Lashly & Baer

We Have A History Of Making History

Lashly & Baer, P.C., has its roots from Jacob M. Lashly, one of Missouri’s outstanding trial lawyers and a president of the American Bar Association. Another aspect of our legacy is the commitment to the communities in which we live and work. This public service tradition was evidenced by Mr. Lashly’s and his son, John’s, active roles in significant civic, charitable and community organizations as well as Missouri politics. This tradition continues as each lawyer contributes according to individual talents, time and interests.

Lashly & Baer, P.C., is known for its work on the groundbreaking St. Louis school systems desegregation case. Started in 1972 and concluded in 1999, the state of Missouri was found to have violated the United States Constitution by failing to dismantle the de jure segregated school system that existed prior to 1954. The state was ordered to pay over $2 billion in extraordinary school funding for transfer students and programs to be used to improve the quality of education in racially isolated schools. This case resulted in the largest voluntary interdistrict transfer program in the United States that still continues today.

And A History Of Prominent Attorneys

Former members of Lashly & Baer, P.C., have served as a member of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, on the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Missouri, on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern Division, and on the Circuit Court of the State of Missouri.

A number of our current lawyers have held high-level appointive and elective positions in state and local government, including counsel to the governor, Missouri Representative to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, the Missouri Reorganization Commission, the Missouri Housing Development Commission, the Missouri State Employees Retirement System, chairman of the St. Louis County Council, chairman of the Board of Election Commissioners of St. Louis County, the St. Louis County Charter Revision Commission, and vice president of the Board of Police Commissioners of the City of St. Louis. Many of our attorneys are active at the local governmental level as planning and zoning board members. Some are active on behalf of major political parties.