Simmons Law Firm

Mesothelioma lawyers helping asbestos victims.

This lawyer is licensed to practice in Missouri and has no record of discipline from the Missouri bar association.*

Firm Overview

The Simmons Firm lawyers are knowledgeable in diverse areas of practice and have access to comprehensive resources. The Simmons Law Firm has invested years developing the experience and information needed to try cases involving asbestos and mesothelioma, business disputes and intellectual property, defective drugs and devices, and benzene exposure.

Example cases

$250 Million Awarded in Asbestos Case Against U.S. Steel - 70-year-old Roby Whittington, a retired U.S. Steel worker, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2001. His condition resulted from asbestos exposure while he worked at the steel manufacturing plant in Gary, IN from 1950 - 1981. This verdict was the largest asbestos verdict for a single plaintiff in the United States.

$34.1 Million Judgement in Asbestos Case Against Shell Oil Co. - The verdict was in favor of a roofing worker exposed to insulation dust containing asbestos fibers. He contracted an asbestos-related cancer when he worked at the Wood River refinery from 1956 - 1966.

Main Office

Main
One Court Street
Alton IL 62002

Phone

(618) 259-2222

Fax

(618) 259-2251

Websites

Fees

Free Initial Consultation?

We provide a free initial consultation in all of our practice areas, including asbestos and mesothelioma, pharmaceutical injury, intellectual property, commercial litigation, toxic tort exposures and personal injury.

Services Offered For Fixed Fees?

We work on a contingent fee basis. This means that the clients only pay the firm if they win their case. This is typically a mutually agreed upon percentage of any verdicts or settlements reached in the case.

Office Information

Office Hours

Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Office Manager

Yes

Emergency After Hours

Yes

Languages Spoken

Spanish

Other Offices

Chicago Office
230 West Monroe
Suite 2221
Chicago, IL 60606
St. Louis Office
231 S. Bemiston Ave #525
St. Louis, MO 63105

Los Angeles Office
100 N. Sepulveda Blvd.
Suite 1350
Los Angeles, CA 90245

Asbestos

Mesothelioma and Asbestos Litigation

As a leading asbestos law firm with a proven track record, the mesothelioma lawyers at the Simmons Law Firm have been helping patients and families affected by mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases for over a decade.

Does your firm provide pro bono legal services or otherwise participate in your community?

Yes and yes. Through the Illinois and Missouri court systems, our attorneys provide a wide range of pro bono legal services that protect the rights of veterans, artists, writers, musicians, foster children, and low-income families. In addition, the firm has donated more than $20 million to local, regional and national charities through several foundations including a $10.2 million donation to establish the Simmons Cancer Institute on the campus of the University of Illinois - Springfield.

The Simmons Employee Foundation, founded in 2004 by firm employees, has donated more than $1 million to regional charities including United Way, the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, the William DeBell Achievement and Resource Center, Madison County Challenger Baseball, and more.

The Simmons law firm is also a major supporter of two major national mesothelioma charities: the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, which funds peer-reviewed research, advocates for federal funding, and provides patient support services, and the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, which advocates for a total ban of asbestos worldwide.

What distinguishes your law firm from others?

We are a leading national law firm with extensive experience handling complex cases involving asbestos and mesothelioma, dangerous drugs and defective medical device lawsuits, business disputes and intellectual property infringement, benzene exposures, and catastrophic personal injury cases. We focus aggressively on obtaining results for our clients while providing them with a high level of service.

What is your firm's point of view regarding clients educating themselves on legal issues?

We encourage clients educating themselves on legal issues. We can better communicate and develop a stronger relationship with a client who understands how his or her case works.

Is your firm willing to review documents prepared by clients?

N/A

Is your firm willing to coach clients who want to represent themselves?

In the complex areas of litigation we represent, we rarely have clients who want to represent themselves.

Michael Angelides

Mike Angelides is the managing shareholder of Simmons Browder Gianaris Angelides & Barnerd LLC, overseeing the firmâs asbestos, toxic tort, pharmaceutical injury, intellectual property infringement and contingent-fee commercial litigation practices.

As a leader in asbestos litigation, Mike Angelides has presented at both of the professionâs leading asbestos litigation conferences, Mealeyâs and PALS. He has seen the firm expand from 7 to more than 50 attorneys and grown to accept more asbestos cases on an annual basis than any other firm in the country. Yet, through a proven business method, those cases receive dedicated individual attention unavailable at most firms.

License

Bar Number: 43650
Missouri , 1995

Education

Kenyon College
BA Political Science , 1992
Saint Louis University School of Law
J.D. , 1995
Kenyon College
BA Political Science , 1992
Saint Louis University School of Law
J.D. , 1995

The Simmons Firm was founded in 1999 by partner John Simmons. It began with eight employees and a focus on asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuits. John's goal was to give clients a high level of care and service. Today, with over 200 employees and 50 attorneys, John's goal has been realized in a company culture dedicated to giving clients personal attention.

Simmons firm is responsible for some of the largest asbestos injury awards in U.S. history. Their experience in asbestos and mesothelioma litigation has helped develop other areas of legal practice, such as pharmaceutical law, toxic tort litigation, and intellectual property services. No matter what the case, the Simmons Law Firm will be there to help at every stage.

Paul Lesko

Attorney Paul Lesko is the head of the Simmons firm's Intellectual Property Department. Paul Lesko focuses his practice on helping inventors and small businesses develop and maintain an equal footing in the marketplace by enforcing their intellectual property rights against companies that infringe those rights.

Paul represents clients nationwide and has obtained millions of dollars in settlements on their behalf, including litigation in California, Delaware, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Texas and throughout Illinois and arguing before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C.

Paul Lesko's IP practice has involved a wide range of technologies, including Internet, computer software, electronic voting, telecommunications, financial, welding, sports protective, hunting, clothing, transgenic biotechnologies, and a wide-variety of chemical related technologies.

To learn more about Paul Lesko connect with him through social media:

Paul Lesko on LinkedIn
Paul Lesko on Google+
Paul Lesko on Avvo
Paul Lesko at SimmonsFirm.com

Education

Tulane University School of Law
J.D. , 1999
University of Illinois
B.A.
Tulane University School of Law
J.D. , 1999
University of Illinois
B.A.

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