ALTON, Ill. (Oct. 11, 2016) – Simmons Hanly Conroy is pleased to announce that Melissa Schopfer, a Shareholder in the firm’s Asbestos Department, has been named to Missouri Lawyer Weekly magazine’s 2016 list of “Up & Coming” lawyers.
“As a veteran litigator and team leader in our Asbestos practice, Melissa has an outstanding track record in helping our clients and their families affected by mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases,” said Michael Angelides, Managing Shareholder at Simmons Hanly Conroy. “She is a deserving recipient of Missouri Lawyer Weekly’s ‘Up & Coming’ recognition.”
Schopfer is among 58 attorneys in the state whom Missouri Lawyers Weekly staff selected for the honor this year based on their demonstration of excellence and their potential to make a difference in the legal profession and their communities. The award recipients are age 40 or younger or are within their first 10 years of practice.
As an asbestos trial team leader at the firm, Schopfer manages a team of attorneys and legal staff. She has worked on more than 500 cases in the last 10 years and helped recover over $100 million in settlements and verdicts on behalf of individuals and families impacted by mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. She has helped affected workers in occupations that involve aircraft and automotive mechanic work, auto body repair, plastic molding compounds and laboratory equipment.
Schopfer also is involved with various St Louis community organizations including Friends of Wings, Queen of Peace, and Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition. She earned her law degree from St. Louis University School of Law and her Bachelor of Science from Western Illinois University.
