in and out of the courtroom

David Pliner608.662.1151

In August 2026, Baker Sterchi secured dismissal on summary judgment for a hospital corporate officer in a negligence case filed in Langlade County Circuit Court, Wisconsin.

Megan Sterchi Lammert816.448.9358

Gregory Odom618.202.5802

Baker Sterchi Members Megan Sterchi Lammert and Greg Odom have been appointed to editorial roles for two of the firm's law blogs.

Gregory Odom618.202.5802

On Oct. 9, Baker Sterchi Member Greg Odom will moderate an ethics session during the Illinois Defense Counsel (IDC) Artificial Intelligence Symposium.

Laura K. Beasley618.202.5801

Baker Sterchi Member Laura Beasley has been appointed membership co-chair of DRI's Drug and Medical Device Committee.

Emily C. O'Connor618.202.5820

Illinois enacts another statute regulating the use of Artificial Intelligence, which impacts employers' hiring, promotion, and discharge decisions.

Heather Field Shore816.448.9329

On Oct. 15, Baker Sterchi Member Heather Shore will serve as a panelist for "Annual Review of Missouri and Kansas Construction Law: Cases and Legislation," a CLE program presented by the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association's (KCMBA) Construction Law Committee.

Jacqueline M. Longfellow816.472.7474

Baker Sterchi Member Jackie Longfellow has been named to Missouri Lawyers Media's 2026 Employment Law POWER List. This marks her second consecutive year receiving the recognition.

Ariel M. Rhines816.460.2829

Illinois' Senate Bill 315, which takes effect on January 1, 2027, establishes safety, transparency, reporting, and independent audit requirements for developers of powerful "frontier" AI models, with stricter obligations for large developers. The law focuses on minimizing catastrophic risks while creating a framework for accountability and oversight. In a departure from similar laws enacted by California and New York, Illinois became the first state to require annual independent audits of large frontier AI model developers.

Max R. Mosley816.448.9396

The Americans with Disabilities Act recognizes a "direct threat" defense to disparate treatment claims, where an employer can establish that the employee poses "a significant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by reasonable accommodation." In Christensen v. Union Pacific Railroad Co., the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment finding that Union Pacific established its direct threat defense because its fitness-for-duty restriction was based on a proper individualized assessment, was objectively reasonable, and relied on the best available objective medical evidence.

Heather Field Shore816.448.9329

On Sept. 4, Baker Sterchi Member Heather Shore presented "Smart Documents, Serious Benefits?: Ethical, Regulatory, and Professional Risks in Using AI for Document Management" during a Douglas County Bar Association (DCBA) Brown Bag CLE.