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Order of the Fleur de Lis

To be inducted into the SLU LAW Order of the Fleur de Lis Hall of Fame is the highest honor from Saint Louis University School of Law. As a Catholic, Jesuit university, Saint Louis University’s mission is the pursuit of truth for the greater glory of God and for the service of humanity.

The University seeks excellence in the fulfillment of its corporate purposes of teaching, research, health care and service to the community. It is dedicated to leadership in the continuing quest for understanding of God's creation and for the discovery, dissemination and integration of the values, knowledge and skills required to transform society in the spirit of the Gospels. This pursuit is motivated by the inspiration and values of the Judeo-Christian tradition and is guided by the spiritual and intellectual ideals of the Society of Jesus.

Through their professional successes and significant contributions to the community, the members of the Order of the Fleur de Lis Hall of Fame have brought honor to both Saint Louis University and SLU LAW by demonstrating the University mission and Jesuit spirit.


2024 Order of the Fleur de Lis Induction Ceremony

Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 6 p.m.

Order of the Fleur de Lis Logo

SLU LAW is pleased to announce the 2024 Hall of Fame inductees are:

Thomas L. Greaney, Chester A. Myers Professor of Law Emeritus
John A. Kilo, 1971
Countess W. Price, 1993
Bruce P. Robert, 1973
W. Thomas Smith, 2005
Erwin O. Switzer III, 1981
The Hon. Angela Turner Quigless, 1984

Register

Thomas (Tim) L. Greaney is Chester A. Myers Professor of Law Emeritus at Saint Louis University School of Law where he served as Director of the Center for Health Law Studies. Currently he is Research Professor of Law at UC Hastings College of Law in San Francisco and Distinguished Senior Fellow with the UC Hastings/UCSF Consortium on Law, Science & Health Policy. His research has focused on the application of antitrust law to the health care sector, health care financing, and health care law and policy. He has written over 60 scholarly articles and chapters and is a former co-author of the nation’s leading health law casebook and a treatise on health law. He has testified on health care competition issues before the Judiciary Committees of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, the California Department of Insurance and several state legislative committees, and has spoken at antitrust workshops of the Federal Trade Commission. He has commented on health policy and law issues in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Health Affairs, and many other publications. Before entering academia, he served as an Assistant Chief in the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, supervising health care antitrust litigation. Professor Greaney has been named Health Law Professor of the Year by the American Society of Law and Medicine and has been a Fulbright Fellow studying European Community competition law in Brussels, Belgium.  He received his B.A. magna cum laude from Wesleyan University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School. 

John A. Kilo ('71)  is a prominent St. Louis attorney and serves as the President and Managing Partner of his law firm, Kilo, Flynn, Billingsley, Trame & Brown P.C. Kilo attended Christian Brothers College and starred on the basketball court and baseball diamond. He continued his athletic and academic career at Saint Louis University where he was a decorated member of the basketball team from 1964 to 1967. Following his graduation with honors from SLU, John enrolled in and graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law. He is a member of the Missouri Bar and Illinois Bar and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Court, The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. In addition to his successful legal career, John, along with his wife Susan, have made philanthropy a vital part of their lives. John has donated his resources to many charitable organizations, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Kilo Diabetes and Vascular Diseases Foundation, Saint Louis University, and the Daughters of St. Paul. He has served as a Board Member of CBC, the Kilo Diabetes Foundation, the Daughters of St. Paul, and Jefferson Bank and Trust. In 2022, Kilo was granted “Letters of Benefaction” from the De La Salle Christian Brothers of the Midwest District and will be known as Brother John A. Kilo BFSC.

Countess W. Price ('93) is a Senior Assistant General Counsel in the Crop Science division of Bayer in St. Louis, Missouri. Bayer’s Crop Science division (f/k/a Monsanto Company) is a bio-tech agricultural company that is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. Countess primarily manages the company’s products liability litigation but also has responsibility for various commercial and general business matters as well. Prior to joining Monsanto/Bayer in September 2001, Countess was a senior associate at the law firm of Armstrong Teasdale in St. Louis. Countess received her J.D. from St. Louis University School of Law in 1993 and graduated from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with a B.S. degree in 1983.  Countess is a member of the Missouri Bar, American Bar Association, National Bar Association, Mound City Bar Association, Women Lawyers' Association, and the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. Over the years she has held various leadership positions in these organizations and has served on numerous committees and task forces. She has served as a volunteer in various community and legal organizations such as Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Legal Advocates for Abused Women, the Red Cross, Salvation Army Family Haven and Catholic Urban Programs. She has received several awards and recognitions for her service. Countess was the inaugural recipient of the John C. Shepherd Professionalism Award.

Bruce P. Robert ('73) graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1973 and joined the Clayton law firm of Coleman, Ross and Cekowsky. He became a partner in 1978 specializing in litigation. He went on to establish his own firm specializing in environmental and corporate work.  In 1988 he left the practice of law to join a family business and concentrated on expanding the business with acquisitions.  Mr. Robert and his wife, Jane, after their son Patrick began his financial career, focused on giving back to the St. Louis community concentrating on education and the humanities. Particular to Saint Louis University, Jane and Bruce established a SLU Law professorship currently held by Professor Sidney D. Watson, JD. They established a scholarship at the School of Law. They also supported a French scholarship thanks to French Professor Sandy Hamrick, PHD, honoring SLU Professor Robert C. Roach, supported the Billiken basketball program and recently supported the St. Louis Literary Award thanks to Professor Edward S. Ibur, MA.  Jane and Bruce established a French professorship at Webster University, a scholarship at University Missouri St. Louis and a scholarship at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Other institutions they support are Cinema St. Louis, The Repertory Theatre and Marian Middle School. 

W. Thomas (Tommy) Smith ('05) graduated in 1994 from the St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP) with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, and in 2005 from St. Louis University’s School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree and certificate in health law. Smith transitioned from clinical pharmacy to academia in 2005, joining the faculty at STLCOP as an assistant professor. He advanced his career in the Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy where he led specialized master’s programs and taught pharmacy law. In 2015, Smith joined Manchester University’s College of Pharmacy, Natural and Health Sciences, leading assessment and accreditation efforts for two years before his appointment as dean of the college. Experiencing a life-changing illness and hospitalization in 2000, Smith kept his focus on physical therapy and a commitment to reimagine his life with disability. His compassion and ability to engage and connect with people from all walks raises their awareness to see others for their abilities, not their differences. He is a strong advocate as an author, speaker, and leader in areas such as pharmacy law and legal and cultural issues involving disabled people. Dean Smith is active in several professional organizations including the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) and the American Bar Association (ABA). He currently serves as the chair AACP’s Council of Deans and sits on AACP’s Board of Directors. He also serves as an at-large member of the leadership council of the Health Law Section of the ABA.

Erwin O. Switzer III ('81) is the General Counsel for Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C.  In addition to being the Counsel to the Firm, Erv’s practice focuses on consumer protection, government relations, and appeals.   He served as a Chief Counsel to the Missouri Attorney General from 1994-2005. Erv has served on numerous government boards and commissions, including the St. Louis Election Board (Chair), the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners, the St. Louis Public Library Board, the St. Louis Housing Authority Board, the Institute for Women in Public Life, and the Governor’s Council on Disability.  He currently serves on the board of the Missouri Technology Corporation, a public-private partnership established by state law to promote entrepreneurial activity in Missouri. Erv was the lead editor of the recently published American Bar Association treatise State Consumer Protection Law.  He has had published many articles, including a law review article based on a paper he wrote as a SLU Law student. Erv’s awards and recognitions include being named by Missouri Lawyers Media as a Legal ICON, Mentor of the Year, and a Power List attorney.  He was twice  named Lawyer of the Year in Government Relations Law and is in Best Lawyers in Appellate Practice.  He received the Spirit of Justice Award from the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. Beyond his legal pursuits, Erv showcased his love for the game on August 23, 2000, when he threw the ceremonial first pitch at Busch Stadium before a Cardinals game.  (No, it did not bounce!)

The Hon. Angela Turner Quigless ('84) has been a dedicated public servant for 38 years. Judge Quigless, currently serves as an Appellant Judge for the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District. She served as Chief Judge from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015. Judge Quigless served as a Circuit Judge for 9 years and as an Associate Circuit Judge for 8 years on the 22nd Judicial Circuit. Judge Quigless had the distinct honor of serving as a Special Judge on the Supreme Court of Missouri October 2003 and April 2005. Prior to her appointment she was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.  She was a former Assistant City Counselor for the City Counselor's Office and defended the City on civil matters involving various agencies within City Government as well as the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners.  Also, she was a former Assistant Circuit Attorney for the City and prosecuted criminal cases for nearly five years.  In addition, she was a former State's Attorney for the Missouri Public Service Commission and the Missouri Department of Revenue. Judge Quigless received her J.D. degree from St. Louis University School of Law in 1984 and graduated from University of Missouri-Columbia with a B.A. degree in 1981.  Judge Quigless is a member of the American Bar Association,  Mound City Bar Association, Women Lawyers' Association, National Association of Women Judges, the Lawyers Association, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis and the American Judicature Society. She has served on numerous committees and task forces within her legal affiliations and in the community. Over the years Judge Quigless has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognition for both her commitment to public service and her leadership in the community.  

Past Honorees

2023 Honorees

Adjoa A. Aiyetoro, 1978 >

Adjoa A. Aiyetoro is a social justice activist and long time law professor with extensive experience working domestically and internationally to obtain remedies for historic and present-day wrongs to Black people, other people of color, women, and other oppressed groups. Adjoa Aiyetoro is a social justice activist, a professor, and a representative. Before attending law school, Aiyetoro worked as a community mental health specialist in St. Louis. After her time at Saint Louis University School of Law, Aiyetoro coordinated the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s delegation to the United Nations’ Conference on Women in Beijing. Aiyetoro represented the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) at the World Conference Against Racism, 2000-2001. She previously represented WILPF at the Hague Appeal for Peace in 1997.

In 1987, Aiyetoro was a founding member of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in American (NCOBRA), was the first woman co-chair, and served as chair of the organization’s Legal Strategies Commission and as a legal consultant.

Aiyetoro is a lifetime member, as well as former co-chairperson and national director, of the National Conference of Black Lawyers.She began a teaching career in 1997 as an adjunct professor at Washington College of Law, American University, where she co-taught a course on litigating reparations for African Americans. And retired from the University of Arkansas Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law where she is a professor emerita.

Gerard T. Carmody, 1975 >

Gerard “Jerry” Carmody has been practicing litigation for over 40 years. Carmody has been recognized in several lists for his work, including The Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers and in Missouri Lawyers Weekly as “Lawyer of the Year” for 2001, 2005, and 2007 and as Missouri’s top three litigators.

During Carmody’s broad career, he was appointed by the Supreme Court of Missouri to serve on the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Fairness. He was a founding member of the Missouri Coalition of the Right to Counsel in 2017 and, in the same year, received the Director’s Award for championing indigent defense. Carmody’s representation and counsel has showcased his success in the litigation field, including obtaining several multi-million dollar jury verdicts for real estate and commercial litigation matters and acting as lead counsel for several local cases.

Carmody is a member of the McBride and Sons Homes Advisory Board and the Chaminade College Preparatory School Board of Trustees. Before he obtained his J.D. at Saint Louis University School of Law, he earned his B.A. at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama.

Joseph P. Conran, 1970 >

Joseph Conran graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1970, then served with the United States Air Force as a judge advocate until 1974. Beginning in 1972, Conran worked as a lead trial defense counsel in areas such as Vietnam, Thailand, Japan and the Philippines.

Upon his return from service, Conran joined the law firm Husch, Eppenberger, Donohue, Elson and Cornfeld, which merged to create Husch Blackwell in 2008. Conran has been affiliated with this firm since, and he served as Chair from 1994 to 2008. Conran continues to provide his experience in commercial litigation, intellectual property, and class action defense as Of Counsel.

Conran has served on Saint Louis University’s Board of Trustees since 2012 and was appointed board chairman in 2014.

Conran has been a member of the inaugural board of directors for the Judicial Learning Center for over 20 years. Located in the Thomas F. Eagleton federal courthouse of Saint Louis, the Judicial Learning Center educates thousands of students and visitors each year. Conran has also served on the board for Boys Hope Girls Hope International, for Logos School of St. Louis and for Cardinal Ritter High School. He received the Cardinal Joseph Ritter award in 2010.

The Honorable Margaret T. Donnelly, 1988 >

Margaret Donnelly is one of the few people who has held public service roles in all branches of the government. After earning a Masters of Social Work from Saint Louis University, graduated with a Juris Doctors from the School of Law in 1988. In August of 2016, she was appointed circuit judge to Division 20, Family Court - Custody and Divorce. Before her appointment, Judge Donnelly was the Director of the Missouri Department of Health.

From 2003 to 2009, she served in the Missouri Legislature as a state representative for District 73. While a state representative, Judge Donnelly served on many committees and was a ranking member in the budget and the health and social services committees.

She has received several awards for her service, such as the Women’s Justice Citizenship award, the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Advocate of the Year award and the Paraquad Disability Rights Legislative Leadership award. Judge Donnelly returned to Saint Louis University School of Law in 2013 as a Health Policy Scholar in Residence.

Joel K. Goldstein >

Joel K. Goldstein joined the SLU LAW faculty in 1994, was associate dean of faculty from 2001-2004 and was awarded the Vincent C. Immel Professorship in 2005. He is perhaps best known for his work on the vice presidency. His doctoral dissertation grew into his first book, The Modern American Vice Presidency: The Transformation of a Political Institution (Princeton University Press 1982). More recently, he has written a second book on the subject, The White House Vice Presidency: The Path to Significance, Mondale to Biden (Kansas, 2016). He has written numerous scholarly articles and commentary pieces on the vice presidency and is frequently interviewed by national and international media on the subject.

Professor Goldstein is a nationally recognized scholar of the Vice Presidency, Presidency, and Constitutional Law, having written widely in all three areas. He is continually sought by national and international media outlets to provide commentary and insight during the presidential campaigns.

Rudolph Hasl, 1967 >

Rudy Hasl is both a Saint Louis University School of Law alumnus and a former Dean. Hasl’s deanship spanned twelve years, from 1979 to 1991. Following his service at SLU LAW, Hasl served as the Dean of St. John’s University School of Law from 1991 to 1998, Seattle University School of Law from 2000 to 2005, Thomas Jefferson School of Law from 2005 to 2014 and Whittier Law School from 2017 to 2020.

Hasl was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award in 2011 from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, as well as a distinction as the longest serving law school dean of the time. As a professor, Hasl has taught subjects such as evidence, trial practice, advocacy skills, administrative law, military law, torts, and many others.

He spent over 25 years serving on the American Bar Association, Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, including terms as Council Chair and Accreditation Committee Chair.

Hasl also served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1971, and acted as a legal assistance and claims officer in Vietnam.

Rebecca R. Jackson, 1978 >

Rebecca R. Jackson was a partner at Bryan Cave, LLP from 1987 until her retirement in 2015. At Bryan Cave, Jackson supervised the training programs for all litigation associates and served as a mentor. She was the first woman in the litigation group at this firm. Her practice area included product liability and environmental and general commercial litigation.

Jackson taught as an adjunct professor at the Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas Little Rock. Jackson has been a member of several community organizations throughout her career. She has been a member of the board for the Saint Louis Regional Arts Committee, the board of directors of the YWCA of Metropolitan St. Louis, and was the founder of the Child Development Center at First United Methodist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Currently, Jackson is a member of the Pulaski County League of Women Votes and cooperating attorney at Little Rock American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

The Honorable Michael T. Jamison, 1976 >

The Honorable Michael T. Jamison retired as a Circuit Judge for the 21st Judicial Circuit of Missouri in December 2019. He served on the bench for twenty-two years. Jamison continues to educate at St. Louis Community College as an Adjunct Professor and has taught Business Law, Employment Law, Contracts and Administrative Law.

Jamison is licensed before the Supreme Court of Missouri and admitted before the Supreme Court of the United States. He has practiced before the National Labor Relations Board, the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Missouri and Southern and Central Districts of Illinois. Previously, he was an Associate General Counsel in the Labor Law Section of the Legal Department of Anheuser-Busch Companies from 1994 to 1997.

Shortly after his 1976 graduation from Saint Louis University School of Law, Jamison was a Field Attorney, Trial Specialist with the National Labor Relations Board until 1992. Jamison is a member of several boards, including the Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers, the Northside Youth and Senior Service Center, Inc., and was formerly a board member of the Bar Foundation of St. Louis.

Marie L. Kenyon, 1986 >

Marie Kenyon has had a long career in advancing the social justice mission of the Catholic Church. She is currently the director of the Office of Peace and Justice and founder of the inaugural Peace and Justice commission at Archdiocese of Saint Louis. From 1987 to 2015, Kenyon worked as a managing attorney of the Catholic Legal Assistance Ministry where she served low-income clients. During this time, she gained vast experience in domestic relations and civil matters, including paternity, custody, orders of protection, housing and social security cases. She also assisted the Catholic Immigration Law Project and Veterans Advocacy Project.

Kenyon was a member of the United States Peace Corp and volunteered in health and wellness programs in Niger, West Africa from 1981 to 1983.

Kenyon has worked as a field supervisor and adjunct instructor for Saint Louis University School of Law, Washington University School of Law, St. Louis Community College and Webster University.

2022 Inductees

On Friday, June 3, 2022, Saint Louis University School of Law inducted the newest class of honorees:

Howard L. Adelman, 1977

  • After graduation from Saint Louis University School of Law, Howard Adelman practiced with Schwartz, Cooper, Kolb & Gaynor in 1978 and made partner in 1981. In 1983, Adelman formed Adelman & Gettlemen, Ltd. with Chad H. Gettlemen. He previously served as the staff law clerk assigned to the Honorable Robert G. Dowd, Chief Judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, St. Louis District, and later became the Executive Judicial Assistant to the Missouri Court of Appeals, St. Louis District. In October of 1999, Adelman was appointed by Chief Justice William Rehnquist to serve as a member of the Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure. He served on this committee from 1999 to 2005. Adelman maintains his role as partner shareholder at Adelman & Gettleman, Ltd.

The Honorable Nicole J. Colbert-Botchway, 1996

  • Judge Nicole Colbert-Botchway was appointed to the Missouri 22nd Judicial Circuit, City of St. Louis, on July 2, 2015. Before this, Judge Colbert-Botchway was elected to the Eastern District Diversity Seat for The Missouri Bar Board of Governors in 2012 and continues to serve as an American Bar Association (ABA) House Delegate for Missouri. She was selected to serve as the Associate Presiding Judge from 2018 to 2020. Nicole was elected the first African American President of Women Lawyers Association of Greater St. Louis in 2009, President of the Mound City Bar Association in 2013 and Board Member and Presidential Liaison Bar Association of Metropolitan Saint Louis in 2014. Judge Colbert-Botchway is married with one son, Ismail.

Daniel G. Cronin, 1992

  • A dual citizen of the United States and the Republic of Ireland, Daniel Cronin was born and raised in St. Louis, where he lives with his wife, Carol Cronin, and their daughters, Keeley and Keara. After graduating in 1992, Cronin became a solo practitioner in Springfield, Missouri and represented many clients for Legal Services of Southwest Missouri. Since 1994, Cronin has worked in the East St. Louis office of the Federal Public Defender for the Southern District of Illinois. He has represented indigent defendants in over 3,000 cases in East St. Louis, Benton, St. Louis, and in the federal courthouse in Yosemite National Park. He helped the Illinois Department of Education establish professional standards for paralegals and served on an ABA committee for drafting protocols for prosecuting war crimes.

Donna L. Harper, 1979

  • Donna Harper’s legal career has been devoted to advancing the rights of employees in the workplace. She worked for more than 25 years for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, serving as a Supervisory Trial Attorney and Acting Assistant General Counsel. After leaving EEOC, Harper helped form the Sedey Harper firm where she has continued trying and arbitrating cases with excellent results for her clients.

Ambassador James H. Michel, 1965

  • During a long career of public service, James Michel was U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala and Chair of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). He also held several senior positions with the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In the Department of State, he served as Principal Deputy Legal Adviser and as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Inter-American Affairs. In USAID, he was Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean and Acting Deputy Administrator, Acting Administrator, and Counselor to the Agency. After leaving government service, he was senior counsel to Tetra Tech DPK, an international consulting firm. Michel is also active in the USAID Alumni Association and in community affairs in Falls Church, Virginia, where he resides with his wife, Conception Michel.

The Honorable Sherri B. Sullivan, 1981

  • Before her appointment to the Court of Appeals for the Eastern District of Missouri, Judge Sherri Sullivan served as a circuit judge in the 22nd Judicial Circuit (St. Louis City) from 1994 to 1999, and as an associate circuit judge from 1989 to 1994. Prior to her appointment to the bench, she was an assistant prosecuting attorney for the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office. Her activities in the legal community include membership in the Women Lawyers Association of St. Louis, the National Association of Women Judges, the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, and the American Bar Association. As a judge, she serves as the chair of the Public Information Committee and has reinstituted a speaker’s bureau for judges to speak to community groups about the judicial system.

Dorothy L. White-Coleman, 1981

  • Before graduating cum laude, in 1981 from Saint Louis University School of Law, Dorothy White-Coleman was a state social worker. From 1981 to 1982, she was a staff law clerk to the late Honorable Floyd R. Gibson, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Since 1982, White-Coleman has been in private practice starting as an associate at Husch & Eppenberger. In 1989, she became a partner at Peoples, Hale & Coleman. Later, and she later became a partner at White, Ovletrea & Watson, L.C., an all-female African American law firm. Now, she is the manager of White Coleman & Associates, founded in 2000.
2020 Inductees

On Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, Saint Louis University School of Law inducted 10 new members into the Order of the Fleur de Lis Hall of Fame, the highest honor from SLU LAW.

Through their professional successes and significant contributions to the community, the following individuals have brought honor to both Saint Louis University and SLU LAW by demonstrating the University mission and Jesuit spirit.

Class of 2020 tribute video

Order of the Fleur de Lis Hall of Fame 2020

  • John J. Ammann ('84)

    John J. Ammann served for 25 years as a teacher and supervising lawyer to students in the Legal Clinics at Saint Louis University School of Law, as he and his students provided free legal services to the poor, to those with disabilities, to victims of oppression, to children in foster care, and to men and women in prison.

    John was selected as Faculty Member of the Year by the graduating law students four times. He served as the McDonnell Professor of Justice in American Society until his retirement in 2018. John was the director of the School of Law Legal Clinics for 17 years, having joined the law school in 1994 after serving as an attorney at Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance in Illinois.

    John and his students, working with his colleagues in the Clinic and attorneys from various public interest organizations and law firms, represented thousands of indigent clients in individual cases and class actions involving civil rights, public benefits, employment, municipal court abuses, and domestic violence. Recently, he and his students were part of legal teams which achieved a $21 million dollar settlement with the State of Missouri to reimburse recipients of the blind pension program who had been underpaid, worked with national nonprofit partners to achieve a settlement with the State to limit the use of psychotropic medications for children in foster care, helped obtain millions of dollars in settlements of class actions challenging abuses in the municipal court system, and successfully argued for clemency for women in prison.

    Most recently he has worked with his clinic colleagues and private attorneys to represent women who have been the victims of sexual assault while incarcerated in women’s prisons in Missouri.

    John enjoyed working with students to host naturalization ceremonies at the School of Law, as well as holiday parties for the homeless and for sick kids at Children’s Hospital in St. Louis.

    He previously served as a law clerk in appellate courts in Missouri and Illinois, and was the editor of the American Bar Association Journal of Affordable Housing and Community Development Law. John is an attorney licensed in Missouri and Illinois. He has served on boards of several nonprofits, including Habitat for Humanity, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, and the Oasis Women’s Center.

    He has been married to his wife Liz for 38 years, and has two adult daughters, Laura and Katherine. All four members of the family are teachers.

  • Dana J. Boente ('82)

    Dana J. Boente was named general counsel to the Federal Bureau of Investigation by Director Christopher Wray in January 2018. He previously served as Acting Assistant Attorney General of the National Security Division and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in the U.S. Department of Justice. Previously, Mr. Boente served as Acting Deputy Attorney General of the United States from February 9 to April 26, 2017, and as Acting Attorney General of the United States from January 30 to February 9, 2017.

    Boente is a 35-year veteran of the Department of Justice, and has spent his entire professional career in public service. He began his work in law serving as a law clerk to Chief U.S. District Judge J. Waldo Ackerman for the Central District of Illinois in 1982. In 1984 he joined the Tax Division’s Criminal Section as part of the Attorney General’s Honors Program. In December 2000, he became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Fraud Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA). He was detailed back to the Tax Division in August 2005 to serve as the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General. Mr. Boente returned to EDVA when he was selected as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney in May 2007, and later served as the U.S. Attorney for EDVA from October 2008 through September 2009. In December 2012, he was appointed by Attorney General Eric Holder to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana, a position he held until September 2013. He served as the U.S. Attorney for EDVA from September 2013, until January 2018.

    Boente is a graduate of Saint Louis University (B.S.B.A. and M.B.A.) and its School of Law (J.D.).

  • The Honorable Joan M. Burger ('76)

    Judge Burger received her J.D. from St. Louis University cum laude in 1976 and her B.S. from Loyola University in Chicago.

    In 1995, Judge Burger was appointed a circuit judge for the Twenty Second Judicial Circuit by Gov. Mel Carnahan. She was a trial judge for 13 years, presiding over many complicated civil and criminal cases, including multi-week trials and one lasting three months. Judge Burger was presiding judge for St. Louis Drug Court for two years. She ran an informal Truancy Court at Roosevelt High School and Fanning Middle school. In 2017, Burger was featured in an article in The New Yorker about a wrongful conviction that she made right in 2003, thus releasing an innocent man.

    Before becoming a judge, Judge Burger practiced law for 19 years; first as a prosecutor with the St. Louis Juvenile Court and then as an Assistant Circuit Attorney, where she was one of two women prosecutors in an office of 45 attorneys. For the next fifteen years, Burger practiced law with small firms or in solo practice in St. Louis City, and surrounding counties. Her practice was a true general practice in that she handled all types of civil and criminal cases in many jurisdictions. She served as a Hearing Officer for the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners for many years. Judge Burger is currently a certified mediator in both state and federal courts in Missouri. She was appointed by Gov. Jay Nixon to serve as chairman of the St Louis Board of Election Commissioners for five years.

    Judge Burger is a past president and one of the founding members of the Women Lawyers’ Association of St. Louis. She was active in the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis; the Missouri Bar Association; National Association of Women Judges.

    Her community involvement includes: Board of Directors: Monsanto YMCA; the National Association of Women Business Owners; St. Louis Forum; and the O’Fallon Park YMCA, and ArchCity Defenders. Burger served on the Valuing Diversity Task Force; Leadership St. Louis; and Focus St. Louis.

    An interesting story is how Judge Burger came to Saint Louis Louis University School of Law. The 1960s were a time of great and positive changes in civil rights. When she searched for a meaningful career, she saw that these changes were coming from and supported by the courts. So in February 1971, she called the law school, and then Assistant Dean of Admissions Peter Salsich answered. “How is law as a profession for a Mother?” Burger asked. He didn’t hang up; he said it was a great profession for a mother, that there were many ways to practice law, even out of the home. With three preschool children plus the permission to start part time, that was all she needed. SLU School of Law changed her life.

    She is married for 54 years to Gary K. Burger, Sr. He was a full professor at UMSL for 35 years. They have 3 children: Gary Jr., Christine Hertneky, and Eric, six grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

  • Lance Callis* ('59)

    Lance Callis graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1959 and began a long and successful career as a trial lawyer in Granite City, IL. He received numerous awards during his nearly 60 years as a distinguished attorney in the area. He was named by the Illinois Bar Association as a Laureate of the Academy of Illinois Lawyers for his expertise for over 50 years.

    Callis was involved in multiple philanthropic and charitable causes over the years, with particular emphasis on the Jesuits and SLU LAW, establishing an endowed chair and full scholarships for exemplary students for their outstanding academic achievements, known as “Callis Scholars”.

    He was preceded in death by his wife, Joan M. Callis, nee Wegrzyn; and his parents, Felix Lancelot and Nora Teresa Callis, nee O’Halloran. He is survived by his children, Mona S. (Dale Erspamer) Callis of Troy, IL, Ann E. (James Holloran) Callis of Troy, IL, Melissa Mary Callis of St. Jacob, IL and Phillip Lance Callis, of Granite City, IL; his grandchildren; and his great-grandchildren.

    *indicates deceased

  • Donald J. Gunn, Jr. ('60)

    Donald Gunn, Jr. was born and raised in St. Louis. He graduated from St. Louis University High School and received his J.D. Degree from Saint Louis University School of Law, after first receiving an undergraduate degree from the University. He is a partner in the law firm of Gunn and Gunn, P.C. He has served as president of the Lawyers Association of St. Louis and president of the Board of Governors of Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital. He was appointed by the Governor of Missouri as chairman of the St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners. He has served two separate terms as municipal judge for Richmond Heights, for a combined a total of 25 years.

    Gunn previously served as general chairman of the Archdiocesan Development Appeal (now ACA). He served as president of the Missouri Athletic Club. He was a founding board member of Boys Hope/Girls Hope of St. Louis, and a member of the organization's National Board of Directors. Gunn was a member of the Board of Today and Tomorrow Educational Foundation, which awards scholarships to poor and deserving students to schools of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. He is a recipient of the Backer Award from SLUH and the Alumni Merit Award from SLU. In 1998, he received the Award of Honor from the Lawyers Association of St. Louis. He served in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at Toul-Rosieres Air Base in France. He is the son of the late Judge Donald Gunn, Sr. and Loretto Hennelly Gunn, and is married to the former Susan Klohr. He and his wife have four children, Mrs. Mary Susan Boyle, Dr. Joseph Donald Gunn, Mrs. Carolyn Mathews and Mr. Daniel R. Gunn, and 15 grandchildren.

  • Malcolm J. Harkins III ('76)

    Malcolm J. Harkins III serves as Professor of Practice in the Center for Health Law Studies at Saint Louis University School of Law. Mal also has taught in the School of Public Health of The George Washington University and in the School of Nursing of The George Washington University. Mal served as the Practitioner-in-Residence at SLU Law in the 2006-07 academic year.

    Prior to teaching at SLU LAW, Mal practiced health care law, in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, California, for 38 years. Most recently, Mal was a senior partner in the Health Care Department of Proskauer Rose LLP. Prior to joining Proskauer, Mal was a founding partner of the nationally known health law firm, Casson & Harkins.

    As a health law practitioner, Mal represented individuals and entities engaged in the delivery of health care and related services and products. Mal’s clients were publicly and privately held entities involved in almost all aspects of health care delivery, including hospitals, nursing homes, institutional pharmacies and manufacturers and suppliers of health care services and medical equipment. While in practice, Mal handled, among others, matters involving payment for health care, licensure, Medicare and Medicaid certification, compliance, fraud and abuse, quality of care, federal and state False Claims Acts, unfair and deceptive acts and practices, antitrust, RICO, corporate governance, administrative law and the Federal Arbitration Act. Mal has litigated cases throughout the United States at all levels of the federal and state courts from the Supreme Court of the United States to state and federal administrative tribunals. Mal also represented several states involved in payment and other disputes with the federal government. In addition to representing state agencies in litigation, Mal helped to restructure and expand state Medicaid programs and to develop innovative means of financing Medicaid. While in private practice, Mal was, for more than a decade, named to “The Best Lawyers in America” and was also was named a Washington, D.C. “Super Lawyer."

    Mal teaches courses in Health Care Compliance and the Law, Long Term Care and the Law and Health Agency Practice. In addition, Mal has written and lectured regarding quality of care assessment and enforcement, health care compliance and risk management, the False Claims Act, potential individual and entity criminal and civil liability for regulatory noncompliance, new theories on which health care entities’ Board members may be held liable for corporate transgressions, the application of the medical necessity standard of care, medical record and payment claims documentation and a range of topics involving Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement issues, including fraud and abuse. Mal also has a long-standing interest in constitutional history and law. Recently, Mal has published articles in the Journal of Health Law and Policy and on Health Affairs’ blog explaining that, despite urban myths to the contrary, the Supreme Court never has directly addressed the question whether a corporation is a “person” protected by the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments nor explained the attributes of corporate personhood, creating foundational difficulties in, among others, cases arising under the Affordable Care Act such as Hobby Lobby.

  • Janette M. Lohman ('81)

    Janette grew up in a small town in Missouri. She was awarded the President’s Scholarship at William Jewell College after dropping out of high school following her junior year. After graduating from Jewell with a B.A., summa cum laude with honors in Political Science in 1977. Janette earned her J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1981 and her MBA from Chaifetz School of Business in 1981. A certified CPA, Janette earned her LL.M. in taxation in 1985 from Washington University School of Law.

    In 1987, Janette joined McDonnell Douglas Corporation. Over the next six years, Janette advanced from a Senior Corporate Attorney, to Corporate Counsel, to Director of Tax Planning and Assistant General Counsel. In 1993, Janette received the MDC Aerospace Leadership Award.

    In 1993, Janette was appointed by the late Governor Mel Carnahan of Missouri as Director of the Missouri Department of Revenue. From April 1993 through December 1997, Janette was responsible for overseeing the Department’s operations, which consisted of five divisions that collected approximately $18 billion in total revenue, licensed over 4,000 drivers and titled over 6,000 motor vehicles. Under her leadership, the Department completely automated the driver licensing system, the successful implementation of which won a regional award. The Department also introduced the electronic filing system for income tax returns, one of the first systems of its kind in the nation. Janette also oversaw the automation and consolidation of the state’s five separate collection systems into one unified system, which increased debt collections by approximately $100 million in its first year of operation. Janette also served as Missouri’s representative on the Multistate Tax Commission and was appointed by Governor Carnahan to represent state employees on the Missouri State Employees Retirement System board, which, at the time, supervised over $4 billion in state retirement assets. Janette still holds the record for longest continuous service as Director of Revenue. During her tenure as Director, the Department was awarded eight Missouri Governor’s Awards for Quality and Productivity for its innovative modernization projects. As a result of her appointment, Jewell awarded her its highest award, the “Citation for Achievement” in 1995.

    In 1998, Janette entered private practice as a partner in the Kansas City office of Blackwell Sanders Matheny Weary & Lombardi LLP. In 2002, Janette was one of the first four recipients of Blackwell Sanders’ “Excellence in Business Development” Award. In 1998, Janette also began teaching a seminar in SALT at SLU LAW; for her work in this capacity, her students nominated her for and she was chosen to receive the university-wide Faculty Excellence Award in 2006.

    In 2003, Janette joined Thompson Coburn LLP as a partner. She has remained there ever since, and she intends to continue to stay there for the rest of her professional career. Based on her diverse State and Local Tax (SALT) experience and extensive SALT education, Janette has developed a unique practice focused on all areas of SALT.

    Over the years, she has given numerous presentations on various SALT topics and ethics, chaired the IPT’s overall Income Tax Education Program and co-chaired the ABA/IPT Advanced Income Tax Seminar, served on the IPT Awards and Research Committees, served a prior term on the Board of Governors, and received the IPT’s Distinguished Service Award in June 2008.

    In more recent years, Janette helped form the relatively new Credits and Incentives Professional (CCIP)

    Designation Program in 2014. She remained on the CCIP Examination Committee until last June, when she was elected President of the IPT’s Board of Governors. Janette currently serves on the editorial board of State Tax Notes, is a member of the COST Practitioner’s Forum, a member of the Tax Committee for the Associated Industries of Missouri, a member of the SALT Executive Committee of the American Bar Association Section on Taxation. Janette is member of the Advisory Board for the National Multistate Tax Symposium (co-sponsored by Deloitte and the Florida Bar) and the Hartman SALT Forum Advisory Board (affiliated with Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee). She is a frequent speaker at other national and regional SALT conferences and has authored many articles about state and local tax subjects.

    Most recently, in August 2019, Janette was honored by being named among 14 women chosen for Law360Tax Authority’s first-ever national “Influential Women in Tax Law” list. In September 2019, she was also named Best Lawyer’s St. Louis 2020 “Lawyer of the Year for Litigation – Tax”.

  • The Honorable Leslie Miller ('76)

    Judge Leslie Miller has been a judge with the Pima County Superior court since 1985. She has served as Associate Presiding Judge, Criminal Presiding Judge and initiated the adult Drug Court in Pima County. Judge Miller received her law degree from St. Louis University Law School in 1976 and worked in both the private and public sectors before being appointed a Tucson City Magistrate in 1982.
    Judge Miller has held many professional leadership positions. She has served on the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association (ABA) and the State Bar of Arizona. Judge Miller was elected Chair of the ABA Judicial Division and the National Conference of State Trial Judges and President of the Pima County Bar Association, the Arizona Judges Association, the Morris K. Udall Inn of Court and the Arizona Association of Drug Court Professionals. She is a Delegate to the ABA House of Delegates.

    Judge Miller has been actively involved in community organizations. She served as President of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson, La Frontera (a mental health facility), and Susan G. Komen Southern Arizona. Judge Miller has also served on the Boards of the YMCA and the Tucson International Mariachi Conference and Chaired women’s leadership programs for the YMCA. In 2001, Judge Miller was named Tucson Woman of the Year.

  • The Honorable Lawrence E. Mooney ('74)

    Judge Lawrence E. Mooney has served on the Eastern District of the Missouri Court of Appeals since 1998 until his retirement in 2019. Prior to his appointment to the Eastern District, Judge Mooney served as assistant prosecuting attorney from 1975 to 1977 and as first assistant prosecuting attorney from 1979 to 1990 in St. Louis County. From 1991 to 1998, Judge Mooney held the position of executive assistant to the county executive of St. Louis County.

    While on the court, Judge Mooney has been a member of the Drug Courts Coordinating Commission, and the chair of the Missouri Judicial Finance Commission. Judge Mooney is a member of The Missouri Bar, the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, the St. Louis County Bar Association, the Lawyers Association of St. Louis, and Lawyers for Equality. Judge Mooney also serves as a member and secretary for the board of trustees of the Laumeier Sculpture Park.

    He received his law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1974. He has been honored by the Midwest LGBTQ Law Conference with the President's Award and the Warren Welliver Award from Missouri Lawyer's Assistance Program, among others. He has served on the board of various community organizations and nonprofits, including his recent service as a board member for the National Conference for Community and Justice, the Board of Trustees of Laumier Sculpture Park, the Buzz Westfall Charitable Foundation. He currently serves as on the board for the Tennessee Williams Festival, St. Louis.

  • The Honorable Donald G. Wilkerson ('93)

    Judge Wilkerson was appointed United States Magistrate Judge on January 4, 2005. Judge Wilkerson, a native of East St. Louis, was the first African-American appointed to the bench in the Southern District of Illinois. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Illinois State University in 1973. He received a Masters Degree in Education from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in 1978 and attended the evening program of St. Louis University School of Law where he received his Juris Doctorate (cum laude) in 1993.

    Judge Wilkerson started his legal career at the Thompson Mitchell (now Thompson Coburn) law firm in St. Louis in 1993. He later worked at the Stolar Partnership law firm in that same city. In 1995, he joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in St. Louis, where he served as an Assistant United States Attorney until his appointment to the bench. Judge Wilkerson has taught Criminal Sentencing Law at Southern Illinois University School of Law in Carbondale and has been an Adjunct Professor at Washington University School of Law teaching in their trial clinic for more than 20 years. Prior to beginning his legal career, Judge Wilkerson taught and coached in the East St. Louis, Illinois Public Schools for 17 years. Judge Wilkerson retired in January of 2019, but continues to serve the citizens of Southern Illinois as a Recalled Magistrate Judge.

2019 Inductees

On Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, Saint Louis University School of Law inducted 10 new members into the Order of the Fleur de Lis Hall of Fame, the highest honor from Saint Louis University School of Law.

Through their professional successes and significant contributions to the community, the following individuals have brought honor to both Saint Louis University and SLU LAW by demonstrating the University mission and Jesuit spirit.

Class of 2019 tribute video

Hall of Fame 2019

  • Sally E. Barker ('76)
    Sally E. Barker, a partner at Schuchat, Cook & Werner, focuses her practice on labor law, with an emphasis on public sector, education and employment discrimination issues. She represented the prevailing unions in Independence National Education Association v. Independence School District, in which the Missouri Supreme Court held that public employees have a state constitutional right to engage in collective bargaining. Barker is a member and former board member of the Lawyers Coordinating Committee of the AFL-CIO. She was the recipient of the 2001 Daily Record “Woman Lawyer of the Year” award, an elected member to the ABA’s College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, and in 2015 and 2016 was listed as one of Missouri’s top 50 women lawyers. Improvement of mental health care is an important issue to Barker both from a legal and community standpoint. She serves on the board of directors of Mental Health of America of Eastern Missouri, and to honor the memory of her son, Alex Permutt, she founded Feelingkindablue.org, a website operated by Provident Counseling designed to help people suffering from mental illness combat isolationism and find peer support through experience sharing.
  • John T. Boese ('72)
    John “Jack” T. Boese, of counsel to the Washington, D.C., office of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, is a nationally recognized expert on the civil False Claims Act. After five years in the U.S. Department of Justice, he joined the firm, where he has worked for 42 years in a variety of roles, including partner and managing partner of the D.C. office, as well as co-chair of the D.C. litigation department. Boese authored the book Civil False Claims and Qui Tam Actions, currently in its fourth edition, which has been cited by courts at all levels, including the U.S. Supreme Court. He lectures frequently at law schools and to public and private groups, and has testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on proposed amendments to the FCA. Among his numerous professional affiliations, Boese is a member of the American Law Institute and an advisor to its project Principles of Law, Compliance, Enforcement and Risk Management for Corporations, Non-Profits and Other Organizations; a member of the ABA Task Force on New Contractor Business Ethics and Compliance Program Regulations; former chair of the ABA Criminal Justice Section CLE Board; and former vice-chair of the Debarment and Suspension Committee of the Public Contracts Section of the ABA.
  • Leonard P. Cervantes* (’73)
    Leonard “Lenny” P. Cervantes was a trial attorney for 45 years and the principal in the downtown St. Louis law firm Cervantes and Associates. He represented injured workers, victims and their families in personal injury, products liability, medical malpractice and workers’ compensation matters. He was a dedicated advocate for the underserved and a champion for legal education and mentoring at all levels. Cervantes regularly took on pro bono cases and encouraged other lawyers to do so, as well. In recent years, he provided legal advice and financial support to Catholic Legal Assistance Ministry’s efforts to assist undocumented immigrants in understanding their rights. Cervantes was a past president of the American Board of Trial Advocates Missouri/Southern Illinois Chapter and served as a national board member. He was also a past president of the Lawyers Association of St. Louis and received its Award of Honor in 2014. Cervantes was the longest-serving member (since 1989) of St. Ambrose University’s board of trustees and received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the university in 2005. At the time of his death in 2018, he was secretary of the board of directors of Legal Services of Eastern Missouri and served on the boards of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, the St. Louis Bar Foundation and Jazz St. Louis.
  • The Hon. Anne-Marie Clarke (’73)
    Judge Anne-Marie Clarke has served as the Family Court Commissioner for the 22nd Judicial Circuit, City of St. Louis, since October 1998. In 2017, Judge Clarke was sworn in as the 47th chair of the Judicial Council Division of the National Bar Association. She served as president of the Mound City Bar Association (1981-83) and was the first African-American to serve on the board of governors of the Missouri Bar (1986-1990, 1991-95). She also served on the board of directors of The Bar Plan Mutual Insurance Company from its inception in 1986 until October 1998. Judge Clarke was the first African-American woman to serve on the St. Louis City Board of Police Commissioners and was unanimously elected president in April 1994, becoming the first woman to serve as president, a position she held until her resignation in September 1998. She has served on numerous statewide committees and has been recognized for her work and leadership in the community.
  • The Hon. Edward L. Filippine (’57)
    Judge Edward L. Filippine is a senior judge for the United States District Court, Eastern District of Missouri. He entered private practice after graduation with Lyng, MacLeod & Davidson and later joined Thomas, Busse, Weiss, Cullen & Godfrey. While in private practice, Judge Filippine served as special assistant attorney general of Missouri (1963-64). He then served as assistant to U.S. Senator Thomas F. Eagleton from 1969 to 1974 and became director for Sen. Eagleton’s reelection campaign. He returned to private practice with Lashly, Caruthers, Baer & Hamel. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter nominated Judge Filippine for appointment as U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of Missouri, to which he was subsequently confirmed by the U.S. Senate. He served as the chief judge from 1990 to 1995. As chief judge, he organized and chaired the committee that worked alongside the GSA in the planning and construction of the Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse. Judge Filippine received the Distinguished Lawyer Award in 1998 from BAMSL and the Lifetime Judicial Achievement Award from the Eastern Missouri/Southern Illinois chapter of The American Board of Trial Advocates in 2005. Prior to attending law school, Judge Filippine served on active duty in the United States Air Force.
  • The Hon. Kevin F. O’Malley (’73)
    The Hon. Kevin F. O’Malley was nominated by President Barack Obama and served as the 31st United States Ambassador to Ireland from 2014 to 2017. During his tenure, Ambassador O’Malley developed the Creative Minds Series, a cross-cultural program that invited prominent U.S. artists, writers and innovators to share their experiences with Irish audiences, encouraging more creative economic links between young people in the two countries. In 2017 he returned to his hometown of St. Louis and has continued to work toward deepening these ties. He rejoined the firm Greensfelder, Hemker, and Gale, P.C., where he had previously spent 11 years as litigation partner leading the medical negligence and white collar crime and regulatory compliance areas of practice. He also was appointed non-executive director for the board of Greencore Group, a billion-dollar multinational food company headquartered in Ireland. A former federal prosecutor for the U.S. Department of Justice, he earned his J.D. from SLU LAW in 1973 and also has a degree in philosophy and political science from Saint Louis University.
  • Kathleen R. Sherby (’76)
    Kathleen Sherby is a partner in the private client group and a member of the Fiduciary Litigation Committee at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP. Her practice involves representation of individuals in all aspects of wealth transfer planning. A particular focus of her practice is estate planning for retirement benefits. Sherby regularly represents trustees and beneficiaries in court controversies and also has represented the taxpayer in estate and gift tax audits, in U.S. District Court, the U.S. Tax Court and the Missouri Supreme Court. Sherby is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel; she is past president and a regent emeritus of the College and has served as both chair of the Employee Benefits in Estate Planning Committee and as the Missouri State chair. She also has served as chair of the Probate and Trust Committee of the Missouri Bar, as chair of the Probate Section of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL) and as president of the Estate Planning Council of St. Louis.
  • The Hon. Francis G. Slay (’80)
    The Hon. Francis G. Slay was the longest-serving mayor in the history of the City of St. Louis, sworn in as the 45th mayor in 2001 and completing his fourth term in 2017. During his tenure, Mayor Slay led a downtown and city neighborhood revival that resulted in billions of dollars of private, public and philanthropic investment in historic renovations to commercial and residential structures; in advancement of cultural institutions; in improvements to streets, bridges and other city infrastructure; and in the creation and restoration of parks, trails and recreational facilities. In a precedent-setting partnership with the National Park Service, Mayor Slay put in motion the City Arch River effort to design and construct $400 million in improvements to the Gateway Arch grounds. Mayor Slay led a citywide campaign to create the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to support quality residential living for low-income St. Louisans, and successfully petitioned the Missouri Department of Education to create a special administrative board to oversee the St. Louis Public School District, which led the effort to achieve full accreditation by the State Board of Education for the first time in 17 years. Prior to his service to the City of St. Louis, Mayor Slay was a private practice attorney for 20 years. He currently practices law as of counsel at Spencer Fane LLP, where he focuses on business transactions, real estate and public policy.
  • Sr. Laura J. Wolf, OSF (’81)
    Shortly after graduating as valedictorian of her high school class, Sr. Laura J. Wolf, OSF, entered the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, a Roman Catholic congregation of religious women in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. In 1977, she was asked by her congregation to pursue the joint J.D./M.H.A. degrees at SLU. Upon graduating, Sr. Laura became manager and in-house counsel of Good Samaritan Medical Center in Zanesville, Ohio. After five years, she was called to Wisconsin to envision and create a structure to govern the health care ministry of her religious order. Over the next 31 years, as president and CEO of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity Sponsored Ministries, Inc. (FSCCM), Sr. Laura and her staff worked with the boards of directors in each of their respective markets to develop efficient and effective structures to provide services to their communities. In addition to overseeing hospitals, nursing homes and senior living institutions in Ohio, Nebraska and Wisconsin from the outset, in 2012 the FSCCM also assumed responsibility for a four-year liberal arts college, Silver Lake College of the Holy Family, in Manitowoc, Wis. In 2016 Sr. Laura retired from her position as president but continues to serve on local hospital boards and act as senior advisor to the FSCCM president on issues involving sponsorship, governance and strategy.
  • The Hon. Michael A. Wolff, Dean and Professor Emeritus
    Judge Michael A. Wolff joined the SLU LAW faculty in 1975 and served for 23 years before being appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court in 1998. He then served on the bench for 13 years, including two as chief justice (2005-07), where he wrote opinions in cases that established the right of jury trial in employment discrimination cases, disapproved execution of criminals who were juveniles when their offenses were committed, and upheld the right to collective bargaining for public employees. Judge Wolff returned to teaching at SLU LAW in 2011 and became dean in 2013, serving through 2017. During his time as dean, the law school stabilized and increased its enrollment, alumni participation and national rankings, and maintained its pre-eminence in health law. He is the recipient of many honors and awards, including most recently Missouri Lawyers Weekly’s inaugural ICON Award in 2018. Judge Wolff is active in the American Law Institute, serving as an advisor on the Model Penal Code Sentencing Project. He serves as a board member of the National Courts and Science Institute (NCSI) and is a member of The Constitution Project. In St. Louis Judge Wolff is on the boards of trustees of the Missouri Historical Society and the St. Louis Public Library Foundation.

*indicates deceased

2017 Inductees

On Friday, Oct. 13, Saint Louis University School of Law inducted 12 new members into the Order of the Fleur de Lis Hall of Fame, the highest honor from Saint Louis University School of Law.

Through their professional successes and significant contributions to the community, the following individuals have brought honor to both Saint Louis University and SLU LAW by demonstrating the University mission and Jesuit spirit.

Class of 2017 tribute video

Hall of Fame 2017

  • The Hon. Terry I. Adelman* ('70)
    Judge Adelman was a magistrate judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri from 1992 until 2015, and served as Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge from 2001 to 2008. He worked in the Public Defender’s Office in the City of St. Louis before becoming an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Missouri, a position he held for 20 years handling many high-profile prosecutions. He was named the First Assistant U.S. Attorney in 1980 and served for the next 12 years before becoming a judge. Judge Adelman served on the district’s court security committee for his entire judicial career and was especially proud of his service on the Model Criminal Jury Instructions Subcommittee of the Eighth Judicial Circuit. He also taught seminars on white collar crime as an adjunct professor at Washington University School of Law and SLU LAW. Judge Adelman's award was accepted by his wife, Christelle Adelman-Adler.
  • The Hon. Susan E. Block ('75)
    Judge Susan E. Block is currently a principal at Paule Camazine & Blumenthal, after retiring as a circuit judge and administrative judge in 2004, with 25 years of judicial service. She holds various leadership positions with the National Council of Jewish Women, Win With Women, HomeWorks! and the National Women’s Political Caucus, and she is a founding member of Caring for Kids. She has been an adjunct professor at Saint Louis University, Washington University and Emory University Schools of Law, specializing in trial practice and technique courses. She focuses her practice in family law matters and is viewed as a “lawyer’s lawyer” among her colleagues.
  • Kevin C. Curran ('78)
    Kevin C. Curran is currently First Assistant in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Eastern District of Missouri. Curran has worked in various capacities for both the Missouri State Public Defender System and the Office of the Federal Public Defender. He is an adjunct professor at SLU LAW and Washington University School of Law focusing on death penalty litigation and trial advocacy, and he currently supervises the internship program in the Office of the Federal Public Defender. Curran is a member of the Eighth Circuit Model Criminal Jury Instructions Subcommittee, has served on the National Institute for Justice and the National Commission on the Future of DNA Evidence Post-conviction Issues Working Group and is a past president of the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Curran's award was presented by his daughter, third-year law student Nora Curran.
  • The Hon. Jimmie M. Edwards ('81)
    Judge Jimmie M. Edwards is a circuit court judge of the 22nd Circuit Court in Missouri for St. Louis and has served for 25 years, five of which he served as the administrative judge of the Family Court and chief juvenile court judge. Judge Edwards has made a significant mark in civil law, presiding over more than 500 jury trials, and he has handled important state litigation, including the Missouri Tobacco Case. He is a member of the National Center for State Courts Board of Directors and the Missouri Supreme Court Civil Rules Committee, and he chairs the State Judicial Records Committee.
  • Anita C. Esslinger ('78)
    Anita C. Esslinger retired in 2016 as a partner and co-leader of the Global Anti-Corruption Team at Bryan Cave, where she worked in their St. Louis, Washington, D.C. and London offices. Her practice in the area of international business transactions included a variety of corporate and commercial issues, and she has written and spoken regularly on these topics, including at the Cambridge University International Symposium on Economic Crime and in Beijing, Tanjin and Hong Kong on the occasion of China’s accession to the World Trade Organization. She also served as a World Bank monitor of integrity compliance by a European company as part of the World Bank’s voluntary disclosure program.
  • Jesse A. Goldner, John D. Valentine Professor of Law Emeritus
    Jesse A. Goldner received his A.B. in 1969 and his M.A. in 1971, both from Columbia University, and earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1973. He joined the SLU LAW faculty in 1973, where he began his tenure developing the School’s civil and criminal clinical programs before becoming the co-founder of the Center for Health Law Studies, which he directed for 12 years. He has done extensive research on issues relating to the law and ethics of research on human subjects. He’s had leadership roles on several councils overseeing human research and accreditation, and he currently serves on the board of directors of the National Register of Health Service Psychologists. Goldner served as SLU LAW associate dean for academic affairs for three years, and has been a visiting professor at a number of American and foreign law schools.
  • Roger L. Goldman, Callis Family Professor of Law Emeritus
    Roger L. Goldman is the nation’s foremost expert on police licensing and license revocation laws and is also a leading expert on the U.S. Supreme Court and constitutional law. Goldman received his A.B. from Harvard University in 1963 and his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1966. He joined the SLU LAW faculty in 1971, where he taught courses in civil procedure, criminal procedure, constitutional law and federal courts for the next 40 years and received multiple writing and teaching awards; he served as associate dean twice and as interim dean for one year. In addition to helping states write and adopt laws to prevent repeat police officer misconduct, Goldman has written several articles and books on constitutional law and criminal procedure and is frequently sought out by both national and local media for commentary.
  • Bernard A. Reinert ('62)
    Bernard A. Reinert is the founder of and a principal in Reinert Weishaar Attorneys at Law. His practice areas have been fidelity and surety bond claims and litigation, banking and financial institutions, business and commercial litigation, construction law, trials and appeals, and he has a national reputation as a practitioner and publisher on surety and fidelity issues. After receiving his law degree in 1962, Reinert served as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Omer Poos. He is an active member of his Kirkwood community, serving as a member of the Kirkwood R7 School District Board of Education (1976-1991) and as chairman of the City of Kirkwood Civil Service Commission (1992 to the present).
  • The Hon. Karen E. Schreier ('81)
    Judge Karen E. Schreier is a federal judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, currently stationed in Sioux Falls. She spent 11 years as a partner and associate at Hagen, Wilka, Schreier & Archer, P.C., practicing civil and business litigation, administrative law, estate planning and family law, before becoming the first woman to serve as U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota and later the first woman to serve as a federal district judge in South Dakota. She currently serves as chair of the Judicial Conference Committee on the Administration of the Bankruptcy System and is a current board member of South Dakota Children’s Home Society.
  • Mary Anne Sedey ('75)
    Mary Anne Sedey is currently a partner in the firm Sedey Harper, P.C. and has represented employees in Missouri for 40 years. Sedey has served as president of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) and founded its St. Louis chapter, and was president of the executive board of the nonprofit Workplace Fairness. She served a six-year term on the Judicial Commission of the 22nd Judicial Circuit of Missouri and is currently a member of the executive committee of the Theodore McMillian Inns of Court, as well as a number of other legal organizations, and she has taught courses and spoken around the country on trial tactics and employment law issues.
  • Reuben A. Shelton ('81)
    Reuben A. Shelton recently retired as lead litigation counsel for Monsanto Company, where he handled antitrust and intellectual property litigation as well as international business litigation and global policy matters. Previously, he was special chief counsel in the Office for the Missouri Attorney General and worked for Ameren Union Electric Company for 14 years as head of the Tort Litigation Department. He is past president of BAMSL, the St. Louis Bar Foundation, and the Missouri Bar Association and currently serves on the Missouri Bar Board of Trustees – the first African American elected to those positions. He has also been involved in leadership roles in numerous other legal and nonprofit organizations and is now vice chair of the Missouri Development Finance Board.
  • The Hon. Lisa S. Van Amburg ('75)
    Judge Lisa S. Van Amburg is currently an appellate judge for the Missouri Court of Appeals for the Eastern District. She launched her career in employment law and labor law, her specialty for 27 years, working at firms VanAmburg, Chackes, Carlson and Spritzer; Schuchat, Cook &Werner; and Anderson, Everett, Sedey and VanAmburg and arguing in several notable discrimination cases. In 2003, she was appointed to the bench as a circuit judge for the 22nd Judicial Circuit of Missouri in the City of St. Louis, and was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 2012.

*indicates deceased

2016 Inductees

Our second annual Order of the Fleur de Lis Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held on Sept. 16, 2016. The 15 honorees set the bar high and will serve as aspirational examples for all who serve as men and women for others. Through their professional successes and significant contributions to the community, the following individuals have brought honor to both Saint Louis University and SLU LAW by demonstrating the University mission and Jesuit spirit.

Class of 2016 tribute video

Hall of Fame 2016

  • The Honorable Henry Autrey ('77)
    Judge Autrey is currently a federal judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. He received his B.S. and J.D. from Saint Louis University in 1974 and 1977. He was assistant circuit attorney for the City of St. Louis until 1986 when he became circuit court judge. In 2002, he was appointed to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.
  • The Honorable Clyde S. Cahill ('51)*
    Judge Cahill was a federal judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri from 1980 until 2004. He served in the Air Force during World War II before receiving his B.S. and J.D. from Saint Louis University in 1949 and 1951. He was active in civil rights litigation throughout Missouri. He was a chief legal advisor to the Missouri NAACP and filed the first lawsuit in Missouri that implemented the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education.
  • The Honorable Michael B. Calvin ('75)*
    Judge Michael Calvin graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1975. In 1988, Calvin became a circuit judge, and in 1999 he was elected by his colleagues as presiding judge, becoming the first African-American in that position. In 2008, he retired from the bench, and went on to work as of counsel to Spencer Fane Britt & Browne, focusing on mediation and arbitration.
  • Dennis C. Donnelly ('66)
    Dennis C. Donnelly is currently senior counsel of Bryan Cave LLP specializing in employment law. He received both his A.B. and J.D. from Saint Louis University in 1963 and 1966. He was the assistant circuit attorney for the City of St. Louis until 1968, when he served as assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri and Eastern District of Illinois. He is currently on the advisory board for Ranken Technical College and for Boys Hope/Girls Hope.
  • Susan A. "Tonie" FitzGibbon ('84)
    Susan A. “Tonie” FitzGibbon has been a part of the SLU LAW faculty since 1987, becoming the director of the William C. Wefel Center for Employment Law in 1994. She earned her J.D. from SLU in 1984. A specialist in employment law, arbitration and mediation, Fitzgibbon taught contracts, labor law and alternative dispute resolution.
  • David J. Hensler ('67)
    David J. Hensler is a top-rated business litigation attorney in Washington, D.C. focusing on securities fraud litigation, internal investigations, and many other types of general commercial litigation. Hensler received his both his A.B. and J.D. from Saint Louis University. After law school, he joined the General Counsel’s Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission and was an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law. Hensler is currently a partner at Hogan Lovells LLP in Washington, D.C.
  • The Honorable Mary Kathryn Hoff ('78)
    Judge Hoff earned her J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1978. She began her legal career in 1978 as an assistant public defender in St. Louis. In 1982, she became a private practice lawyer until May of 1989, when she was appointed as a circuit judge in the 22nd Judicial Circuit. In 1996, Hoff was appointed to the Missouri Court of Appeals for the Eastern District.
  • F. William Human, Jr. ('50)*
    F. William Human received his undergraduate and law degree from Saint Louis University. He served in the Navy during WWII and the Korean War, and was elected Clayton’s first mayor in 1959. He was chairman of the St. Louis County Charter Commission, member of the committee that created the charter for the Zoo-Museum District, as well as a member of the general counsel that created the St. Louis Science Center.
  • Joseph L. Leritz ('52)
    Joseph L. Leritz is senior partner of Leritz & Plunkert, P.C., specializing in fire insurance, subrogation, insurance coverage litigation and commercial litigation. He graduated from SLU LAW in 1952. He has appeared in state and federal courts at all levels including the U.S. Supreme Court. A member of the Missouri Bar Association and the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Leritz served as president of Member of the Association of Defense Counsel from 1969 to 1970.
  • Henry F. Luepke ('60)
    Henry F. Luepke Jr. received his A.B. from The University of Notre Dame in 1957 and his J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1960. He is currently Of Counsel of Lewis Rice LLC, a law firm in St. Louis, Mo. As a lawyer, attorney Luepke served Saint Louis City County, as well as clients throughout Missouri.
  • Marian V. "Bo" Mehan ('82)
    Marian V. “Bo” Mehan received J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1982. She works in estate planning at Lewis Rice LLC, a job in which she has had for over 30 years. She has held various leadership positions with several St. Louis nonprofit organizations, such as the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital Foundation, Catholic Services for Children, the Girl Scout Council of Greater St. Louis, and the St. Louis Art Museum Foundation.
  • Robert F. Scoular ('68)
    As chairman of SNR Denton, Robert F. Scoular is currently a trial and appellate attorney specializing in complex litigation. He serves on the executive committee of the Board of Directors of Public Counsel and leads the firm’s Los Angeles pro bono efforts. He received his J.D. from SLU's School of Law in 1964, and currently serves on several boards for California nonprofits such as the Southern California Advisory Board of the Daughters of Charity Foundation.
  • The Honorable Joseph J. Simeone (Professor Emeritus)*
    Professor Emeritus Joseph J. Simeone was a longtime Saint Louis University School of Law professor and a former judge of both the Missouri Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. He served as legal counsel for two Missouri governors and the legal advisor for the Judiciary Committee of the Missouri House of Representatives. He is the principal author of the Judicial Article of the Missouri Constitution, the original Missouri Public Defender Act, the Controlled Substances Law, various environmental laws and other legislation.
  • John G. Simon ('86)
    John G. Simon received his undergraduate and law degree from Saint Louis University in 1983 and 1986. He founded Simon Law Firm, P.C., where he dedicates his career to helping injury victims. Simon is currently a member of the American Association for Justice, and has served on the Board of Governors of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys since 1991. He is also an adjunct professor at SLU's School of Law teaching trial advocacy.
  • Arlene Zarembka ('74)
    Arlene Zarembka earned her B.A. in economics from Swarthmore College in 1970 and her J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1974. After graduation, she spent six years as an attorney in Legal Services and six years in a private practice partnership before she opened her own law firm in 1987. Zarembka has advocated for civil liberties and civil rights for all persons throughout her practice, writing more than 90 published commentaries on civil rights, civil liberties, and social and economic justice.
    *indicates deceased
2015 Inductees

Our inaugural Order of the Fleur de Lis Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held on Sept. 25, 2015. The 14 honorees of our inaugural class certainly set the bar high and will serve as aspirational examples for all who serve as men and women for others. Through their professional successes and significant contributions to the community, the following individuals have brought honor to both Saint Louis University and SLU LAW by demonstrating the University mission and Jesuit spirit.

Class of 2015 tribute video

Hall of Fame 2015

  • John (Jack) M. Bray, 1962
  • Honorable Kathianne Knaup Crane, 1971
  • Irvin, 1954 and Maggie Dagen*
  • Doreen D. Dodson, 1974
  • John E. (Jack) Dunsford*, 1956
  • Vincent C. Immel
  • Sandra H. Johnson
  • Honorable Theodore McMillian*, 1949
  • Michael D. O'Keefe, 1961
  • Peter W. Salsich Jr., 1965
  • Eileen H. Searls
  • John C. Shepherd*, 1951
  • Honorable Paul J. Simon, 1960
  • Jon A. Theobald, 1970