Russ Riggan

Phone: (314) 835-9100
Fax: (314) 735-1054

130 West Monroe Avenue
Kirkwood, MO 63122

Before opening his St. Louis employment law firm, Russ Riggan practiced employment law at two of Missouri's largest law firms and represented the interests of employers in employment-related disputes. After serving as a management-side employment lawyer for nearly a decade, Russ resigned as a partner of a large defense firm in downtown St. Louis to open his own practice. Russ now predominantly represents the interests of workers whose workplace rights have been violated.

Because of Russ' past experience representing employers, he is intimately familiar with different approaches employers can take with respect to complying with various state and federal employment laws. The employment law landscape is vast and complicated, and employers often run afoul of the law, either accidentally or intentionally. Russ' unique past background of defending, counseling, and negotiating on behalf of employers gives him invaluable insight in how to properly represent workers seeking to assert employment law claims. Russ is committed to protecting the interests of workers and to resolving employment law disputes on terms favorable to his clients.

Based upon feedback from his peers in the legal profession, Martindale-Hubbell assigned Russ an "AV Preeminent" Peer Review Rating--the highest rating given to practicing lawyers—based on ethical standards and legal ability. Russ has been selected for inclusion on the Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers list, as well as the Best Lawyers in America List.

Education

J.D., Washington University School of Law, (2001)
- Wiley Rutledge Moot Court Champion
- Employment Law Clinic
B.A. Political Science, Vanderbilt University, (1998)
- cum laude
- Dean’s List
- Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity

Jurisdictions Admitted To Practice

Missouri Bar
Illinois Bar
United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri and Central and Southern Districts of Illinois
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit

Professional & Bar Association Memberships

American Bar Association
Labor and Employment Law Section
Occupational Safety and Health Law Committee
Fair Labor Standards Legislation Committee
National Employment Lawyers Association (St. Louis Chapter)

Publications and Presentations

Guest Speaker, St. Louis on the Air Show, Radio Segment on New FLSA Overtime Regulations, St. Louis Public Radio (90.7 KWMU), November 2016.
Panelist, Employment Law Briefing, Ogletree Deakins Client Seminar, "My Favorite Mistake", October 2016.
Annual Speaker on Employment Law at Missouri Bar's Annual Law Update
Speaker, Missouri Employment Law--Hot Topics, St. Louis County Bar Association CLE Luncheon, October 2011
Speaker, H1N1 and Other Aerosol Transmissible Diseases: An Employer's Perspective, ABA OSHA Committee Mid-Winter Meetings (2010)
Author, Missouri Bar CLE Deskbook on Employer-Employee Law, Chapter 13, Occupational Safety and Health Act (MoBar 3d ed. 2008)
Moderator, Affirmative Defenses in OSHRC Litigation: Pardon, Parole, or Unwarranted Excuses?, ABA OSHA Committee Mid-Winter Meetings (2008)
Speaker, Overview and Update on OSHA and USERRA, Missouri Bar's Labor/Employment Symposium (2006)
Speaker on Non-Compete Issues, Council on Education in Management (2005)
Author, Recovery of Attorneys' Fees in OSHA Cases, Associated General Contractors' Building Cornerstone Newsletter (2005)
Author, OSHA Citations: Avoiding a Common Pitfall, Missouri Employment Law Letter (2005)

Civic Activities

Member, St. Peter’s Parish, Kirkwood, Missouri
Volunteer coach (baseball, basketball, and soccer)
Vanderbilt Alumni Club, St. Louis

The Riggan Law firm stood behind me when I had a legal dispute with my employer.
“They provided the legal advice required to move quickly to my desired outcome, as well as made sure that all of my legal rights were protected.”

D.L., Information Technology Professional (Employment Contract Dispute)
I cannot express the gratitude towards Mr. Riggan and his team, it was truly a pleasure working with him!!!
“I felt more comfortable and I knew that I had not only made the right decision, but I was in the hands of someone that was genuine about my situation.”

J.N., Human Resources Representative (Race Discrimination Case)
He is approachable, deliberate, hard hitting, and quick to respond.
“He was able to exercise his vast experience in this area and protected me from losing my job.”

F.F., Manager (Disability Discrimination Dispute)
I would recommend them to anyone who needs someone to fight the good fight for them!
“I wanted to take a moment to say a few words about how the Riggan Law Firm handled my case. They did win my case for me, but to me, it wasn’t just about winning. It was not just a case to me, and I did not feel it was to them either. It was my life, my story and it was important to me for it to be told accurately. I feel Sam Moore and Russ Riggan did that. I wanted the truth to be told and justice to be served and I feel they did that as well. Sam and Russ became a big part of my life as we spent many hours and days together. They worked so hard on my case and were available every time I needed them. Most importantly, they became my voice and I could not have picked two better guys to tell my story. They are two of the most honest people I have ever met. I would recommend them to anyone who needs someone to fight the good fight for them! These words come easily, but telling them thank you and goodbye, much harder. Thank you, Sam and Russ!”

S.S., Healthcare Manager (Disability discrimination case)
I highly recommend Russ.
“It was great working with Russ. He made the process quick and easy. He always took the time to make sure I understood what we were discussing and gave me all of my options before making a decision. I highly recommend Russ.”

S.H., HR Director (severance negotiation)