Clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to locally-owned businesses and municipal governments turn to Ben for their employment counseling and litigation matters.
Overview
Ben is a tenacious litigator with extensive trial experience representing clients in employment matters and other disputes. Ben’s experience includes defending clients in employment discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliation and whistleblower claims under federal, state, and local statutes. Ben is also a trusted advisor and counselor to clients in all areas of employment law including hiring and firing, employment agreements, workplace investigations, restrictive covenants, labor negotiations, collective bargaining agreements, leaves of absence, disability issues, wage and hour compliance, and preventing discrimination, harassment and retaliation.
In addition to employment litigation, Ben also has extensive experience representing clients in commercial disputes, False Claims Act cases, alleged bad faith insurance cases and product liability lawsuits including those alleging exposure to asbestos, diacetyl, lead and carbon monoxide.
Experience
Among recent successes, Ben obtained a complete dismissal of a novel COVID-19-related employment claim before the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and then successfully defended such dismissal before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and on writ to the United States Supreme Court.
Obtained an unanimous defense verdict for a client after a three-week jury trial with Plaintiffs seeking over $50,000,000.00 in addition to punitive damages.
Successfully defended a client and obtained a complete defense verdict after a trial on multiple claims arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and its state law companion.
Successfully defended a client and received summary judgment on state and federal claims alleging age discrimination.
Effectively defended against multiple False Claims Act cases including obtaining a complete dismissal of a multimillion dollar case brought by a client's former employee.
Obtained a seven-figure judgment for a client arising from a sale of their business after years of litigation.
Successfully obtained a verdict for a client after a week-long jury trial on a breach of contract claim.
Successfully defended against and obtained a complete dismissal for a client on a complex multimillion dollar commercial lawsuit in federal court.
News & Insights
News
Speaking Engagements
Publications
"WARNING: Prop 65 "Can Expose" Product Manufacturers to Increased Litigation in California," October 2016
"California's Proposition 65: History and Proposed Amendments in 2016," May 2016
"Federal Preemption of State and Local Laws Governing Children's Products," April 2016
Recognitions
Recognitions
Named to the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America list, 2021-2025
Professional & Civic Activities
Professional & Civic Activities
FOCUS St. Louis, Leadership St. Louis Program 2021-2022
Missouri Bar, 2014
Metropolitan Bar of St. Louis, 2014
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- Missouri, 2014
- Illinois, 2015
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, 2014
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, 2016
Education
St. Louis University School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2014
- Order of the Woolsack
- St. Louis University Law Journal, Lead Editor
University of Missouri-Columbia, B.A., Political Science, magna cum laude, 2011
