A Belleville-based attorney with 40 years of experience, mostly in litigation, has received the Illinois State Bar Association's Medal of Merit Award.
Russell K. Scott, an officer in the Greensfelder, Hemker and Gale law firm, received the award at the association's 142nd annual meeting held June 16.
The "Medal of Merit recognizes attorneys for exemplary achievement and continuous long-standing service to the legal profession and the community'," according to the bar association.
Russell K. Scott
The association pointed out that the honor is rarely awarded and "given only to those who have made a significant contribution to the altruistic goals of the profession or the public.”
Scott is a former member of the bar association's board of governors, and former president of both the St. Clair County Bar Association and the Illinois Bar Foundation.
He has previously been chairman and president of the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation. He was also previously chairman of the Belleville Board of Fire and Police Commissioners.
Scott mainly works as a litigator, including defending against class action and mass tort, as well as civil suits, taken under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
In a press release, the ISBA said "his work also has included product liability, industrial accident cases, premises liability, construction, insurance coverage, and legal and medical malpractice suits."
Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, which was founded in the late 19th century, has offices in St. Louis, Chicago and Belleville.
Scott often defends clients in federal court, in particular the Southern District of Illinois, according to a biography on the firm's website.
"From his first day at the firm — when he picked up a major pharmaceutical class action case before he had even unpacked — Russell has built a practice committed to the defense of claims including class action, civil RICO suits and toxic and mass tort litigation," his bio reads.
His work also has included product liability, industrial accident cases, premises liability, construction, insurance coverage, and legal and medical malpractice suits.
He has been involved in class actions involving automotive parts, pharmaceuticals, fuel additives, herbicides, consumer products, computer processors, and financial and insurance transactions, according to the firm's website.
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