Who We Are

Nelsen & Lee, P.C., an “AV” rated law firm by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory,
is a trial and appellate firm founded in 1990 with offices in downtown St. Louis, Missouri.
The firm focuses on the defense of toxic tort/environmental, aviation, product liability,
premises liability and maritime matters in the state and federal courts throughout
Missouri and southern and central Illinois.

leo

Partner
NELSEN & LEE, P.C.
1010 Market St., Ste. 500
St. Louis, MO 63101

(314) 584-4699 Direct
(314) 621-9802 Fax
[email protected]

Leo W. Nelsen

Leo W. (“Lee”) Nelsen for over the past 40 years has been involved in the defense of a wide variety of civil lawsuits in the state and federal courts of Missouri and Illinois and in particular the defense of aviation and products liability cases.

Lee represented American Airlines in the crash of American Connection Flight 5966 (Kirksville, Missouri, October 19, 2004) and represented Trans World Airlines in the runway incursion accident involving TWA Flight 427 (St. Louis, Missouri, November 22, 1994). Lee was also involved in the defense of the pilot’s estate in the crash of N8354N (the October 16, 2000, crash that killed Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan), of ValuJet in the Flight 592 litigation (the May 11, 1996, crash in the Florida Everglades) and of one of the product manufacturers in the crash of United Flight 232 (Sioux City, Iowa, July 19, 1989).

Lee recently successfully represented an aircraft component manufacturer in litigation in Missouri stemming from the October 30, 2014, crash of a Beechcraft King Air aircraft into the Flight Safety facility at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita, Kansas in which four people died and several others were injured.

Lee is a private pilot and aircraft owner. He frequently represents pilots and aircraft owners in civil litigation and in FAA enforcement actions. Lee is also on the panel of approved attorneys for the AOPA Legal Services Plan.

leom

Partner
NELSEN & LEE, P.C.
1010 Market St., Ste. 500
St. Louis, MO 63101

(314) 584-4699 Direct
(314) 621-9802 Fax
[email protected]

Leo W. Nelsen

Leo W. (“Lee”) Nelsen for over the past 40 years has been involved in the defense of a wide variety of civil lawsuits in the state and federal courts of Missouri and Illinois and in particular the defense of aviation and products liability cases.

Lee represented American Airlines in the crash of American Connection Flight 5966 (Kirksville, Missouri, October 19, 2004) and represented Trans World Airlines in the runway incursion accident involving TWA Flight 427 (St. Louis, Missouri, November 22, 1994). Lee was also involved in the defense of the pilot’s estate in the crash of N8354N (the October 16, 2000, crash that killed Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan), of ValuJet in the Flight 592 litigation (the May 11, 1996, crash in the Florida Everglades) and of one of the product manufacturers in the crash of United Flight 232 (Sioux City, Iowa, July 19, 1989).

Lee recently successfully represented an aircraft component manufacturer in litigation in Missouri stemming from the October 30, 2014, crash of a Beechcraft King Air aircraft into the Flight Safety facility at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita, Kansas in which four people died and several others were injured.

Lee is a private pilot and aircraft owner. He frequently represents pilots and aircraft owners in civil litigation and in FAA enforcement actions. Lee is also on the panel of approved attorneys for the AOPA Legal Services Plan.

PRACTICE

  • Aviation
  • Products Liability
  • Toxic Torts
  • Insurance Defense
  • Administrative Law Actions against Pilots, Aircraft Owners and Mechanics

EDUCATION

  • University of Nebraska at Omaha (B.A., 1970)
  • University of Minnesota (M.A., 1975)
  • Washington University (J.D., 1980)

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • Missouri, 1980
  • Illinois, 1981
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
  • United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri
  • United States District Courts for the Central and Southern Districts of Illinois

AFFILIATIONS AND HONORS

  • Missouri Bar Association
  • The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers
  • Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association
  • AV Preeminent® Rating by Martindale-Hubbell™
  • Selected to 2005, 2010-2020 Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers in the area of Aviation & Aerospace

Paul Lee

Paul B. Lee has more than 40 years of litigation experience concentrating on the defense of aviation, product liability, and toxic tort cases in the state and federal courts of Missouri and Illinois.

In the course of his career, Paul has handled the defense of a number of significant aviation and product liability cases on behalf of American Airlines, Trans World Airlines, Southwest Airlines, FlightSafety International, Air Evac EMS, Inc., Avco-Lycoming, Trans States Airlines, and Airport Terminal Services.

paul

Partner
Nelsen & Lee, P.C.
1010 Market St., Ste. 500
St. Louis, MO 63101

(314) 584-6441 Direct
(314) 621-9802 Fax
[email protected]

Paul Lee

Paul B. Lee has more than 40 years of litigation experience concentrating on the defense of aviation, product liability, and toxic tort cases in the state and federal courts of Missouri and Illinois.,

In the course of his career, Paul has handled the defense of a number of significant aviation and product liability cases on behalf of American Airlines, Trans World Airlines, Southwest Airlines, FlightSafety International, Air Evac EMS, Inc., Avco-Lycoming, Trans States Airlines, and Airport Terminal Services.

PRACTICE

  • Aviation
  • Products Liability
  • Employment
  • Toxic Torts
  • Insurance Defense

EDUCATION

  • University of Missouri, J. D., 1978
  • University of Missouri, B. S. B. A., 1975

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • Missouri 1978
  • Illinois 1981

COURTS

  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, 1980
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, 1990
  • United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, 1990
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 1980
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 1983

PROFESSIONAL HONORS

  • “AV” Rating by Martindale-Hubbell™
  • Law Clerk to Hon. Roy W. Harper, Senior Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, 1978-1979.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

  • Missouri Bar Association
  • Illinois Bar Association
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
  • American Bar Association
James

Phone number : (314) 584-4570
James W. Childress is a native
St. Louisan. He received his
B.S. degree in Business
Administration and J.D.
degree from St. Louis University.

James W. Childress
Of Counsel

Practice Areas:
For more than 35 years, Jim has been a trial lawyer. He has represented clients in almost every aspect of civil litigation, including products liability, medical device litigation, insurance claims, premises and automotive cases, and class action litigation. Jim has tried cases in almost every county in the eastern half of Missouri, as well as the U.S. District Courts in the Eastern District of Missouri.

He has also argued appellate cases in the State Courts of Appeal for the Eastern and Western District, the Missouri Supreme Court, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Jim has been recognized by the St. Louis County Bar Association as the recipient of the Outstanding Young Lawyer Award. Recognized as an AV preeminent attorney by Martindale Hubble, he has been named a Super Lawyer since 2008.

Jim has been a featured speaker for groups such as Missouri United School Insurance Counsel, St. Louis University School of Law, Lawyers’ Association, St. Louis Metropolitan Bar Association, as well as others.

Local Bar Associations can also count Jim as a longtime member. He has been a member of the Lawyers’ Association since 1981 and served as an officer between 1989 and 1992. Jim was the chair of the annual Bench and Bar Conference at Lake of the Ozarks. Jim is a member of the Missouri Bar, Lawyers’ Association of St. Louis, and St. Louis County Bar.

Jim is similarly involved in his community. He served on the Shrewsbury Board of Adjustment for four years before serving as Alderman from 1994 to 2001. Currently, he is an officer in the Shrewsbury Improvement Association. He also served as president of the St. Michael’s Home and School. In 2012, Jim was appointed to the board of directors of the newly formed Holy Cross Academy, St. Louis’s first merger of multiple schools into a single academy.

Jamesm

Phone number : (314) 584-4570
James W. Childress is a native
St. Louisan. He received his
B.S. degree in Business
Administration and J.D.
degree from St. Louis University.

James W. Childress Of Counsel

Practice Areas:
For more than 35 years, Jim has been a trial lawyer. He has represented clients in almost every aspect of civil litigation, including products liability, medical device litigation, insurance claims, premises and automotive cases, and class action litigation. Jim has tried cases in almost every county in the eastern half of Missouri, as well as the U.S. District Courts in the Eastern District of Missouri.

He has also argued appellate cases in the State Courts of Appeal for the Eastern and Western District, the Missouri Supreme Court, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Jim has been recognized by the St. Louis County Bar Association as the recipient of the Outstanding Young Lawyer Award. Recognized as an AV preeminent attorney by Martindale Hubble, he has been named a Super Lawyer since 2008.

Jim has been a featured speaker for groups such as Missouri United School Insurance Counsel, St. Louis University School of Law, Lawyers’ Association, St. Louis Metropolitan Bar Association, as well as others.

Local Bar Associations can also count Jim as a longtime member. He has been a member of the Lawyers’ Association since 1981 and served as an officer between 1989 and 1992. Jim was the chair of the annual Bench and Bar Conference at Lake of the Ozarks. Jim is a member of the Missouri Bar, Lawyers’ Association of St. Louis, and St. Louis County Bar.

Jim is similarly involved in his community. He served on the Shrewsbury Board of Adjustment for four years before serving as Alderman from 1994 to 2001. Currently, he is an officer in the Shrewsbury Improvement Association. He also served as president of the St. Michael’s Home and School. In 2012, Jim was appointed to the board of directors of the newly formed Holy Cross Academy, St. Louis’s first merger of multiple schools into a single academy.

David T. Ahlheim
Of Counsel

Practice Areas:
David’s practice focuses on the representation of clients involved in all aspects of claims and litigation from incident through jury trial and appeals. His areas of representation include insurance coverage, business litigation, premises and automotive liability, products liability, construction liability, and class action liability.

David’s practice has enabled him to handle matters in Circuit Courts, U.S. District Courts, and the Court of Appeals throughout Missouri, Illinois and multiple arguments before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

David has been recognized by Missouri Lawyers Weekly as the top five defense verdicts in 2013. Following a bench trial in the City of St. Louis in 2015, David also received a judgment determining no insurance coverage for his client arising from an $11,000,000 judgment – one of the largest in 2014 as recognized by Missouri Lawyers Weekly. In 2016, he received a judgment for an insurer for over $3,000,000 arising from an order of coverage issue in U.S. District Court.

David is a member of the Missouri Bar, Illinois State Bar Association, St. Louis County Bar Association, Lawyers Association of St. Louis, Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers (MODL), and Defense Research Institute (DRI). On multiple occasions, he has been a featured speaker for National Business Institute and to multiple insurance carriers and insurance claims handlers.

david

Phone number : (314) 584-6437
David is a 2001 graduate of
St. Louis University School of Law.

David T. Ahlheim Of Counsel

Practice Areas:
David’s practice focuses on the representation of clients involved in all aspects of claims and litigation from incident through jury trial and appeals. His areas of representation include insurance coverage, business litigation, premises and automotive liability, products liability, construction liability, and class action liability.

David’s practice has enabled him to handle matters in Circuit Courts, U.S. District Courts, and the Court of Appeals throughout Missouri, Illinois and multiple arguments before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

David has been recognized by Missouri Lawyers Weekly as the top five defense verdicts in 2013. Following a bench trial in the City of St. Louis in 2015, David also received a judgment determining no insurance coverage for his client arising from an $11,000,000 judgment – one of the largest in 2014 as recognized by Missouri Lawyers Weekly. In 2016, he received a judgment for an insurer for over $3,000,000 arising from an order of coverage issue in U.S. District Court.

David is a member of the Missouri Bar, Illinois State Bar Association, St. Louis County Bar Association, Lawyers Association of St. Louis, Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers (MODL), and Defense Research Institute (DRI). On multiple occasions, he has been a featured speaker for National Business Institute and to multiple insurance carriers and insurance claims handlers.

davidm

Phone number : (314) 584-6437
David is a 2001 graduate of
St. Louis University School of Law.

Rebecca1

Phone number : (314) 584-6440

Rebecca Cary
Of Counsel

Rebecca practices in the areas of general civil and commercial liability in both Missouri and Illinois. She regularly represents clients from the incident through trial in both state and federal courts. She has handled more than 15 jury trials.

Rebecca focuses on superior client service by responding to her client inquiries quickly and achieving the best possible results for them.

Practice Areas :
Transportation, Premises Liability, Products Liability, Personal Injury, Municipal/School Law, Corporate Litigation, Subrogation, Insurance Coverage, Commercial Litigation, Pharmacy liability, Class Actions.

Rebecca is a member of the Missouri Bar, Illinois Bar Association, St. Louis County Bar Association, and the Lawyers Association of St. Louis where she sits on the board as an executive member. She has been a speaker on various legal topics for continuing legal education to her peers and for corporate clients, insurance companies, and their claims adjusters.

Rebecca1m

Phone number : (314) 584-6440

Rebecca Cary Of Counsel

Rebecca practices in the areas of general civil and commercial liability in both Missouri and Illinois. She regularly represents clients from the incident through trial in both state and federal courts. She has handled more than 15 jury trials.

Rebecca focuses on superior client service by responding to her client inquiries quickly and achieving the best possible results for them.

Practice Areas :
Transportation, Premises Liability, Products Liability, Personal Injury, Municipal/School Law, Corporate Litigation, Subrogation, Insurance Coverage, Commercial Litigation, Pharmacy liability, Class Actions.

Rebecca is a member of the Missouri Bar, Illinois Bar Association, St. Louis County Bar Association, and the Lawyers Association of St. Louis where she sits on the board as an executive member. She has been a speaker on various legal topics for continuing legal education to her peers and for corporate clients, insurance companies, and their claims adjusters.

Craig Klotz
Of Counsel

Craig R. Klotz is a native St. Louisan having graduated from DeSmet Jesuit High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Truman State University in 1997 and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 2006.

He was admitted to the Bar of the State of Missouri in 2006 and the Illinois Bar in 2007. He is also admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit and the United States District Courts of Eastern and Western Missouri and the United States District Courts of Central and Southern Illinois.

Practice Areas:
Craig’s practice focuses on the representation of clients involved in all aspects of claims and litigation from incident through jury trial and appeal. His areas of representation include insurance coverage, business litigation, premises and automotive liability, products liability, construction liability, and class action liability. He is a member of the Missouri Bar, Illinois State Bar Association, St. Louis County Bar Association, and Lawyers Association of St. Louis.

Craig has won defense verdicts in numerous jury trials and frequently obtained summary judgment on behalf of clients in both state and federal courts. He was recognized by Missouri Lawyers Weekly for obtaining a top-five defense verdict in 2014 and recovered more than $3 million for an insurer in a judgment in federal court in 2016.

He has been recognized by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers as a Missouri Rising Star.
Craig appreciates the personal relationships he enjoys with his clients and strives to develop a comprehensive approach to each case in order to ensure his clients receive the most complete legal advice.

Away from the office, Craig enjoys classic rock and sports. He often attends concerts and sporting events around the St. Louis region and throughout the country.

Craig

Phone number : (314) 584-4571

Craig Klotz Of Counsel

Craig R. Klotz is a native St. Louisan having graduated from DeSmet Jesuit High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Truman State University in 1997 and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 2006.

He was admitted to the Bar of the State of Missouri in 2006 and the Illinois Bar in 2007. He is also admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit and the United States District Courts of Eastern and Western Missouri and the United States District Courts of Central and Southern Illinois.

Practice Areas:
Craig’s practice focuses on the representation of clients involved in all aspects of claims and litigation from incident through jury trial and appeal. His areas of representation include insurance coverage, business litigation, premises and automotive liability, products liability, construction liability, and class action liability. He is a member of the Missouri Bar, Illinois State Bar Association, St. Louis County Bar Association, and Lawyers Association of St. Louis.

Craig has won defense verdicts in numerous jury trials and frequently obtained summary judgment on behalf of clients in both state and federal courts. He was recognized by Missouri Lawyers Weekly for obtaining a top-five defense verdict in 2014 and recovered more than $3 million for an insurer in a judgment in federal court in 2016.

He has been recognized by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers as a Missouri Rising Star.
Craig appreciates the personal relationships he enjoys with his clients and strives to develop a comprehensive approach to each case in order to ensure his clients receive the most complete legal advice.

Away from the office, Craig enjoys classic rock and sports. He often attends concerts and sporting events around the St. Louis region and throughout the country.

Craigm

Phone number : (314) 584-4571