Rynearson Suess Schnurbusch & Champion, LLC

Firm Phone:

+1 314-421-4430

Debbie Champion is a founding partner in the firm Rynearson, Suess, Schnurbusch and Champion. Ms. Champion actively practices in Missouri and Southern Illinois, in the United States District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri, and the Eighth Circuit and the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. She has argued before the Missouri Supreme Court and the Eastern, Western and Southern District Missouri Courts of Appeals, and the Illinois Court of Appeals. She is a member of the Bar of the United States Supreme Court.

Ms. Champion was awarded the Lawyer’s Lawyer Award at the Women’s Justice Awards. She is a recipient of the William McAlpin Pro Bono Award, an Outstanding Volunteer Award from Legal Services of Eastern Missouri and the Missouri Pro Bono Publico Award from the Missouri Bar Association. She was recently honored by the Women’s Law Caucus of Washington University for her commitment to the advancement of women in the law. She was been selected as an Outstanding Young Alumni of Washington University for 2012.
Ms. Champion was selected as one of the top 50 Women Lawyers in Missouri and Kansas by Superlawyers in 2013. Champion was honored as having received the most Defense Verdicts in Missouri in 2012 and 2013 and one of the largest Defense Wins in 2011. She was honored as one of Ten Outstanding Young St. Louisans by the St. Louis Junior Chamber of Commerce. She is rated as Superb on AVVO.com.

Ms. Champion serves on the Board of Lift for Life Academy. She has served on the Board of Directors and the Advisory Board of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of Directors of Shelter the Children. She was an active early member of Kids’ Inc., a charitable organization for underprivileged children of East St. Louis, Illinois. Ms. Champion is founder and president of Tools for Schools, a not for profit corporation which distributes school supplies to needy schools and children. She serves on the Board of Seeds of Blessings, the not-for-profit arm of Blessing Basket, Inc.

Ms. Champion has authored several published articles and book chapters. She often presents educational seminars to clients and to the legal community on a variety of topics, most recently including voir dire, inverse condemnation, Freedom of Information Act, depositions, dealing with the difficult client, pharmacy claims, premises liability, subrogation, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, and Missouri and federal liens.

Ms. Champion is an Advocate member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial. She serves as the Secretary of the Missouri/Southern Illinois Chapter. Ms. Champion is a Fellow and Charter member of the Litigation Counsel of America, a trial lawyer honor society comprised of one-half of one percent of American Lawyers. She is a member of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, formerly Council for Litigation Management. She serves as the Secretary of the St. Louis CLM chapter.

In 2013, she received the CLMP certification as a certified litigation management professional. Ms. Champion served on the 21st Judicial Circuit Judicial Commission as part of Missouri’s non-partisan court plan. Ms. Champion served as a member of the Supreme Court of Missouri Ad Hoc Committee to Study Expert Discovery. In 2013, she acted as the Chairman of the Steering Committee for Legal Services of Eastern Missouri. She currently serves as Secretary of the St Louis/Southern Illinois Chapter of ABOTA as well as the St Louis Chapter of CLM.

Litigation Practice Areas:
Transportation
Premises Liability
Products Liability
Personal Injury
Municipal Law
Fraud and Misrepresentation
Employment
Corporate Litigation
Subrogation
Commercial Litigation
Probate
Pharmacy Liability

Education:
Washington University School of Law
Juris Doctorate, 1988
Murray State University
Bachelor of Science, Psychology, 1983
Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice, 1983
Psychology Masters Coursework, 1984, 1985

Licensure:
Missouri Bar Association
Illinois Bar Association
United States District Court for the Eastern & Western Districts of Missouri and for Southern Illinois
U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
Supreme Court of the United States

Associations:
Best Lawyers in America
American Board of Trial Advocates
American Bar Association
Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
Lawyers Association of St. Louis
Defense Research Institute
Volunteer Lawyers’ Program
Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers
Fellow, Litigation Council of America
Claims and Litigation Alliance
Women Presidents’ Organization
Super Lawyers of Missouri & Kansas
Top 50 Women Lawyers
Commercial Law League of America
Your House Counsel
Litigation Counsel of America

Main Practice Area:

Personal Injury

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