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Kate Ledden

Kate Ledden

Senior Associate
Overview

Kate draws on extensive knowledge of both healthcare law and the court system to represent healthcare clients in complex litigation.

Kate’s interest in health law dates to her time in Paraguay after college, where she served as a volunteer in the children’s oncology wing of the national hospital. Her interaction with patients’ families motivated her to found an organization designed to support their financial needs, but she quickly encountered significant barriers in the form of international banking restrictions that limited foreign donors’ ability to send money to Paraguay. As she attempted to navigate these complex rules, Kate realized she needed a law degree.

With a deep passion for healthcare inspired by her experiences, Kate focused heavily on healthcare law and policy, public health, and related antitrust regulations during her legal studies. She also earned a master’s of public health degree to give her a fuller understanding of the needs of healthcare clients.

After law school, Kate began her legal career with nearly 10 years in federal district courts, where she worked directly with judges on all aspects of trial preparation. She came to know federal procedure backwards and forwards—and she also knows where cases can go wrong. With an inside perspective on how best to succeed in court and at trial, Kate aims to set clients up for the best result from the very beginning of their cases.

Kate joined Husch Blackwell out of a desire to return to client advocacy. She’s known as someone who wears her passion on her sleeve, investing deeply in client matters, and has a reputation as an excellent listener and skilled writer who can compellingly convey complicated legal matters. Kate handles high-stakes, complex commercial litigation as well as healthcare regulatory matters, helping clients avoid litigation in the first place. While she has worked with a variety of industries, Kate continues to focus on healthcare and primarily assists healthcare clients, who immediately sense her passion for their field.

Industries

Services

Education

  • J.D., Saint Louis University School of Law
    • Certificate in Health Law
    • Saint Louis Journal of Health Law and Policy, Editor-in-Chief
    • magna cum laude
    • Woolsack Honor Society
    • ASLME Health Law Student of the Year Award
  • M.P.H., Saint Louis University School of Public Health
  • B.S., Northwestern University
    • Social Policy (Major), Anthropology (Minor)

Admissions

  • Missouri
  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • Federal Bar Association, St. Louis Chapter
  • The Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater St. Louis
  • American Health Law Association

Clerkships

  • The Hon. Noelle C. Collins, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
  • The Hon. John A. Ross, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
  • The Hon. David R. Herndon (Ret.), U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois

Languages

  • Spanish, conversational
2024 Pro Bono Contributor
Experience
  • Worked directly with federal judges on all aspects of trial preparation.
  • Assisted in the research and writing of federal judicial orders.
  • Researched and drafted legal memoranda and briefs for the Office of Counsel to the Inspector General, Health & Human Services.
  • Achieved favorable resolution of federal case in Western District of Missouri for individual accused of civil tax fraud.
  • Obtained dismissal of antitrust claims against online chess platform stemming from high-profile cheating allegations.
Outside the Office

With two small children, Kate loves to enjoy as much family time as possible.

She and her husband make time outside a priority, often taking family hikes to enjoy nature. Favorite local places include Powder Valley Nature Center and the Saint Louis Zoo.

When she has time to herself, Kate is passionate about baking, often exchanging recipes and photos with a sister-in-law who plans to start a baking blog. She’s also an avid reader, especially of mysteries, and a member of a true crime podcast club.

Pre-kids, Kate was a frequent international traveler who hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro to celebrate her bar passage. After living in Paraguay, she loves South America and names Buenos Aires as her favorite city in the world. Kate looks forward to making world travelers of her children when they’re older.

Community Leadership

Kate serves on the Celebration for Children planning committee for Cornerstone Center for Early Learning. Cornerstone provides quality, comprehensive, affordable childcare and preschool education for St. Louis-area families of all economic backgrounds.