BSCR Firm News/Blogs Feed

Toxic Tort Associate, St. Louis or Belleville

08 Jun 2026

Our St. Louis or Belleville office has an opportunity for an attorney with 3-5 years of experience in toxic tort defense. View the job description here.

Paul Venker to Present on Freedom Suits for NPA Likes Lecture Series

05 Jun 2026

Baker Sterchi attorney Paul Venker will present as part of the New Philadelphia Association’s 22nd Annual Likes Lecture Series on June 9.

Venker’s presentation, “Freedom Suits and the Freedom Suits Memorial,” will address the history of the St. Louis freedom suits and his work with the Freedom Suits Memorial Foundation, where he serves as president. The foundation’s mission includes development of a physical memorial and educational efforts to expand understanding of the cases and the individuals involved.

The St. Louis freedom suits were legal actions brought by more than 300 enslaved people who sought their freedom in St. Louis Circuit Court between the Louisiana Purchase and the Emancipation Proclamation. The memorial honors those individuals, as well as the lawyers and judges who participated in these early civil rights cases.

The New Philadelphia Association is the caretaker organization devoted to memorializing New Philadelphia, Illinois, the first U.S. town founded and planned by a free Black American before the Civil War.

The free Zoom session is scheduled for 7 p.m. Central. Registration is required. For more information or to register, click here.

Bob Christie Elected Secretary of Lawyers for Civil Justice

04 Jun 2026

Baker Sterchi Member Bob Christie has been elected secretary of Lawyers for Civil Justice (LCJ) and will continue his servicing on the organization’s board of directors and Executive Committee.

Lawyers for Civil Justice is a national coalition of companies, law firms and defense bar organizations that advocates for reform of procedural litigation rules to promote the just, speedy and inexpensive resolution of civil claims. LCJ’s advocacy focuses on class actions, multidistrict litigation, expert evidence standards, cost allocation, discovery and third-party litigation funding.

At Baker Sterchi, Christie co-chairs the firm’s Trial & Appellate Practice Group and is a member of the Public-Sector Risk Management & Consulting group. He defends professionals, businesses, governmental entities, law enforcement officers and individuals in high-exposure matters.

Christie is active in several peer-selected legal organizations. He serves as chair of the International Association of Defense Counsel Trial Techniques and Tactics Committee, is a member and past president of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel and is a member of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys.

Christie earned his law degree from Seattle University School of Law and is admitted to practice in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Baker Sterchi and Attorneys Recognized by Chambers USA 2026

04 Jun 2026

Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice and five attorneys have been recognized in the 2026 edition of Chambers USA for insurance, general commercial litigation and product liability litigation in Missouri and the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Firm Recognitions

Insurance, Missouri, Band 2
General Commercial Litigation, Kansas City & Surrounding Areas, Band 3
Product Liability Litigation, Missouri, Band 3

Individual Attorney Recognitions

Clay Crawford and Scott Hofer - Insurance, Missouri, Band 1
Scott Hofer and Scott Kreamer - General Commercial Litigation, Kansas City & Surrounding Areas, Band 4 and Band 3
Jennifer Maloney and John Watt - Product Liability Litigation, Missouri, Band 3

Chambers USA ranks law firms and attorneys across the United States through independent research that includes interviews with clients and other market sources. Rankings assess qualities such as legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial awareness, diligence and commitment.

Defense Judgment Obtained for Physician in Medical Record Defamation Case

03 Jun 2026

Baker Sterchi obtained judgment for the defense on behalf of a physician in a small claims trial in Marathon County, WI. The plaintiff alleged entries in her medical records were false and defamatory and could affect future medical care.

At trial, the court elected to hear arguments on the issue of damages before addressing the truthfulness of the statements at issue. The defense successfully argued that the plaintiff failed to prove she suffered any damages because of the medical record entries. The court entered judgment for the defense and dismissed the case.

Baker Sterchi Welcomes Attorney Olive Smith

03 Jun 2026

Baker Sterchi welcomes Olive Smith as an associate in the firm’s Portland office. Smith is a civil defense litigator who helps clients navigate contested matters involving government liability defense, law enforcement and civil rights defense and professional and management liability.

Prior to joining the firm, Smith defended the Texas Comptroller in multimillion-dollar tax suits and appeals, represented oil-and-gas operators in administrative hearings involving complex geological fact finding and represented citizen advocacy groups in proceedings involving environmental permitting.

Smith earned her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law and her undergraduate degrees summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin. She is licensed to practice in Oregon and Texas.

Baker Sterchi Welcomes Attorney Ariel Rhines

01 Jun 2026

Baker Sterchi welcomes Ariel Rhines as an associate in the firm’s Kansas City office. Rhines defends clients in civil and commercial litigation, including personal injury and premises liability matters.

Rhines is a member of the Missouri Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division. She earned her law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law, where she served as managing editor of the Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy, and her undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas. She is licensed to practice in Missouri, Kansas and Illinois.

Associate Attorney, Kansas City

01 Jun 2026

Our Kansas City office has an opportunity for an associate attorney with 0 – 4 years of experience and a strong interest in litigation defense. View the job description here.

Missouri Court Bars Arbitration for Failure to Include Mandatory Statutory Notice

29 May 2026

ABSTRACT: The Missouri Court of Appeals (Eastern District) affirmed the trial court’s denial of a motion to compel arbitration, where the arbitration agreement chose to apply Missouri’s Uniform Arbitration Act (“MUAA”) but omitted the statute’s mandatory boldface notice on the signature page about binding arbitration.

Key Facts

In Tri-Star Imports, Inc. d/b/a Mercedes-Benz of St. Louis v. Jackson Lewis, P.C., et al., the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, affirmed the trial court’s refusal to compel arbitration of a legal malpractice claim against a law firm.

The client retained the law firm in 2018 in connection with two hostile-work-environment matters. The engagement agreement contained an arbitration clause within a “Dispute Resolution” section, stating that arbitration “shall be in accordance with the Uniform Arbitration Act of Missouri.”

After the client later filed a legal malpractice action, the firm moved to dismiss or stay and compel arbitration. Although the agreement referenced the Missouri Uniform Arbitration Act (“MUAA”), the firm argued the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”) should govern because the representation involved interstate commerce, including out-of-state parties, work performed in Texas, and interstate communications and payments.

The trial court denied the motion, finding the MUAA applied and the arbitration clause failed to comply with the MUAA’s mandatory notice provision. The Eastern District affirmed.

The Court’s Holdings

1. The MUAA Governed the Arbitration Clause

The court acknowledged that the FAA generally governs arbitration agreements involving interstate commerce. But it emphasized that parties may expressly agree to apply state arbitration law instead.

Here, the agreement specifically stated that arbitration would proceed “in accordance with” the MUAA. Relying on Missouri precedent and the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Volt Information Sciences, Inc. v. Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University, 489 U.S. 468 (1989), the court held that, when parties expressly agree to abide by state rules of arbitration, the FAA will not preempt enforcement and state law will govern, even when the contract involves interstate commerce.

2. The Missing MUAA Notice Rendered the Clause Unenforceable

Section 435.460 of the MUAA requires contracts subject to the statute to contain a conspicuous warning adjacent to or above the signature line stating:

“THIS CONTRACT CONTAINS A BINDING ARBITRATION PROVISION WHICH MAY BE ENFORCED BY THE PARTIES.”

The warning must appear in ten-point, all-capital letters.

The court found the required notice appeared nowhere in the engagement agreement. Because the statute uses mandatory language (“shall”), the court held the omission rendered the arbitration provision unenforceable.

Why This Matters

For Lawyers and Law Firms

The case is an important drafting reminder. Parties typically don’t choose to apply the state law arbitration statute over the FAA. But when an agreement expressly selects the MUAA, the statutory signature-page notice is mandatory.

If the goal is to rely on the FAA, drafters should avoid language incorporating the MUAA unless they intend to comply with the Act’s formal requirements.

The opinion also contains an important ethical reminder. Although the court did not decide whether attorney-client agreements requiring arbitration of malpractice claims are enforceable generally, it specifically referenced Missouri lawyers’ professional obligations to ensure clients are fully informed about the scope and effect of arbitration provisions.

For Businesses

Many commercial agreements contain arbitration provisions selecting Missouri law. Businesses should review whether their agreements expressly invoke the MUAA and, if so, whether the required statutory notice appears in the proper location and format. Failure to comply with the statute may result in a court refusing to compel arbitration altogether.

Practical Drafting Checklist

When preparing Missouri arbitration agreements, consider the following:

If the agreement invokes the MUAA, include the statutory warning immediately adjacent to or above the signature block in ten-point, all-capital letters.
If the agreement is intended to be governed by the FAA, ensure the drafting consistently reflects that intent and does not incorporate the MUAA by reference.
Provide a clear explanation of the arbitration provision, including the claims covered, forum selection, arbitrator qualifications, and allocation of costs and fees.

Bottom Line

In Missouri, parties who choose the MUAA must also comply with its formal requirements. A missing statutory notice is enough to defeat arbitration entirely. Careful drafting at the outset can help prevent expensive and unnecessary disputes over enforceability down the road.

Baker Sterchi Welcomes 2026 Class of Summer Law Clerks

28 May 2026

Baker Sterchi welcomes its 2026 class of summer law clerks in the firm’s Belleville, Kansas City and Madison offices.

Belleville

Landon Deaton, a rising 2L student at Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School. Before law school, Deaton was a weather forecaster for the United States Air Force. He previously served as a court clerk at the 22nd Circuit Court and earned his undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Maryland Global Campus.
Aman Siddiqui a rising 2L transfer student at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Siddiqui completed his first year of law school at Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School, where he participated in mock trial competitions. He earned his undergraduate degree in neuroscience, with minors in economics and chemistry, from the University of Illinois Chicago.

Kansas City

Addison Farley, a rising 3L student at the University of Kansas School of Law, where she serves on the board for Volume XXXVI of the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy. Farley has volunteered with the Douglas County Legal Self-Help Office and Natural Ties. She earned her undergraduate degree in English and political science from the University of Kansas.
Blake Millman, a rising 3L student at the University of Kansas School of Law, where he serves as a dean’s fellow and member of the KU Law Traffic Court. He also served as a legal research assistant for Professor Stephen Ware. Millman earned his undergraduate degree from the Kansas State University College of Business.
Madeline VanCompernolle, a rising 3L student at the University of Kansas School of Law. She previously served as a judicial intern at the Johnson County Courthouse and earned her undergraduate degree in biology, with a minor in political science, from the University of Kansas. VanCompernolle also has volunteered with the Ballard Community Center and Natural Ties.

Madison

Ryan Arlandson, a rising 3L student at the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he serves as an articles editor on the Wisconsin Law Review and member of the mock trial team. He earned his undergraduate degree in history from Creighton University.

Jessica Diebold, a rising 3L student at the University of Wisconsin Law School, where she serves as a member of the Journal of Gender, Law and Society and the Women’s Law Student Association. She previously served as a student analyst at the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, student advisory board leader at the Milwaukee Justice Center and part-time law clerk at Baker Sterchi. Diebold earned her undergraduate degrees in criminology and law studies and English from Marquette University.

Baker Sterchi’s summer law clerk program provides law students with hands-on experience through hearings, depositions, legal research, writing projects and opportunities to connect with attorneys across the firm.