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Overview

Jessica is a nationally recognized mass tort and product liability litigator with extensive experience serving as national coordinating counsel for private equity and corporations facing high-stakes and high-volume litigation in the nation’s most challenging jurisdictions.

As national coordinating counsel for asbestos defendants, Jessica leads and manages the coordinated defense of thousands of cases across state and federal courts, working closely with teams of attorneys and local counsel firms nationwide. She also works collaboratively with clients to develop and implement comprehensive litigation strategies from inception through trial, including case-specific and docket-wide approaches to discovery, depositions, expert witness management, dispositive motions, and trial preparation. Her ability to efficiently coordinate resources, unify defense themes, minimize client risk, and engage in difficult negotiations on a national scale has made Jessica a trusted partner on the industry’s largest dockets.

Jessica has significant trial experience in some of the country’s toughest venues for defendants, including the City of St. Louis and Madison County, Illinois. That courtroom experience directly informs how she drives defense strategy, sharpening her judgment on case evaluation, risk assessment, and resolution timing from the earliest stages of a matter through trial.

Jessica has developed a deep understanding of the medical and scientific aspects underlying these toxic tort cases, which enables her to challenge opposing experts effectively and present compelling testimony on behalf of clients. She has cross-examined and defended at deposition numerous leading medical, scientific, and state-of-the-art expert witnesses. She has worked with and against many of the nation’s most prolific plaintiff-side experts. Jessica also has extensive experience developing and defending corporate witnesses for asbestos portfolios, preparing company representatives to testify credibly on corporate history, product identification, and state-of-the-art issues under sustained cross-examination.

As a trusted advisor to major corporations facing complex tort-based claims, Jessica is known for her strategic thinking, relationship building, skillful handling of tough negotiations, and results-driven advocacy.

Industries

Services

Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2025-2027

Education

  • J.D., University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law
    • magna cum laude
    • UMKC Law Review, Literary Editor
    • Harry S. Truman Leadership Award
    • CALI Award, Civil Procedure
  • B.A., University of Missouri
    • Political Science

Admissions

  • Missouri
  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL)
  • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)


*Contact Jessica to set up an in-person consultation by appointment in the St. Louis office.

The Best Lawyers in America®
Experience
  • Second chaired three-week asbestos trial in Madison County, Illinois. Sole defendant at trial manufactured amphibole-containing pipe. Case settled prior to verdict.
  • Second chaired asbestos trial in Madison County, Illinois. Plaintiff alleged take-home exposures to defendant's coatings and chemical pipe. Case was settled during voir dire.
  • Defended fuse manufacturer during three-week trial in St. Louis City. Plaintiffs alleged exposure to asbestos, silica and second-hand smoke. Defense verdict was reached on all counts.
  • Served on appellate team defending railroad against Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) claim, resulting in favorable forum non conveniens law in Illinois.
Outside the Office

Jessica stays busy with her husband and two young children – a son and a daughter. She enjoys traveling to national parks and spending time with her family, including the beloved family goldendoodle.

Community Leadership
  • Eye Thrive
  • North Glendale Elementary School, Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)
  • Girl Scouts