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Southern Illinois

525 West Main Street
Suite 300
Belleville, IL 62220
618 277 4700 618 277 4700 main
618 236 3434 fax

Our Southern Illinois office functions as a boutique litigation team, tackling complex cases on a national scale. This focus is amplified by our location within Madison and St. Clair Counties, Illinois – nationally recognized litigation hotspots. These counties boast the largest asbestos docket in the U.S. (Madison County) and collectively handle over 50% of all US asbestos filings, including a record-breaking $250 million verdict.

Our Southern Illinois office is a national leader in railroad litigation – representing every Class I RR and numerous short lines. The asbestos litigation team is also a national leader, managing a docket of over 500 cases for hundreds of clients across the country. In 2023 alone, nearly half (47%) of all U.S. asbestos cases (3,787 filings) were concentrated in a region encompassing Madison County, St. Clair County, and Cook County, Illinois; and the city of St. Louis, Missouri. This highlights our skill in handling complex asbestos cases nationwide.

Beyond asbestos litigation, our team offers comprehensive representation across a range of legal matters, including premises liability, property damage/environmental issues, product liability claims, class action lawsuits, pharmaceutical litigation, trucking accidents, and labor and employment disputes. This breadth of experience allows us to effectively serve clients facing diverse legal challenges.

While many attorneys come to the area to try cases, few firms maintain offices in Southern Illinois. We have a number of seasoned trial attorneys who work from the Southern Illinois office. These attorneys have handled hundreds of cases in Southern Illinois trial courts, as well as appeals before the Fifth District Appellate Court, the Supreme Court of Illinois and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

The attorneys in our Southern Illinois office are particularly skilled regarding class actions involving product liability, FELA, labor and retaliatory discharge issues, and the Railway Labor Act. Clients also can work with the class action attorneys in our St. Louis office who have significant experience in class actions involving insurance companies and financial institutions.

When you want attorneys with experience in a challenging venue, Thompson Coburn is the firm to choose.

News

Thompson Coburn Welcomes 2024 Fall Associates

Thompson Coburn Names Six New Partners, Four Counsel for 2024

Thompson Coburn welcomes new COO Allen Capdeboscq Jr. and CM&BDO Trish Lilley as strategic leadership hires

Living our values in 2020

Thompson Coburn recognized as one of the most philanthropic companies in St. Louis

Kurt Reitz made a Fellow of American College of Trial Lawyers

Congratulations to our 2021 Best Lawyers ‘Lawyers of the Year’ and ‘Ones to Watch’

Ryan Russell Kemper named to St. Louis Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list

Charity ‘Wall of Backpacks’ stuns Project Backpack founder

Ryan Russell Kemper to head United Way fundraising effort

Congratulations to the new Thompson Coburn partners for 2016

Thompson Coburn adds associates across four offices

Thompson Coburn secures Illinois appellate victory for community hospital

Thompson Coburn wins Illinois Supreme Court victory for ExxonMobil Coal

Practice Area Specialist - Railroad Litigation
Southern Illinois

Cori Barnes is a practice area specialist in the Firm's railroad litigation practice.

Cori Barnes is a practice area specialist in the Firm's railroad litigation...

Cori Barnes
Counsel
Southern Illinois

Crystal has years of experience defending large corporations in civil litigation.

Crystal has years of experience defending large corporations in civil litig...

Crystal Campbell
Associate
Southern Illinois

Jayci is a member of the Litigation Group and represents clients in the areas of products liability, toxic torts, personal injury and railroad litigation.

Jayci is a member of the Litigation Group and represents clients in the are...

Jayci Costello
Paralegal
Southern Illinois

Mike is a paralegal in the Firm's railroad litigation practice.

Mike is a paralegal in the Firm's railroad litigation practice.

Mike Diak
Partner
Southern Illinois

Misty represents companies facing litigation in high-risk venues across the Midwest.

Misty represents companies facing litigation in high-risk venues across the...

Misty Edwards
Associate
Southern Illinois

Ken is a member of the Litigation Group and practices in the areas of products liability, toxic torts, personal injury and railroad litigation.

Ken is a member of the Litigation Group and practices in the areas of produ...

Ken Giacobbe
Associate
Southern Illinois

Lindsay handles general commercial litigation matters, focusing on railroad litigation, product liability, and toxic torts.

Lindsay handles general commercial litigation matters, focusing on railroad...

Lindsay Gilmore
Law Clerk
Southern Illinois

Amber is a member of the Tort Practice Group and focuses on complex legal issues related to toxic tort, asbestos, the railroad industry and Federal Employers' Liability A...

Amber is a member of the Tort Practice Group and focuses on complex legal i...

Amber Gleeson
Senior Counsel - Retired/Non-Practicing
Southern Illinois

Tom has achieved significant results for clients facing major litigation in state and federal courts across the region.

Tom has achieved significant results for clients facing major litigation in...

Tom Jones
Partner
Southern Illinois

Erik practices in the Litigation Group, with an emphasis on products liability, toxic torts, and railroad litigation.

Erik practices in the Litigation Group, with an emphasis on products liabil...

Erik Lewis
Practice Area Specialist - Railroad Litigation
Southern Illinois

Sheri provides essential support to members of the Firm's Litigation Group, including product liability, toxic tort, and railroad litigation practice groups.

Sheri provides essential support to members of the Firm's Litigation Group,...

Sheri Manley
Partner
Southern Illinois

Kevin is a litigation partner focusing in the areas of asbestos, toxic tort, personal injury, products liability, and railroad litigation.

Kevin is a litigation partner focusing in the areas of asbestos, toxic tort...

Kevin McGinley
Paralegal
Southern Illinois

Kim Poole is a paralegal in the firm's Southern Illinois office.

Kim Poole is a paralegal in the firm's Southern Illinois office.

Kimberlee R. Poole
Partner
Southern Illinois

Kurt is experienced in the defense of personal injury and property damage litigation including FELA, trucking, product liability, class action and mass tort litigation.

Kurt is experienced in the defense of personal injury and property damage l...

Kurt Reitz
Paralegal
Southern Illinois

Allison Schroeder is a paralegal in the Firm's railroad litigation practice.

Allison Schroeder is a paralegal in the Firm's railroad litigation practice...

Allison Schroeder
Law Clerk
Southern Illinois

Meghan is part of the Tort practice group, where she specializes in intricate legal matters involving toxic torts, asbestos, the railroad industry, and claims under the F...

Meghan is part of the Tort practice group, where she specializes in intrica...

Meghan Trentz
Partner
Southern Illinois

Erick is a litigation partner in the Firm's Southern Illinois office.

Erick is a litigation partner in the Firm's Southern Illinois office.

Erick VanDorn
Associate
Southern Illinois

Mike practices in the Litigation Group, with an emphasis on products liability, toxic torts, railroad litigation and business litigation.

Mike practices in the Litigation Group, with an emphasis on products liabil...

Mike Vogel