Kristi grew up watching her family work hard as members of Southern Illinois unions. She saw from an early age how easily unforeseen injuries and accidents can drastically impact the entire family. This motivated her to want to work hard on behalf of working families to protect their health and welfare.

On the day the firm opened, Kristi started working as a receptionist when she was seventeen years old. Soon after she joined the firm, it became apparent that Kristi had a talent and a passion for the law and loved helping people. She quickly became the firm’s law clerk, doing considerable legal research and writing, and assisting Tom in building his successful practice. At the same time, Kristi continued to pursue her education, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, where she graduated summa cum laude.

In the fall of 2006, Tom encouraged Kristi to enroll in law school at St. Louis University School of Law, where she excelled academically. She earned Academic Excellence Awards in Civil Procedure and Criminal Law. Kristi graduated 2nd in her class from St. Louis University School of Law in May of 2009, magna cum laude, and was awarded a membership to the Order of the Woolsack for being in the top 1% of the class.

Kristi also diversified her professional experience while in law school. Kristi served as an Editor of the St. Louis University Public Law Review. Her comment, “ERISA-On the Edge of Equity: Can ‘Appropriate Equitable Relief’ Be Capped?” was published in Volume 28 of the St. Louis University Public Law Review in 2009. She was selected to serve as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Judge Michael Reagan in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. Kristi also practiced as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Madison County, Illinois under Rule 711 for one year. Kristi was admitted to both the Illinois and Missouri bars, and represents clients in both states.

Since graduating from law school, Kristi has obtained considerable experience in the field of civil litigation, conducting multiple jury trials, workers’ compensation trials, appellate hearings, depositions, arbitrations, mediations, and has successfully negotiated many sizeable settlements against large companies and employers. Notably, she has never lost a jury trial in her career, and has always secured verdicts well in excess of insurance company settlement offers. She has secured many six and seven figure verdicts and settlements against insurance companies on behalf of her clients.

Kristi approaches each case by imagining herself and her family in the same situation as her clients, just like when she was young and saw her parents and relatives experience hardships. This approach gives her an empathy and compassion for her clients and helps motivate her to fight hard for their rights. Kristi believes that hard work, attention to detail, and persistence coupled with compassion and empathy are the keys to her successes both inside and outside the courtroom.

In her spare time, Kristi enjoys spending time with her husband and five children and performing volunteer work. Her favorite part of being a lawyer is helping people with real problems feel secure that she will meet their needs and help them find solutions to their problems.