Vanessa Keith is an Officer in the Litigation and Labor and Employment Law Practice Groups with 20 years experience. Prior to joining the Firm, she worked as in-house corporate counsel for a Fortune 500 company. She managed outside counsel and prepared, reviewed and approved case strategies. As in-house counsel, she counseled and litigated on behalf of her call center, real estate and communication equipment clients. Her transactional and litigation work were in the areas of commercial litigation, environmental, and labor and employment law. Currently, she practices in these areas and advises clients ranging from Fortune 500 company call centers to non-profit companies. Ms. Keith has experienced practicing before federal and state courts at the trial and appellate levels, the National Labor Relations Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, as well as its state counterparts.
She assists clients with issues concerning employee discipline, termination and compliance with various laws, including but not limited to, Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). She also assists clients in the preparation and enforcement of corporate policies, employee handbooks, employment agreements and separation agreements. Ms. Keith has successfully handled labor arbitrations pursuant to Collective Bargaining Agreements before the American Arbitration Association.
In addition to practicing law, Ms. Keith serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Washington University in St. Louis School of Law where she teaches a course entitled, "Pretrial Practice and Settlement." This course culminates in a section on alternative dispute resolution. Thus, her legal experience ranges from corporate counsel and litigation to education.
Publications
- Letisha D. Bivins, Amy Leigh Carstensen, Kathryn H. Christian, Mac Richard McCoy & Vanessa K. R. Keith, Nonprofit Law and Litigation, in Annual Review of Developments in Business and Corporate Litigation 1285 (2008).
Seminars
- Vanessa Keith, Federal Practice Fundamentals, "Differences Between State and Federal Courts: Disclosure, Discovery and Motions to Compel," U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri (September 16, 2010).
- Vanessa Keith, "Litigation Holds," Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., Litigation Officers' Seminar (May 13, 2010).
- Vanessa Keith, Women's History Month Symposium, "Issues Facing Women of Color in the Legal Profession," Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Women Lawyer's Association and Mound City Bar Association (March 25, 2010).
- Vanessa Keith, Employment Issues for the Medical Professional, Presentation Before the Mound City Medical Forum (June 6, 2009).
- Vanessa Keith, The Changing Landscape of Employment Law, Presentation Before the Mound City Bar Association (May 3, 2009).
- Vanessa Keith, Good Lawyering: How to Prepare a Case for Trial, Presentation Before the Mound City Bar Association, (Oct. 26, 2006)
- Vanessa Keith, Women, Finances and the Law, Presentation Before the Central Baptist Church Women's Conference (June 24, 2006).
- Vanessa Keith, Women, Wills and Other Legal Documents, Presentation Before the Central Baptist Church Bereavement Seminar (Oct. 29, 2005).
- Vanessa Keith, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Presentation Before the Jack & Jill St. Louis Chapter’s Women’s Conference (Sept. 17, 2005).
Cases
- Union Arbitrations - Lead Counsel, multiple arbitrations between the Communications Workers of America and a major telecommunications company.
- Commercial Litigation, Tariffs - Lead Trial Counsel in a case in which the Missouri Court of Appeals held that a tariff that has been approved by the Public Service Commission becomes Missouri law and has the same force and effect as a statute enacted by the legislature. Allstates Transworld Van Lines v. Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, 937 S.W.2d 314 (Mo. App 1996).
- Civil Rights - Successfully defended a major healthcare system in a case involving race discrimination and retaliation.
- Civil Rights - Successfully defended a major telecommunications company in a case involving sexual harassment and retaliation.
- Americans with Disabilities Act - Successfully defended a major telecommunications company in a case involving the Americans with Disabilities Act and a failure to accommodate a learning disability.
Community Involvement
- Board Member, Mound City Bar Foundation
- Board Member, Mathews-Dickey Boys' and Girls' Club
- Member, Human Resources Committee, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis
- Board Member, Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts
Awards/Recognitions/Achievements
- Selected as one of the Top 100 St. Louisans to Know To Succeed in Business by St. Louis Small Business Monthly (2013)
- Featured in Who's Who in Black St. Louis "Phenomenal Women of St. Louis" section (2012)
- Recipient, 2011 Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Chairman's Award