fault. · Attained a defense jury verdict in a negligence liability action involving an alleged toxic exposure that resulted in second-degree burns and alleged permanent respiratory problems · Secured a summary judgment on an age and disability discrimination action arising out of a termination decision in the Federal Court in the Eastern District of Missouri · Tried a failure to warn case in Florence, S.C., in which the jury verdict was substantially lower than the plaintiff's demand · Obtained a defendant's verdict in gender discrimination case tried in Federal Court in Cincinnati, Ohio News & Publications Publications 7.1.10, Asserting the Workers Compensation Exclusive Remedy Bar After McCracken, Journal of the Missouri Bar Events 11.1.09, Preparation and Control of the 'Facts Beyond Change' - Key Strategies to a Successful Cross-Examination, Navigating the Federal Trial Program
Speaking Engagements |