History shapes my experience as a litigator, both in my personal background as a public defender and the industrial past of the southern Illinois region where I practice. In my experience with toxic-tort litigation in Madison County, Illinois — one of the nation’s busiest venues for such cases — I help companies defend against asbestos-related claims. I assists with depositions, arguing motions, and trial related to asbestos lawsuits, including those on behalf of major U.S. manufacturers.

My previous tenure as an assistant public defender in Madison County lends a deeper understanding of what it takes to successfully argue in front of judges, as well as how to prepare for potential settlement negotiations. As a public defender, I handled several hundred juvenile cases, adult felonies and DUI misdemeanors. That experience honed my abilities to handle a high volume of work and to seek new, outside-the-box solutions to legal issues.