Lathrop GPM Partners Receive Missouri Lawyers Media Up & Coming and Mentor Awards
Aug. 25, 2020 – Missouri Lawyers Media recently honored three Lathrop GPM partners with 2020 Up & Coming Awards. The list of 50 Missouri attorneys included Alexander T. Brown and Luke Meriwether in the “Up & Coming” Category and Wendi Alper-Pressman in the “Mentor” Category. Brown and Meriwether were recognized for having “demonstrated professional accomplishment, skill and leadership beyond their years, as well as extraordinary commitment to their communities through volunteer service and leadership” and Alper-Pressman for having “played an important role in the development of those starting out in the profession.”
Brown is a member of the firm’s Insurance Recovery & Counseling Practice Group and a co-leader of the Civil Rights Insurance Recovery Team. He represents some of the world’s largest corporations in high-stakes lawsuits and has litigated dozens of insurance coverage cases throughout the nation. In his civil rights insurance recovery work, Brown litigates a number of coverage cases involving §1983 civil rights claims on behalf of wrongfully imprisoned exonerees, so far helping to secure a total of $190 million in settlements for civil rights plaintiffs. In addition, Brown partners with the Midwest Innocence Project on pro bono matters, currently representing Lamar Johnson in his wrongful imprisonment plea.
Meriwether is a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group and a litigator of high-stakes patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret disputes (both enforcement and defense) in federal courts throughout the nation, as well as before the U.S. International Trade Commission and Patent Trial and Appeal Board. A recent high-profile matter concluded favorably for Meriwether and his client. As a leading team member representing a multi-million dollar baby and toddler product company, he obtained summary judgment of non-infringement on two patents — culminating nearly 10 years of litigation between his client and the opposing company. Meriwether has served on the firm’s Culture, Diversity & Inclusion Committee as well as the Associate Recruiting Committee, is an alumnus of The Civic Council of Greater Kansas City’s Kansas City Tomorrow Class, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Western Missouri Soccer League.
Alper-Pressman is a member of the firm’s Financial Services Practice Group and has 35 years of experience representing financial institutions of all sizes and businesses in loan workouts, restructurings, forbearance agreements, bankruptcy proceedings and enforcement actions. Recognized for her influential leadership, Alper-Pressman has mentored and trained dozens of attorneys throughout her career. “Anyone who has had the pleasure to learn from and work with Wendi, their careers (and lives) are better for it,” said Lathrop GPM Partner Emily Cantwell. Alper-Pressman is active in the Lathrop GPM Women’s Initiative Network, which she co-chaired for several years and helped secure the firm’s Gold Certified distinction from the Women In Law Empowerment Forum. In addition, Alper-Pressman is a longtime supporter of Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, for which she and her husband served as honorary co-chairs of the 23rd annual Justice for All Ball. She is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Risk Management Association’s St. Louis Chapter and the Repertory Theater of St. Louis, as well as a member of the Planned Parenthood of St. Louis Women’s Leadership Circle.
Missouri Lawyers Media will recognize the 2020 “Up & Coming” honorees during a virtual awards event on Oct. 15, 2020.