 | The attorneys of Thompson Coburn LLP are supported by an experienced administrative staff, organized into seven functional departments: Client Relations, Finance, Information Systems, Human Resources, Library & Research, Office Operations, and Practice Support Services. These resources are an integral component of the legal services we provide. Professional management of the various business functions of the firm frees our attorneys to devote their time to serving our clients. The heads of each of the administrative departments report to the Chief Operating Officer.
Steve Blackwell has over thirty years of law firm management experience and has served as Thompson Coburn’s Chief Operating Officer since 2008.
|  | Client Relations
A professional marketing staff supports our attorneys as they manage their client relationships and grow their business. This department is responsible for initiating and supporting the firm's marketing efforts, including strategic planning, business development coaching and support, media relations, advertising, internal communications, and community relations. The Client Relations staff includes marketing and business development professionals, graphic designers, writers and data analysts who provide sophisticated consultation and support for our marketing objectives.
Anne Schuster has served as the firm’s Director of Client Relations since joining Thompson Coburn in 2001.
|  | Finance
CPAs and degreed accountants manage Thompson Coburn's Business Office, directing the firm's accounting functions, including financial recordkeeping, reporting and analysis, client billing, collections, budgets and forecasts, tax returns, payroll, and retirement plan administration. We work closely with clients who have specific billing requirements, including electronic data exchange.
Mary Ann Hallemann has served as the firm’s Chief Financial Officer since joining Thompson Coburn in 1980.
|  | Human Resources
The Human Resources department consists of a professional staff of human resources, recruiting, benefits, HRIS and administrative personnel who support our attorneys, paralegals and staff in the areas of recruitment, employee relations, benefits administration, diversity, and training and development. The staff also ensures compliance with firm policies and procedures applicable to all firm personnel.
Angela Schaefer has served as Director of Human Resources since March 2008.
|  | Information Systems
Thompson Coburn is one of the country's most technologically advanced law firms. We are committed to partnering with our clients to use technology to their best advantage, whether executing favorable deals or winning in litigation matters. Our experience with legal practice applications includes work product development, case document management and retrieval systems, electronic discovery, and many practice-specific applications. We use emerging technology to provide efficient, effective service to our clients.
Our networking capabilities enable the firm to effectively serve clients nationwide. We provide clients with electronic access to their information via secured Internet connections and, in some cases, enable clients to use our systems to assist them in managing case information. The firm routinely works with clients to facilitate task-based electronic billing systems.
Thompson Coburn is an early adopter of high-potential technologies. We were one of the first law firms to employ electronic imaging and presentation in a federal courtroom in the early 1990s, and we continue to press for innovative and cost-effective litigation support technologies. The firm employs internal professional staff and equipment for cost effective preparation, production and presentation of graphics, photos, video and multimedia electronic information to support litigation, intellectual property, real estate and other legal practice areas.
The firm has an extensive intranet, providing a central resource for legal practice and administrative departments, and enabling quick, efficient access to information and applications. Many of our attorneys and professionals carry wireless devices so they have immediate access to their email, contacts and calendar wherever they are. All firm offices have full video conferencing capabilities operating over our private wide area network.
Phil Rightler has served as the firm’s Chief Information Officer since joining Thompson Coburn in 1990.
|  | Library Services
A professional library staff supports attorney research and firm-wide projects. The firm maintains a library in each of its locations, with an extensive practice-based collection in the St. Louis office, and aggressively supports initiatives to provide an increasing proportion of required reference materials in electronic form on our attorneys' desktops. Using paper and electronic resources, the library delivers legal, legislative, business and scientific information to the firm. The staff promotes effective use of the Internet through topical and alphabetical indices of Internet resources and by organizing commercial, subscription-based and free sites for the end user.
In addition, our library staff trains attorneys and other staff members on the use of the paper and electronic collections and works closely with information providers to ensure information is available to our users through the most innovative and cost-effective means.
Mary Kay Jung has served as the firm’s Director of Library Services since coming to Thompson Coburn in 1989.
|  | Administration
A seasoned administrative staff provides facilities management, purchasing, word processing, secretarial, training, records management and mail/copy/fax services to all offices. The Administration Department ensures that proper support services are in place to assist the legal staff with the efficient delivery of service to our clients and the firm.
Larry Schulte has served as the firm’s Director of Administration since joining Thompson Coburn in 1996.
|  | Practice Support Services
A diverse pool of professional resources gives our attorneys the depth of support they need to provide the highest level of client service and ensures that our clients benefit from cost-effective management of those legal services by channeling work to appropriate support personnel. This approach reduces costs, while allowing our attorneys to focus entirely on case-related issues. The administrative umbrella of Practice Support Services covers the recruiting, development and management of the firm’s paralegals, practice area assistants and litigation clerks, and also provides practice-specific docketing services, patent and trademark illustration, medical consultation, legal investigation and other professional non-attorney services throughout the firm’s offices.
Jacqueline O'Quinn has served as Thompson Coburn’s Director of Practice Support Services since November 2007.
|  | Loss Prevention
The attorneys at Thompson Coburn are supported by experienced loss prevention counsel. This department is responsible for providing Thompson Coburn’s attorneys and staff counseling on ethical and professional responsibility matters, overseeing new client intake, evaluating and clearing conflicts, preparing conflict waiver letters and setting up ethical walls, conducting loss prevention training and continuing legal education classes, and insuring client relations materials comply with the Rules of Professional Conduct.
Allison Price has served at the firm’s Loss Prevention Counsel since joining Thompson Coburn in 2010.
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