MoveMakers & NewsMakers for June 7, 2022

St. Louis | Mid-Missouri

St. Louis

USA&M mediator and arbitrator Michael Geigerman will be honored as a recipient of the 2022 ICON Award from Missouri Lawyers Media. The ICON Award recognizes distinguished men and women 60 or older who have demonstrated notable, sustained success and strong leadership within and outside the field of law. Geigerman is among 30 other recipients from across Missouri receiving this year’s award.

“Mike has served with distinction on USA&M’s Mediation Panel since 1985. His dedication to resolving conflict in more than 4,500 mediations is unequaled. He is a leader in the practice of alternative dispute resolution, as well as a teacher, mentor, and educator,” said Rob Litz, president of USA&M. “All of us at USA&M are proud of Mike’s many accomplishments and his recognition as an ICON in the Missouri legal community. Congratulations, Mike!” 

Spencer Fane LLP announces Catherine “Kate” Schwarze has joined the litigation and dispute resolution practice group as an associate in the firm’s St. Louis office. 

Schwarze has represented property owners, retail and hospitality companies, municipal entities, employers, and product manufacturers and distributors in litigation matters throughout Missouri and Illinois, including general liability, toxic tort, and commercial litigation matters. She has significant experience managing all phases of the litigation process up through trials and appeals. 

“Kate fits well with the unique culture at Spencer Fane and our commitment to collaborative and responsive legal services,” said Amy Mistler, office managing partner for Spencer Fane in St. Louis. “We are excited to expand our litigation team and offer clients another outstanding resource to help them with their most complex litigation needs.” 

Schwarze completed her undergraduate studies at Loyola University Chicago and earned her Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University School of Law. She also has a Master of Laws in alternative dispute resolution from Washington University School of Law. While in law school, she gained experience as a law clerk with the Office of General Counsel of Veterans Affairs, and as a student lawyer with the Washington University Entrepreneurship & Intellectual Property Clinic.   
 

The Missouri Bar Board of Governors reappointed John DeMoor to serve on the Missouri Press-Bar Commission during its May 13 meeting. 

DeMoor has practiced law for 19 years and currently owns The DeMoor Law Firm, where he focuses on workers’ compensation, personal injury, family law, and more. Prior to joining The Missouri Bar in 2003, he was a journalist at Missouri Lawyers Media. DeMoor’s second term will end May 31, 2026.

Mid-Missouri

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft announces the appointment of Jesus A. Osete as general counsel. Osete will replace Frank Jung, who has held the position since January of 2017 when Ashcroft first was elected secretary of state. Jung is retiring from state government with 32 years of service on June 30.

Osete previously served as Deputy Solicitor General of Missouri and Deputy Attorney General for Special Litigation. He has presented oral arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of Missouri.

Prior to joining the attorney general’s office, Osete was at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP in the appellate and Supreme Court group. Previous to private practice, Osete clerked for Judge Bobby E. Shepherd of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and Judge Zel M. Fischer of the Supreme Court of Missouri.

Osete holds a Juris Doctor from Washington University in St. Louis, where he served as senior executive editor of the Washington University Law Review, and an A.B. in political science and pre-law from the University of Arizona. Before law school, Osete worked for the late Senator John McCain in the U.S. Senate. 

“We’re excited to have Jesus join our staff,” said Ashcroft. “He is a skilled lawyer with excellent experience in both state government and private practice. He will greatly benefit our office.”  

Jung joined the Missouri Attorney General’s Office in 1989 following his graduation from Michigan State University College of Law. After 14 years in the attorney general’s office, Jung served as the deputy general counsel at the Office of Administration. He was general counsel for the Missouri Gaming Commission, Missouri State Auditor Tom Schweich, and Missouri Office of Prosecution Services before joining Ashcroft’s staff. He is also an 11-year veteran of the U.S. Army.  

“We are indebted to Frank for his service to our country and to the state of Missouri,” Ashcroft said. “Frank is invaluable, and my office owes him thanks. He spent his career as a public servant, and for that we are grateful and wish him well in retirement.”