Overview

Bob is the head of the St. Louis office. He has devoted his career to representing employers who are in disputes with their employees—ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses and startups. While he’s handled matters covering nearly every type of employment dispute imaginable, most of Bob’s current litigation practice focuses on disability discrimination, failure-to-accommodate, impermissible medical examinations and inquiries, and retaliation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and similar state laws. Bob has found that disability cases are unique in anti-discrimination litigation because the defense often revolves around whether the employee was able to perform their job, which usually includes sophisticated handling of medical evidence and expert witnesses.

Bob has also been seconded to in-house employment practice for a multi-national employer. During that time, he advised internal business clients on employment issues ranging from ADA implications of medical inquiries for executives to travel abroad, to employee reasonable accommodation requests, to wage-and-hour implications of a mini-golf team building outing. This experience allows Bob to better understand his clients’ businesses and practices and to tailor his practice to their individual goals and needs.  

Honors & Recognitions

  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Litigation - Labor and Employment (2024)
  • Rising Star, Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers (2014-2018)

Professional & Civic Associations

  • The Missouri Bar

    • Legislative Review Subcommittee, Labor and Employment Law Committee (2009-2016)
    • Chair, Leadership Academy (2008-2010)
  • Missouri Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • Community Economic Development Program - Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
  • The Children's Heart Foundation, Missouri Chapter, Board of Directors (2013-2018)
    • President (2013-2015)
  • The New Mt. Sinai Cemetery Association, Board of Directors (2017-2020)
    • Chair, Personnel and Legal Committees (2017-2020)
  • Webster Child Care Center, Board of Directors (2012-2014)
  • Congregation Temple Israel, Chair, Human Resources Committee (2018-present)
  • Leadership Counsel on Legal Diversity (LCLD), Mentor, Success in Law School Mentoring Program (2018-2021)  

Representative Matters

Representative Matters

Bob has represented employers in matters throughout the U.S., including in: California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia. Recent highlights include:

  • Represented major U.S. transportation employer in action alleging disability discrimination based on disparate treatment, disability discrimination based on disparate impact, and failure-to-accommodate under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Obtained judgment on the pleadings on failure-to-accommodate claim as time-barred. Obtained summary judgment on remaining disparate treatment and disparate impact claims as time-barred and not saved by American Pipe tolling because claims were not within the scope of motion for class certification in previous class action (U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 2021-2022).
  • Represented major U.S. transportation employer in action alleging disability discrimination, unlawful screening, and failure-to-accommodate under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Obtained dismissal of unlawful screening and failure-to-accommodate claims as time-barred and not saved by American Pipe tolling based on previous class action. Obtained summary judgment on remaining disability discrimination claim (U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, 2021-2022).
  • Represented major U.S. transportation employer in class action alleging disability discrimination and failure-to-accommodate under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Obtained dismissal of class and pattern-and-practice claims as time-barred (U.S. District Court, District of Colorado, 2020-2022).
  • Represented major U.S. transportation employer in class action alleging disability discrimination in hiring under the Missouri Human Rights Act. Employee abandoned class allegations during discovery. Obtained summary judgment on all claims (U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri, 2019-2022).
  • Represented major U.S. transportation employer in action alleging disability discrimination, failure-to-accommodate, and impermissible medical inquiry under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Obtained dismissal of failure-to-accommodate claim for failure to state a claim and summary judgment on all remaining claims (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, 2019-2021).
  • Represented major U.S. transportation employer in action alleging disability discrimination, failure-to-accommodate, and impermissible medical examination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Obtained dismissal of failure-to-accommodate claim as time-barred and for failure to state a claim. Employee dropped his impermissible medical examination claim during discovery. Obtained summary judgment on remaining disability discrimination claim (U.S. District Court, District of Kansas, 2019-2020).
  • Represented major U.S. transportation employer and individual defendant in action alleging age discrimination, age harassment, constructive discharge, and retaliation under the Missouri Human Rights Act. Obtained dismissal of the individual defendant for failing to state a claim and fraudulent joinder; judgment on the pleadings on disability discrimination, retaliation, and constructive discharge for failure to exhaust administrative remedies; and summary judgment on age harassment (U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri, 2019-2020). Affirmed on appeal by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (2021).
  • Represented major U.S. auto manufacturer in action alleging violation of federal whistleblower statute targeted at auto manufacturers (MAP-21) and wrongful discharge in violation of public policy. Obtained summary judgment of first impression on issue of whether employee’s actions were protected whistleblowing under MAP-21 (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, 2017-2019).
  • Represented manufacturer in failure-to-hire ADA action brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on behalf of 53 claimants. EEOC alleged that employer used post-offer, pre-employment medical examination to discriminate against applicants based on risk for developing carpal tunnel syndrome (U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois, 2015-2018).
  • Represented call-center employer in wage-and-hour class and collective action brought on behalf of approximately 1,500 employees (U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 2018-2019).
  • Represented logistics employer in action alleging disability discrimination, failure to accommodate, and retaliation under the ADA and state law. Obtained dismissal with prejudice after employee decided to drop his lawsuit during discovery (U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois, 2018-2019).
  • Represented federal contractor in associational disability and age discrimination action under the ADA and ADEA brought by EEOC on behalf of employee alleging that employer terminated his employment after he requested a transfer to a work location closer to his disabled son (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, 2017-2018).





News & Analysis

Speaking Engagements & Industry Publications

Blogs, Videos & Podcasts

  • “Do not think you can be brave with your life and your work and never disappoint anyone. It doesn’t work that way.”
  • Oprah

Practice Emphasis

  • Disability Discrimination
  • Reasonable Accommodation and Leaves of Absence
  • Employer Medical Examinations and Inquiries

Education

University of Missouri School of Law

  • J.D., 2004
  • Missouri Law Review, Note & Comment Editor

Bradley University

  • B.S., summa cum laude, 2001
  • Pi Sigma Alpha honor society
  • Bradley Mock Trial Society

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Missouri, 2004
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
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