MoveMakers and NewsMakers for Nov. 4, 2025

St. Louis | Kansas City | Other

Other

Reuben Shelton, of Chesterfield, was appointed to the Harris-Stowe State University Board of Regents. Mr. Shelton served as the lead litigation counsel for the Monsanto Company before his retirement in 2016. He previously served as special chief counsel for the Missouri Attorney General's Office. He is an active member of the United Way of Greater St. Louis and previously served as a member of the Children's Hospital Development Board, the Lincoln University Board of Curators, and president of the Missouri Bar Association. Shelton holds a Master of Business Administration from Washington University and received his Juris Doctor from St. Louis University School of Law.

St. Louis

Spencer Fane LLP is pleased to welcome Daniel J. Burke Jr. to the firm’s St. Louis office as a partner in the Real Estate practice group.

Burke provides proactive, solutions-oriented counsel to a wide variety of real estate clients – including regional and national companies, public and private institutions, developers, and lenders – for all stages of real estate transactions. He also regularly guides clients through the site selection and project approval process, including helping obtain planning and zoning approvals.

In lease negotiations, Burke tailors efforts to material client concerns to streamline resolutions while protecting client interests. In his work with developers, Burke provides counsel to clients concerning tax increment financing, Missouri’s Chapter 100 industrial revenue bonds, transportation development district (TDD) and community improvement district (CID) financing, Chapter 353 tax abatement, and other related incentives.

“Dan joins us with an impressive track record of representing sophisticated clients in all types of real estate transactions,” said Amy Mistler, office managing partner for Spencer Fane in St. Louis. “We look forward to integrating his insights and experience as our real estate team continues to underscore its reputation for exceptional client service and efficient resource application no matter the scope of the project or degree of complexity.”

Burke obtained his bachelor’s degree cum laude from Miami University before earning his Juris Doctor from Washington University School of Law. He has been recognized by multiple established legal publications, including Chambers USA and Best Lawyers in America, for his outstanding work in real estate law over consecutive years.

Kansas City

Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice is pleased to announce the addition of Samantha Palumbo as an associate in the firm’s Kansas City office. Her practice focuses on all aspects of transportation law, including trucking and rail, in both litigation and regulatory compliance. 

Palumbo earned her law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law and holds an undergraduate degree from Roger Williams University. Raised in the transportation industry, her first job was with her father’s trucking company, where she ran parts. Before law school, she served as dispatcher for the company’s trucking and rail operations. 

Palumbo was recently admitted to practice law in Missouri and served as a summer law clerk at Baker Sterchi in 2024.