Missouri is a state that’s known for being peaceful and reserved, and with its Midwestern location, it can tend to be overlooked. Still, Missouri is the 19th most populous state in the country and features bustling metropolitan areas like St. Louis and Kansas City. Kansas City is one of the state’s most influential cities because of its lively football culture.
While Missouri tends to stay out of the spotlight, it’s one of the best states when it comes to attorneys and law firms. The state is home to many firms of all sizes that know how to win cases. That said, finding help for a class-action lawsuit is challenging because there are so many firms to choose from.
The good news is that we’re here to help. We’ve studied the best firms in Missouri and picked the ten best options for class-action lawsuits. Each firm offers its services on a contingency basis, so you don’t need to worry about spending money upfront; they only get paid if you win. So, if you or a loved one needs help with a case, read on.
1. OnderLaw
110 E Lockwood Ave, St. Louis, MO 63119
Practice Areas: Class Action, Personal Injury, Litigation
Firm Size: Medium
OnderLaw is one of Missouri’s best law firms. With a versatile roster of attorneys, the firm is equipped to handle cases of any size. This is why they have won several key cases in multiple fields of law. Instead of focusing on one area, the firm sets itself apart by bringing its diverse knowledge to the table. Still, the firm is best at tackling personal injury cases and litigation cases.
When it comes to class-action lawsuits, OnderLaw hasn’t been shy. While each lawyer that works with the firm can help, Jesse Rochman is one of the firm’s more notable attorneys. Rochman has a history of litigating against some of Missouri’s largest and wealthiest companies, especially financial institutions.
Still, the firm offers many legal services and has won cases in many fields of law. Settlements they’ve won include a $110,000,000 verdict against the pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson $72,000,000 in the talcum powder lawsuit. With results like these, it makes sense that OnderLaw has won its clients over a billion dollars in compensation.
2. Gray, Ritter & Graham
701 Market St UNIT 800, St. Louis, MO 63101
Practice Areas: Class Action, Product Liability, Wrongful Death, Catastrophic Injury, Personal Injury, Accidents
Firm Size: Medium
Gray, Ritter & Graham has experienced quite a bit of growth over the past decade. While the firm started small, it’s grown into a medium-sized firm with a skilled line-up of attorneys. Additionally, their lawyers each bring different specialties to the practice, so the firm is experienced in most areas of law. Still, the firm’s bread and butter is in liability and personal injury cases.
While Gray, Ritter & Graham focuses on smaller cases, they don’t shy away from class-action lawsuits. The firm has won several major cases, with the most notable being a $1.5 billion verdict for farmers in 2018, led by attorney Don Downing. Another notable settlement achieved by Tom Neil helped 22 plaintiffs receive a total of $4.69 billion in compensation. Keep in mind; these are just two attorneys from the firm’s loaded roster.
Gray, Ritter & Graham also likes to stay in the spotlight and maintain a positive relationship with the community, as the firm frequently donates to charities. Plus, the team loves to build relationships with the people of St. Louis and provide bonuses for referrals. Overall, it’s one of the best firms in the state.
3. Donner Applewhite, Attorneys at Law
906 Olive St Ste 1110, St. Louis, MO 63101
Practice Areas: Class Action, Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Medical Negligence, Insurance Litigation, Wrongful Death
Firm Size: Small
Donner Applewhite has been around for over 30 years and has established itself as one of the best firms in the St. Louis area. The firm has helped many people fight against large companies over the decades, focusing on helping clients with personal injury and wrongful death cases. While winning money in a settlement is great, Donner Applewhite sees it as a matter of principle.
Donner Applewhite is a small firm, and it remains that way for a few reasons. First and foremost, its small size makes it more approachable and helps the team build relationships with its clients. Secondly, the firm is dedicated to providing the best attorneys, so it’s about quality over quantity. Lastly, their small size helps them stay under the radar until the firm’s legal team is ready to strike. Overall, Donner Applewhite is one of the few small firms that leverage their size instead of being hindered by it.
While Donner Applewhite is smaller than other St. Louis firms like OnderLaw, it doesn’t shy away from big cases. The firm is notorious for participating in class-action lawsuits and has helped many people receive the compensation they deserve. The firm has one of the best records in Missouri when it comes to employment discrimination cases.
4. Wagstaff & Cartmell
4740 Grand Ave #300, Kansas City, MO 64112
Practice Areas: Class Action, Malpractice, Insurance Litigation, Negligence, Wrongful Death, Personal Injury
Firm Size: Large
Wagstaff & Cartmell is one of the largest law firms in Kansas City. With a roster of over 30 licensed attorneys, the firm is well-rounded and competent. While many firms in Missouri are medium-sized, Wagstaff & Cartmell’s large practice means they have more resources to tackle cases. Plus, with one of the largest legal teams in Kansas City, the firm can take on many new clients–even for personal cases that aren’t class-action lawsuits.
Still, Wagstaff & Cartmell is impressive for more than just its size. The firm has been around for decades and has participated in some of the most significant recent cases. For example, the firm participated in multidistrict litigation (MDL) for faulty pelvic mesh, awarding over 100,000 women a total of $8 billion. They have also been involved with the litigation against 3M combat arms products and fought against Juul, the popular e-cigarette company. In total, the firm has helped its clients receive over $10 billion in compensation.
While winning cases and having an extensive roster is important, Wagstaff & Cartmell doesn’t operate like a traditional large firm. Each attorney takes their time with clients and makes sure the case is fully understood. This includes breaking down jargon and the law team helping clients understand their options. It’s a family-owned touch that helps the firm appeal to people in Kansas City.
5. The Simon Law Firm
800 Market St UNIT 1700, St. Louis, MO 63101
Practice Areas: Class Action, Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Medical Negligence, Insurance Litigation, Wrongful Death, Mass Torts
Firm Size: Medium
The Simon Law Firm was founded in the year 2000. Since the firm opened its doors, it has helped hundreds of people get the compensation they deserve. In fact, the firm has worked to win their clients over a billion dollars in settlements; that number continues to grow each year. Furthermore, the Simon Law Firm is known for going after cases that might scare off smaller practices and less skilled attorneys.
Some of their notable cases include a $100 million lawsuit against Bridgestone and a $47 million settlement for a faulty boiler. So, while the firm has been a part of class-action cases, the attorneys are also known for helping individual cases.
The Simon Law Firm is also one of the most active firms on social media and in the news. Instead of operating away from the public eye, the Simon Firm hosts podcasts and posts on social media to help clients learn more about its team and what they do. This is a unique practice that breaks down the barrier between attorney and client.
6. Burgess Law Firm
4505 Madison Ave STE 200, Kansas City, MO 64111
Practice Areas: Class Action, Personal Injury, Accidents
Firm Size: Small
Burgess Law Firm is one of the smaller firms in Kansas City, but don’t let that sway your opinion of it. While small in size, the attorneys have big personalities, and they don’t shy away from complex cases. In fact, the Burgess Firm is one of the few Kansas City firms dedicated solely to class-action cases.
Because of its aggressive attitude towards class-action cases, the firm has helped its clients receive over $30 million in compensation. While that number is smaller than some firms like Wagstaff & Cartmell, it’s impressive for a small practice.
Burgess Law Firm is also unique because of the way the team approaches each case. Because of its small size, every case feels personal, and clients love that. Furthermore, the attorneys always keep the pressure on to make sure cases move quickly. While some firms will spend months in the discovery process, Burgess speeds things up without compromising the case.
7. Lear Werts
103 Ripley St, Columbia, MO 65201
Practice Areas: Class Action, Personal Injury, Employment, Wage & Hour, Mass Torts
Firm Size: Small
Lear Werts is a small firm that operates out of Columbia, Missouri. While their practice is located in a small town, that doesn’t stop them from participating in cases from across the country. The firm has litigated several class-action cases outside of Missouri and continues to challenge companies across the country.
Lear Werts is also a unique firm because it relies on old-school values. Instead of running clients through a quick briefing of the case, they take their time with each client. The team believes that the better clients understand a case, the better chance they’ll have at success. That said, the firm combines this vintage approach with a modern touch that makes its process smooth and easy for everyone.
Lear Werts has also had a lot of success over the years. While it’s newer than some firms, it has helped in several class-action cases. One of the most notable cases involved a county jail that failed to compensate jailers properly. The firm has also participated in a class-action case against a debt collection firm that was sending out misleading messages.
8. Holland Law Firm
211 N Broadway Suite 2625, St. Louis, MO 63102
Practice Areas: Class Action, Personal Injury, Litigation, Mass Torts, Accidents, Maritime
Firm Size: Small
Holland Law Firm operates with efficiency in everything it does. Whether it’s someone with a personal case or representing a group in a class-action lawsuit, the firm dedicates its resources to winning. To provide perspective, Holland Law Firm has helped clients receive over six billion dollars in compensation and continues to increase that number.
The firm is also experienced inside and outside of the courtroom. In the courtroom, experienced trial lawyers go to battle with big companies on behalf of their clients. Outside of the courtroom, the team has decades of experience getting to know the people of Missouri. The firm’s location in St. Louis provides a diverse background of attorneys, and each case adds more experience to the firm.
Holland Law Firm has also won many awards for its services and landmark cases, most notably its work involving the Jones Act and mass tort and personal injury cases. They have also received recognition from several agencies like the Global Top 100 Lawyers and Top Verdict.
9. Holman Schiavone
4600 Madison Ave Ste 810, Kansas City, MO 64112
Practice Areas: Class Action, Mass Tort, Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Personal Injury, Accidents
Firm Size: Small
Holman Schiavone is one of the most well-rounded firms in Kansas City. The team is dedicated to helping everyone, regardless of the case. In fact, Holman Schiavone is particularly known for handling cases concerning sexual assault and workplace sexual harassment–setting them apart from other firms in the region. Furthermore, they also handle cases regarding bullying and harassment.
Holman Schiavone is also a firm that gets results. They have helped clients win millions of dollars in compensation and continue to do so each year. The firm has had notable victories with sexual harassment cases, class-action lawsuits, and personal injury claims. While the size of each case varies, the firm doesn’t discriminate and always dedicates its resources to help.
Some of Holman Schiavone’s most noteworthy cases include a $13.9 million settlement for a wrongfully imprisoned client and a $13 million verdict for Benzene exposure.
10. Edgar Law Firm
2600 Grand Blvd Suite 440, Kansas City, MO 64108
Practice Areas: Class Action, Commercial Litigation, Malpractice
Firm Size: Small
Edgar Law Firm is a small firm that handles commercial lawsuits and class-action cases. While many firms focus on keeping a diverse range of practice areas, Edgar Law Firm does its best to stick to class-action cases and cases that target large companies on behalf of individuals and families. This plays into the firm’s small size, which it leverages to provide clients with a family-owned type of experience.
Edgar Law Firm has been around for decades and continues to make a difference in the community. The firm spends time creating content for clients to read to educate themselves, and they are always involved with ongoing cases. For example, they are currently working on a handful of investigations against companies like Avis Car Rental, the Chevrolet Cruze, and more.
Still, what makes Edgar Law Firm unique is its results. While small, the firm has helped clients earn millions of dollars in compensation. Some notable verdicts have reached well over a million dollars, and the active cases the firm is involved in will likely net the team’s clients even more in compensation. Plus, all consultations are free, so there is limited risk on the client side.