Attorneys Archive - Holloran Schwartz & Gaertner

Oct 13 2017

Rebecca Grossman

Rebecca graduated magna cum laude from St. Louis University School of Law as a member of the Woolsack Honor Society, graduating in the top 10% of her class. She was a member of the St. Louis University Public Law Review and earned eight awards for academic excellence. Rebecca grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and graduated from Ladue High School. She attended the University of Rochester in New York where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in film and media studies.

Prior to and during law school, Rebecca spent five years as a paralegal in St. Louis gaining valuable litigation and client counseling skills, with a focus on personal injury and family law. She is licensed in Missouri and her practice focuses on personal injury, product liability, wrongful death, auto accidents, workplace injuries, class action, and business and consumer litigation.

Rebecca is a member of Women Lawyers’ Association, the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Lawyers’ Association, St. Louis County Bar Association, Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, and the Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group (WILG). She is also part of the adjunct faculty at St. Louis University School of Law teaching legal research and writing. Rebecca is recognized as a Rising Star by the Missouri Super Lawyers.

Jun 16 2017

Justin D. Guerra

Justin Guerra is a graduate of DeSmet Jesuit High School. At the University of Missouri, he was a “Journalism Scholar” and a member of the school’s Honors College. He earned his J.D. from the Saint Louis University School of Law. He was a member of the Saint Louis University Public Law Review.

Justin has tried cases to verdict in both state and federal court. He has appeared as a guest lecturer on tort law at the Washington University School of Engineering. Justin has been recognized by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel as The Nation’s Top One Percent, the Missouri Lawyers Weekly as an “Up & Coming Lawyer,” Super Lawyers Magazine as a “Rising Star,” The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40, and a “Distinguished Lawyer” by The Expert Network.

Justin served as President of the Lawyers Association of St. Louis in 2019-2020, and he currently sits on the Executive Committee. He is also a member of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, the St. Louis County Bar Association, and the Mound City Bar Association. Justin is licensed to practice in both state and federal courts in Missouri and Illinois.

He is one of only 188 national award recipients in the 40-year history of the National Young American Award. He is also proud to be an Eagle Scout.

Justin lives with his wife Kelly, 3 kids, and their dog Gabby in South St. Louis City.

Justin Guerra

Jun 16 2017

Mark J. Gaertner

Mark J. Gaertner is a native of St. Louis. He graduated from Rohan Woods School, Chaminade Preparatory School, St. Louis University and St. Louis University School of Law.

After graduating from law school, he was a law clerk for the Missouri Court of Appeals. Mark then went to work for Anheuser-Busch Companies in their executive training program. While working for Anheuser-Busch, he became a member of the Office of Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU). After working for Anheuser-Busch Companies, Mark returned to private practice with Holloran Schwartz & Gaertner LLP.

Mark is a member of the St. Louis County Bar Association (Executive Board Member 2009 – Present), The Missouri Association of Trial Lawyers (Board Member 2009 – 2018, Past President 2016-2017), American Bar Association, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, The Lawyers Association of St. Louis, The American Association for Justice, and The Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater St. Louis. Mark comes from a distinguished legal family. His father is a retired Missouri Court of Appeals Judge and former Circuit Judge in St. Louis City, and his older brother is a Missouri Court of Appeals Judge and former Circuit Judge in St. Louis County.

In December 2009, Mark was honored to be introduced as a named partner in the Firm. In 2011 and 2012, Mark was recognized as a Rising Star by the Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers. In 2013, he was selected as a Super Lawyer by the Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers, and has been selected every year since. Since 2011, Mark has been recognized as a member of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers. Mark has achieved the prestigious Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating.

From 2016 – 2021, Mark served on the Board of Police Commissioners for the St. Louis County Police Department. He was Secretary of the Board of Police Commissioners. The Board of Police Commissioners is the final authority for the control and supervision of the St. Louis County Police Department. Mark also served as a Chairperson on the St. Louis County and Municipal Police Academy.

In May 2021, Mark was sworn in as the Judge for the City of Chesterfield and the City of Clarkson Valley. In January 2023, Mark was appointed as the Judge for the City of Ladue. As the Judge for those cities, he is the chief judicial officer and assumes the primary responsibility for the administration of the court.

In December 2023, Mark was selected to be the Secretary and Board Member of The BackStoppers. The BackStoppers provide financial assistance and support to the spouses and dependent children of first responders who have lost their lives or suffered a catastrophic injury in the line of duty.

In December 2023, Mark was named to the Civilian Advisory Board of Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis. The Major Case Squad is in charge of investigating the most violent crime in the St. Louis region.

In January 2024, Mark was selected to be the treasurer and Board Member of the Law Enforcement Legislative Coalition (LELO). LELO represents law enforcement through legislation and education to improve public safety.

Mark has tried multiple cases including personal injury matters and also lectures at various legal seminars concentrating on difficult trial practices. Mark’s primary focus is personal injury, professional negligence, wrongful death, product liability, class action, minimum wage and overtime cases, motor vehicle accidents, work-related injuries and business and consumer litigation.

Mark remains active in the community through organizations such as The BackStoppers (Family Adoption Program, 2012 – present), Respond and Rescue (Board Member, 2016 – present), and Ancient Order of Hibernians.

Jun 16 2017

Thomas E. Schwartz

Tom is a lifelong resident of St. Louis, and a graduate of St. Louis University High School, Marquette University, and St. Louis University School of Law, cum laude.

Tom is licensed in Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky, and he regularly represents clients in trial matters throughout the country. While Tom handles a variety of personal injury matters, his areas of emphasis are products liability, toxic torts, and the representation of railroad workers in FELA litigation. He is appointed as designated legal counsel for the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers as well as the Sheet Metal Workers International Association.

Tom serves on several local community boards, and he has previously elected by his St. Louis lawyer peers to a six-year term on the Judicial Commission for the 22nd Judicial Circuit of Missouri.
Tom has tried multiple cases involving personal injury matters. In 2005, he received the Missouri Bar Association’s Lon O. Hocker Award for outstanding trial advocacy.

Tom is a member of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (Board of Governors 2004 and 2005), the Lawyers Association of St. Louis (Executive Board 2004-2017), the American Association for Justice, and several other legal related organizations.

Tom and his wife Brigid have three children – Joe, Grace, and Lucie.

Jun 16 2017

James P. Holloran

Jim Holloran is a life-long St. Louis resident. He graduated from St. Louis University with both a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering in 1964 and a Juris Doctorate Degree in 1968. He was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1968.

Jim has tried over 200 cases to jury verdict in the State and Federal Courts. He has practiced and appeared before the Missouri Court of Appeals, the Missouri Supreme Court and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has handled hundreds of medical negligence cases, vehicular and products liability cases.

Jim is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, an organization of highly experienced attorneys who have completed at least 50 personal injury trials and received at least three verdicts in excess of $1 million dollars or one verdict in excess of $10 million dollars. Membership is by invitation only and is limited to 100 attorneys in the country.

Jim has received the Lon Hocker Memorial Trial Lawyer Award from the Missouri Bar and the Award of Honor from the Lawyers Association of St. Louis.

Jim is a member of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (MATA) where he was a member of the Board of Governors from 1978 to 1988, serving as President from 1986 to 1987. He is a member of the American Association for Justice and has served as a board member from 1994 to 2000. Jim also is a Fellow in the International Society of Barristers and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (President – 2002).

Jim has served as a member of the Dean’s Council at St. Louis Law School since 1997; a founding board member of Loyola Jesuit Middle School since 2000 and as a member of the Board of Directors at Vianney High School (2002-2007).

He also is a member of the Board of Directors of the St. Louis Society for Children and Adults with Physical Disabilities since 1993, and is a former President and Chairman of the Board.
Since 1999, Jim has served as a co-chair for an annual golf tournament to aid the St. Louis Society. He also is a member on several other golf tournament committees, including Habitat for Humanity, Guardian Angel Settlement, Vianney High School, Head Injury Foundation and the Dan Devereaux Memorial Foundation.

Jim is married to Ann Callis, former Chief Judge of the Third Judicial Circuit of Madison County, Illinois.