Eric Kendall Banks
Helping individuals and businesses fashion solutions for serious legal problems.Member of a national trial team that defended one of our nation's largest financial institutions in a $253 million dollar class action. Received national publicity while representing the wife of the Mayor of Kansas City, Gloria Squitiro, in the famous "Mammy-gate" lawsuit. First chaired approximately 75 jury trials in federal and state courts (has only lost one jury trial where he was the first chair in over 20 years); Admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Tax Court, U.S. Court of Federal Claims, Courts of Appeals for the 7th, 8th and 10th Circuits; U.S. District Court of Kansas; U.S. District Courts of Eastern and Western Missouri; U.S. District Courts of Southern and Central Illinois; AV Rated By Martindale-Hubbell; has been listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in American Law; selected by peers as a "Super Lawyer" for Missouri and Kansas for several years; former City Counselor for St. Louis; former Adjunct Professor for St. Louis University School of Law and Washington University School of Law; life member of the NAACP and St, Louis Chapter of the Urban League.
- Employment Law
- Employment Contracts, Employment Discrimination, Overtime & Unpaid Wages, Sexual Harassment, Whistleblower, Wrongful Termination
- Business Law
- Business Contracts, Business Dissolution, Business Finance, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Franchising, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes
- Estate Planning
- Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
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Credit Cards Accepted
As well as Pay Pal, Cash App, and Apple Pay. -
Contingent Fees
On rare occasions where liability and substantial damages are reasonably clear. -
Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
I strive to become the type of person I would want to hire if I needed an attorney.
- Illinois
- Missouri
- 7th Circuit
- 8th Circuit
- 10th Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
- Equity Partner, Senior of Counsel, Business Owner
- Privatre Practice of Law
- - Current
- Worked for two of the largest law firms in the United States before forming his own law firm.
- City Counselor
- Office of the City Counselor
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- Lead attorney for the City of St. Louis, Missouri. Directed a staff of approximately 40 attorneys as well as attorneys at a dozen different outside law firms. First City Counselor in recent memory to actually try a jury trial while serving as City Counselor. Shepherded the litigation that resulted in clearing the way for the expansion of Lambert International Airport.
- Corporate Counsel
- Seigel Robert, Inc.
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- Corporate counsel for a St. Louis based manufacturing company with over 8,000 employees in thirteen locations in the United States, Europe and Asia. Supervised and occasionally first chaired litigation. Provided counseling for employment matters.
- Trial Lawyer, primarily defending the Burlington Northern Railroad Company.
- Private Practice of Law
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- Primarily defended what was at that time known as the Burlington Northern Railroad Company with personal injury, property damage and breach of contract lawsuits in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois.
- Assistant Circuit Attorney
- Office of the Circuit Attorney
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- Tried dozens of jury trials and hundreds of bench trials while working as a State Prosecutor. Presented over 500 cases before various grand juries. Became a member of the Felony Trial Staff.
- Assistant General Counsel
- Missouri Public Service Commission
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- Handled utility, and transportation litigation at the Commission, state, and federal levels before regulatory bodies, and state and federal trial and appellate courts.
- University of Missouri - Columbia
- J.D. (1980) | Law
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- Tenth African American law student to have graduated in MU's 107 year history.
- Activities: Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity; Black Law Student Association; first Graduate Research Assistant for the MU Black Studies Program;
- Hall of Honor Awardee
- Lutheran High School North
- Alumni Hall of Fame
- Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis
- Selected as a former Boys and Girls Club member who has achieved significant community or professional accomplishments.
- Bringewatt Social Justice Award
- Lutheran Family and Children's Services
- Awarded for contributions to social justice for the community in general and members of the Lutheran Church in particular.
- Super Lawyer
- Missouri Kansas Super Lawyer
- Selected by peers to join a group composing of more than 5% of the lawyers in any given state. Awarded most years from 2005 to the present.
- Gains Since Gaines
- MU School of Law
- Included as part of a permanent display at the MU School of Law for being one of the early African American graduates who went on to achieve superior professional accomplishments.
- State Bar of Illinois  # 6197156
- Member
- Current
- The Business Case for Diversity in Large Law Firms
- Mound City News
- Record Retention Policies for Human Resources Departments
- The Practical Lawyer, Published by the American Bar Association-American Law Institute Committee on Continuing Professional Education, Volume 49, Number 2
- Certified Consulting Hypnotist
- National Guild of Hypnotists