Mr. Craney's practice includes employment law, municipal law and complex business litigation. He has successfully tried numerous cases to conclusion and has represented some of the largest municipalities in employment and civil rights matters in St. Louis and southern Illinois. He has successfully represented municipalities for the majority of his career. He regularly appears before the EEOC, the Missouri Human Rights Commission and the Illinois Human Rights Commission representing clients throughout the administrative review process. As a result, many of these claims never reach the civil courts, preventing what would otherwise be long and arduous litigation.
Mr. Craney holds a master's degree in public health and prior to joining Brown & James, clerked with the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Inspector
General in Washington, D.C.
Reported Opinions:
Lake v. Related Management Co., L.P. et al., 936 N.E.2d 704
(Ill.App.4th Dist. 2010)
National
Casualty Company, et al. v. Edgar
County, et al.,
604 F.3d 335 (7th
Cir. 2010)
Smith v. International Catering North, Inc., 231 S.W.3d 275 (Mo.App. E.D. 2007)
Written Publications:
"The Carmack Amendment: Implications for Liability for Claims Against Interstate Carriers," The Firm Inquiry, Winter 2011
"
7th Circuit Opinions Reflect Changing Standard of Causation in 42 U.S.C. § 1983 Actions Involving Public Employee’s First Amendment Rights,"
Illinois Defense Council IDC
Defense Update, May 2010 (Vol. 11, No. 9)
"United States Supreme Court Holds that 'Mixed-Motive' Jury Instructions are Never Appropriate in an Age Discrimination Case Brought Under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act," The Firm Inquiry, Winter 2010
"Wrongful Termination Suits Alleging Retaliation for Filing a Workers' Compensation Claim: The Law in Illinois and Missouri," The Firm Inquiry, Winter 2010
"Is an Employer Required to Show that a Non-Compete Agreement Protects a "Legitimate Business Interest?" Trends in Missouri and Illinois,"
The Firm Inquiry, Winter 2010
"Reservations of Rights versus Declaratory Judgment Actions under Illinois Law," The Firm Inquiry, Fall 2008
"Illinois Supreme Court Upholds "Step Down" Clauses, Illinois Legislature Invalidates Them," The Firm Inquiry, Summer 2008
Auto Tort Law: A Primer (2007)
Bar Memberships:
Missouri
Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Illinois
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Professional Associations:
Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel
Illinois State Bar Association
Madison County Bar Association
St. Clair County Bar Association
Selected Favorable Jury Verdicts and Results:
National Casualty Insurance Co. v. White Mountains Ins. - Summary Judgement, United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois (September 2011).
Boswell v.
Allstate – Summary judgment, St. Louis City, Missouri (Underinsured
Motorist Coverage Stacking Issue, July 2011
Ritchey v. Freightmasters et al. – Jury trial, Fayette County, Illinois (Trucking case defense verdict, May 2011).
Wilson v. City of Madison – Summary judgment, Madison
County, Illinois (Employment discrimination, March 25, 2011).
Compac v. Superior Express – Summary judgment, United States
District Court for the Southern District of Illinois (Carmack Amendment, Feb.
11, 2011).
Skoklo v. City of Madison – Summary judgment, Madison
County, Illinois (Employment discrimination, Jan. 17, 2011).
Foshee v. Warner – Three day trial in Williamson County,
Illinois (Nov. 2, 2010)
Lake v. Southern Hills, Summary Judgment, Macon County, Illinois (tort 2010)
National Casualty Insurance Co. et al. v. Edgar County, Il.
et al. – Summary judgment, United States District Court for the Central
District of Illinois (Insurance coverage declaratory judgment, January 2010.)
Bastilla et al. v. City of Cahokia – Three day trial in
United States District Court for Southern District of Illinois (December 2009).
Rose v. Madison – Four day trial in Madison
County, Illinois (May 4, 2009)
Cynthia Smith V. City of Madison and
Mark Hayes, Three-day jury trial before
Judge Ralph Mendelsohn in Madison County, Illinois (September 8, 2008).
Keith Osterhage v. Kenneth Osterhage, Four-day bench trial before Judge Dennis Doyle
in Monroe County, Illinois (January 23, 2008).
Shelton Hempstead v. Allstate
Insurance Company, One-day trial before Judge Statler in Pemiscot County, Missouri (February 7, 2007).
Heidi Warner v. Broadway Oyster Bar, Three-day jury trial in St. Louis City before
Judge Mason in St. Louis City (January 19, 2007).
Lisa Chilton v. Tammy Powers, August
30, 2006: Two-day jury trial in St. Louis City before Judge Evelyn
Baker in St. Louis City. Personal injury auto case.
Ellen Smith v. International Catering, Five-day jury trial in St. Louis City before
Judge Phil Heagne in St. Louis City, Missouri. Was successful on subsequent appeal, which resulted in the published
opinion of
Smith v. International Catering, 231 S.W.3d 275
(Mo.App.E.D. 2007).
Slomka v. Fearless Tavern, One-day jury trial in Franklin County, Illinois, before
Judge Loren Lewis in Franklin County, Illinois (July
11, 2006).
Devon Sims v. Tiny Town Daycare
Center, Three-day jury trial before Judge
Joan Berger in St. Louis City, Missouri (January 30, 2006).
Latricia Walters v. Shelter Ins. Co., One-day bench trial before Judge Elizabeth Hogan
in St. Louis City, Missouri (October 3, 2005).
Gary Treece v. W. J. Zickel Co., Two-day jury trial before Judge Nancy Schneider in St.
Charles, Missouri (August
30, 2005).
Mengwasser v. Farm Bureau, One-day jury trial before Judge Robert D. Schollmeyer in Osage
County, Missouri (June 4,
2005).
