Robert Grant Pennell
Straight-Up, Straight-Forward Business Legal Advice is how gets BUSINESS Done!
Although not born in Saint Louis, I’ve lived here for forty years, and consider myself a Saint Louisan. I’m a graduate of Washington University–Olin School of Business, and Saint Louis University – School of Law. And in case you, too, are a Saint Louisan, I graduated from Parkway Central Senior High School.
Unlike most of my contemporaries, I did not go directly to law school upon graduating from college. I spent five years as an Engineer Planner at McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing), managing multimillion-dollar engineering development programs for the United States military and its allies. Complying with the demanding requirements of government requests for proposals and contractual reporting more than prepared me for the rigors of the law. It helped me to hone the business sense to not merely identify potential problems/roadblocks, but to actually craft effective solutions, which is precisely how BUSINESS gets done.
I began my legal career as a trial attorney at sizable firms, including one of the oldest insurance defense firms in Saint Louis, as well as the local office of a large international firm out of Chicago. While there, I engaged in every aspect of litigation, from Pre-Trial Discovery and Dispositive Motion practice up to and including First Chair Jury Trials and Appellate Argument before the Missouri and Federal Courts of Appeal.
While initially a litigator, I have spent most of my twenty-five plus years practicing law representing businesses, large and small. Due to my business background, I deliberately transitioned to representing businesses, particularly in regard to employment and contractual matters. In so doing, I’ve assisted businesses from small start-ups to large regional enterprises and Fortune 500 companies including.
Through Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ my fellow lawyers have assigned me a 5.0 out of 5.0 AV Preeminent Rating – the highest rating available. After all, that is how BUSINESS gets done!
- Business Law
- Business Contracts, Business Dissolution, Business Finance, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes
- Employment Law
- Employment Contracts, Overtime & Unpaid Wages
- Communications & Internet Law
- Internet Law, Telecommunications Law
- Unemployment Claims & Appeals
- Zoom
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Free Consultation
Note that a free consultation is merely an opportunity to discuss your issue to determine if this firm can be of assistance. - Credit Cards Accepted
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Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
I prefer to charge on a flat fee basis whenever feasible to provide some level of certainty over what your financial obligations will be.
- Missouri
- The Missouri Bar
- ID Number: 43014
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- Owner
- Law Offices of Robert Grant Pennell, LLC
- - Current
- Focusing on assisting small business owners start and develop their businesses.
- General Counsel
- DCSC, Inc.
- - Current
- Senior Associate
- Steven Schumaier & Associates, PC
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- Senior Associate
- Landau, Omahana & Kopka, Ltd.
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- Associate
- Moser & Marsalek, PC
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- Antitrust Faculty Research Assistant
- St. Louis University School Of Law
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- Judicial Intern
- U.S. District Court - Southern District Illinois
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- Engineering Planner
- McDonnell Douglas Corporation
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- Saint Louis University School of Law
- J.D. (1993) | Business Associations, Tax, Antitrust
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- Washington University in St. Louis
- B.S.B.A. (1985) | Business Administration, Accounting, Finance & Operations
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- AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5.0 Peer Review Rated
- Martindale-Hubbell
- Peer rated for the highest level of professional excellence.
- AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5.0 Peer Review Rated
- Martindale-Hubbell
- Peer rated for the highest level of professional excellence.
- Pro Bono Award
- American Bar Association
- Best Business Attorneys
- St. Louis Small Business Monthly
- Pro Bono Award
- American Bar Association
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Missouri
- Board Member
- - Current
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- Service Corps of Retired & Working Executives (SCORE)
- Auxiliary Member
- - Current
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- American Bar Association, Business Law Section
- Member
- - Current
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- American Bar Association, Business Law Section, LLCs, Partnerships and Unincorporated Business Entities Committee
- Member
- - Current
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- Missouri Bar, Solo and Small Firm Planning Committee
- Member
- - Current
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- Missouri Bar, Solo and Small Firm Committee
- Member
- - Current
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- The Missouri Bar
- Attorney Member
- - Current
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- American Bar Association
- Attorney Member
- - Current
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- Legal Entity Selection, and Licensing & Taxes (Monthly), Starting and Managing the Small Business Workshop (Monthly)
- Service Corps of Retired & Working Executives (SCORE)
- Employee Performance, Discipline, and Discharge, Missouri Human Resource Law: What You Need to Know Now
- National Business Institute
- Legal Entity Selection, Licensing & Taxes, and Accounting & Finance (Monthly), Starting and Managing the Small Business Workshop (Monthly)
- Service Corps of Retired & Working Executives (SCORE)
- Controlling Unemployment Compensation Costs, Mini Law School for HR Professionals
- National Business Institute
- Legal Entity Selection, Licensing & Taxes, and Accounting & Finance (Monthly), Starting and Managing the Small Business Workshop (Monthly)
- Service Corps of Retired & Working Executives (SCORE)
- Q. Legal termination during medical leave with disabilities in Missouri?
- A: Once you exhaust your FMLA, your job is no longer protected, and you can be let go. There is no prohibition against letting someone go simply because they are out on a leave of absence, whether or not it is related to a disability. Many employers take the position that failure to return to work upon expiration of your FMLA is considered a voluntary quit. A potential return to work date is not sufficient to preserve your job.
- Q. Is it legal for my employer to make me clean feces without proper safety equipment?
- A: Yes, your employer can require you to perform those duties. If you have concerns about doing so without rubber gloves, bring some from home.
- Q. Seeking legal advice on filing retaliation, ADA discrimination, and constructive dismissal claims.
- A: You haven’t actually asked a question, but I will attempt to provide some general information regarding discrimination claims.
You indicate you filed a complaint against your boss for preferential treatment. That is just another way of saying discrimination, so what was the basis for the discrimination? You need to understand that discriminating against you is only illegal if it is based on you being a member of a protected class. The protected classes are race, age (40+), sex, religion, national origin, and disability. An employer can discriminate against employees on any basis so long as it is not BECAUSE the employee is a member of a protected class. So I can treat you badly because ... Read More
