Mike Ward serves as the firm’s Managing Principal and is chair of the firm’s Appellate practice group. He has handled more than 150 appeals, including cases before the Missouri Supreme Court, the Missouri Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of Illinois, the Appellate Court of Illinois, and the Seventh, Eighth, and Tenth Circuits of the United States Court of Appeals.
Mr. Ward’s experience also includes complex civil litigation in matters concerning insurance, environmental law, employment law, and professional liability defense. Throughout his career, he has been active in the St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers’ Program, receiving the Volunteer Service Award for outstanding service in 1994. He serves as legal counsel to the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery and has also served as a volunteer reviewer of the Missouri Bar’s Continuing Legal Education publications.
Reported Missouri Appellate Opinions
- Tharp v. St. Luke’s Surgicenter – Lee’s Summit, LLC, No. SC96528 (Mo. banc Feb. 26, 2019)
- Dutton v. Am. Family Mut. Ins. Co., 454 S.W.3d 319, 321 (Mo. banc 2015)
- Smith v. Maryland Cas. Co., No. SD 33341, 2015 WL 302151 (Mo. Ct. App. Jan. 23, 2015)
- Kennedy v. Safeco Ins. Co. of Illinois, 413 S.W.3d 14 (Mo. Ct. App. 2013)
- Green v. Plaza in Clayton Condo. Ass’n, 410 S.W.3d 272 (Mo. Ct. App. 2013)
- Peterson v. Progressive Contractors, Inc., 399 S.W.3d 850 (Mo. Ct. App. 2013)
- Palmore v. City of Pacific, 393 S.W.3d 657 (Mo. Ct. App. 2013)
- Auto Owners Ins. Co. v. Columbia Mut. Ins. Co., 387 S.W.3d 451 (Mo. App. W.D. 2013)
- Grissom v. General Ins. Co. of America, 371 S.W.3d 869 (Mo. App. S.D. 2012)
- Lewis v. Biegel, 364 S.W.3d 670 (Mo. App. W.D. 2012)
- Kingsland Investments, L.P. v. Schaefer Group, Inc., 349 S.W.3d 380 (Mo. App. E.D. 2011)
- Mitchell v. Kardesch, M.D., 313 S.W.3d 667 (Mo. banc 2010)
- Jitterswing v. Francorp, Inc., 311 S.W.3d 828 (Mo. App. E.D. 2010)
- Angela Martin v. Survivair Respirators, 298 S.W.3d 23 (Mo. App. E.D. 2009)
- Peters v. M & M Freight Transport, Inc., 269 S.W.3d 460 (Mo. App. E.D. 2008)
- Wright v. Country Club of St. Albans, 269 S.W.3d 461 (Mo. App. E.D. 2008)
- Wentzville Park Assocs., L.P. v. American Cas. Ins. Co., 263 S.W.3d 736 (Mo. App. E.D. 2008)
- Lengenhager v. St. Anthony’s Medical Center, 258 S.W.3d 824 (Mo. App. E.D. 2008)
- Parker v. South Broadway Athletic Club, 230 S.W.3d 642 (Mo. App. E.D. 2007)
- Meyer ex rel. Meyer v. Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals, L.P., 224 S.W.3d 106 (Mo. App. E.D. 2007)
- The Bar Plan Mut. Ins. Co. v. Margulis, 220 S.W.3d 370 (Mo. App. E.D. 2007)
- Hensley v. Shelter Mut. Ins. Co., 210 S.W.3d 455 (Mo. App. S.D. 2007)
- East End Transfer & Storage, Inc. v. Travelers Indem. Co., 211 S.W.3d 103 (Mo. App. E.D. 2006)
- Pargo v. Washington Univ., 207 S.W.3d 178 (Mo. App. E.D. 2006)
- Davidson v. Lazcano, 204 S.W.3d 213 (Mo. App. E.D. 2006)
- Fallert v. Smith, 203 S.W.3d 234 (Mo. App. E.D. 2006)
- Jaco v. Scholastic Book Clubs, Inc., 200 S.W.3d 616 (Mo. App. W.D. 2006)
- Law v. Vigilant Ins. Co., 193 S.W.3d 773 (Mo. App. E.D. 2006)
- Miller v. SSM Health Care Corp., 193 S.W.3d 416 (Mo. App. E.D. 2006)
- Taylor v. Microsurgery & Brain Research Institute, P.C., 191 S.W.3d 677 (Mo. App. E.D. 2006)
- Little v. American States Ins. Co., 179 S.W.3d 433 (Mo. App. S.D. 2005)
- Weber v. McBride & Son Contracting Co., 182 S.W.3d 643 (Mo. App. E.D. 2005)
- Jacobsmeyer v. The Crane Agency, 181 S.W.3d 585 (Mo. App. E.D. 2005)
- Safeco Ins. Co. of America v. McBride, 175 S.W.3d 696 (Mo. App. E.D. 2005)
- Breuer v. Syberg’s Eating & Drinking Co., Inc., 178 S.W.3d 603 (Mo. App. E.D. 2005)
- Miller v. O’Brien, 168 S.W.3d 109 (Mo. App. W.D. 2005)
- Reese v. U.S. Fire Ins. Co., 173 S.W.3d 109 (Mo. App. W.D. 2005)
- Finnigan v. KNG Investments, Inc., 158 S.W.2d 808 (Mo. App. S.D. 2005)
- Kennex, L.L.C. v. Farm Bureau Town & Country Ins. Co., 257 S.W.3d 385 (Mo. App. E.D. 2005)
- Stickler v. Foremost Signature Ins. Co., 150 S.W.3d 314 (Mo. App. S.D. 2004)
- State ex rel. S.M.H. v. Goldman, 140 S.W.3d 314 (Mo. App. E.D. 2004)
- Kehr v. Knapp, 136 S.W.3d 118 (Mo. App. E.D. 2004)
- Skay v. St. Louis Parking Co., 130 S.W.3d 22 (Mo. App. E.D. 2004)
- Moore ex rel. Moore v. Bi-State Development Agency, 132 S.W.3d 241 (Mo. banc 2004)
- State ex rel. Green v. Neill, 127 S.W.3d 677 (Mo. banc 2004)
- Bailey v. Cameron Mut. Ins. Co., 122 S.W.3d 599 (Mo. App. E.D. 2003)
- Warren David Properties V, L.L.C. v. United Fire & Cas. Co., 111 S.W.3d 515 (Mo. App. S.D. 2003)
- Marler v. Saint Louis Univ., 109 S.W.3d 181 (Mo. App. E.D. 2003)
- Hepler v. Caruthersville Supermarket Co., 102 S.W.3d 564 (Mo. App. S.D. 2003)
- Whole Truth Tabernacle United Pentecostal Church v. Church Mut. Ins. Co., 100 S.W.3d 834 (Mo. App. E.D. 2003)
- United Capitol Ins. Co. v. Hoodco, Inc., 125 S.W.3d 859 (Mo. App. E.D. 2003)
- Gryzmala v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 118 S.W.3d 623 (Mo. App. E.D. 2003)
Reported Illinois Appellate Decisions
- Martin v. Keeley & Sons, Inc., 979 N.E.2d 22 (Ill. 2012)
- Olson v. Hunter’s Point Homes, LLC, 964 N.E.2d 60 (Ill. Ct. App. 2012)
- ESL Delivery Services Co. v. Delivery Network, Inc., 384 Ill.App.3d 451, 893 N.E.2d 289 (5th Dist. 2008)
Reported Federal Appellate Decisions
- Argonaut Great Cent. Ins. Co. v. Audrain Cnty. Joint Commc’ns, 781 F.3d 925 (8th Cir. 2015)
- In re Clink, 770 F.3d 719 (8th Cir. 2014)
- Chicago Ins. Co. v. Archdiocese of St. Louis, 740 F.3d 1197 (8th Cir. 2014)
- Loomis v. Wing Enterprises, Inc., 756 F.3d 632 (8th Cir. 2014)
- Nat’l Cas. Co. v. White Mountains Reinsurance Co. of Am., 735 F.3d 549 (7th Cir. 2013)
- Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. E.E.O.C., 132 S.Ct. 694 (2012) (Brief of Amicus Curiae Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod)
- Gallagher v. City of Clayton, 699 F.3d 1013 (8th Cir. 2012)
- American Guarantee and Liability Ins. Co. v. U.S. Fidelity & Guar. Co., 668 F.3d 991 (8th Cir. 2012)
- Huggins v. FedEx Ground Package System, Inc., 592 F.3d 853 (8th Cir. 2010)
- DG&G, Inc. v. FlexSol Packaging Corp. of Pompano Beach, 576 F.3d 820 (8th Cir. 2009)
- North American Specialty Ins. Co. v. Correctional Medical Servs., Inc., 527 F.3d 1033 (10th Cir. 2008)
- Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co. v. Scott, 486 F.2d 418 (8th Cir. 2007)
- Simpson v. Thomure, 484 F.3d 1081 (8th Cir. 2007)
- Wilkinson v. Shackelford, 478 F.3d 957 (8th Cir. 2007)
- Wood v. Foremost Ins. Co., 477 F.3d 1027 (8th Cir. 2007)
- Reliance Ins. Co. in Liquidation v. Chitwood, 433 F.3d 660 (8th Cir. 2006)
- St. Paul Reinsurance Co., Ltd. v. Hristov, 155 Fed. Appx. 249 (8th Cir. 2005)
- Schatz Family v. Franklin County, 422 F.3d 655 (8th Cir. 2005)
- United Fire & Cas. Inc. v. Garvey, 419 F.3d 743 (8th Cir. 2005)
- Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. v. Travelers Ins. Co., 391 F.3d 936 (8th Cir. 2004)
- Capitol Indem. Corp. v. 1405 Assocs., Inc., 340 F.3d 547 (8th Cir. 2003)
- In re Popkin & Stern, 340 F.3d 709 (8th Cir. 2003)
- Smith v. Alexander Richardson Investments, 334 F.3d 712 (8th Cir. 2003)
- United Fire & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Garvey, 328 F.3d 411 (8th Cir. 2003)
Community Activities
St. Louis Bar Foundation, Distinguished Fellow (1999)
Volunteer Lawyers Program of St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers Service Award (1994)