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Elise Puma

Elise Puma

Associate

St. Louis
314 552 6218 direct

  • OVERVIEW
  • NEWS & EVENTS

INDUSTRIES

PRACTICES

  • Education

    • University of Oklahoma College of Law,

      J.D., with highest honors, 2015

      SBA Student Body President

      Order of the Barristers

      Oklahoma Law Review

      Board of Advocates

      Comfort Top Ten Scholar

      Order of the Coif

    • Florida International University,

      M.S. Criminal Justice, 2012

    • University of Oklahoma,

      B.A. Psychology with Criminology Minor, 2010

  • Admissions

    • Illinois

    • Missouri

    • Wisconsin

    • Missouri USDC, Eastern District

    • Michigan USDC, Western District

    • Wisconsin USDC, Eastern District

  • Recognitions

    • Listed in "Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch" for Commercial Litigation in St. Louis, Missouri (by BL Rankings), 2021

  • Employment

    • Thompson Coburn LLP

      Associate, 2015-Present

      Summer Associate, 2014

    • University of Oklahoma Office of Legal Counsel

      Legal Intern, 2013-2014

    • U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Oklahoma

      Appellate Division Law Clerk, 2013

    • Atkinson, Haskins, Nellis, Brittingham, Gladd & Fiasco (Tulsa)

      Law Clerk, 2013

  • Community

    • American Bar Association

    • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis

    • FOCUS St. Louis

    • Junior League of St. Louis

    • Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers

    • OU Alumni Association - St. Louis Chapter

    • United Way Young Leaders

Elise has experience in both trials and appeals, representing clients across the country in complex commercial litigation, as well as government investigations. Her practice involves numerous industries, including food & beverage, health care, and manufacturing.

In particular, Elise advocates for both plaintiffs and defendants in all stages of litigation, from pre-suit investigations through appeals. She has experience assisting clients in a variety of litigation, including class actions, health care investigations, contract and franchise disputes, business torts, consumer fraud, corporate governance and shareholder disputes, and landlord-tenant matters. Elise has helped clients successfully defend consumer advertising fraud claims, navigate complex discovery disputes, respond to DOJ health care investigations, dispute jurisdictional issues, and win over $4 million in damages for a landlord-tenant contract dispute.

Prior to joining Thompson Coburn, Elise worked in higher education marketing, managing social media and digital marketing for various university departments. She brings her prior work experience to apply practical approaches to resolving litigation. Elise also graduated with highest honors from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where she earned numerous academic, writing, and national moot court honors.

Outside the Firm, Elise is actively involved in the community. She handles pro bono landlord-tenant cases, volunteers through multiple child-focused organizations, and participates in national and local bar associations. Elise currently serves on the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis Communications Committee, for which she writes the monthly restaurant column in the Lawyer magazine. She previously served on the ABA Young Lawyers Division Social Media Committee and was selected to participate in the FOCUS St. Louis Emerging Leaders program.