Larry Hepler and Beth Bauer are part of the inaugural class of Missouri Lawyers Media’s 2026 Illinois Legal Leaders. The program honors attorneys and judges who have made lasting impacts on the legal profession in southern Illinois. Hepler was honored as a Legal Icon for his more than 30 years of service to the profession, while Bauer was honored as a Leader in the Law for her significant contributions to the legal community and beyond.
Hepler, a partner in the firm’s Edwardsville office, has focused his practice on the defense of complex, multi-party civil cases and class actions, including pharmaceutical, personal injury, and toxic tort matters. He is a member of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers and the American Board of Trial Advocates. In 2025, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. Hepler is rated an AV Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell and has a decades-long history of being recognized among the nation’s top attorneys, including selection to Best Lawyers in America, Illinois Super Lawyers, and Illinois Leading Lawyers.
Bauer, also a partner in the firm’s Edwardsville office, focuses her practice on the defense of complex, multi-party civil cases, commercial disputes, and class actions, including products liability, talc litigation, and appellate matters. She, too, is rated an AV Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell and was co-recipient of Missouri Lawyers Media’s award for Top Defense Wins of 2021. In addition, she has also been selected to the lists of Best Lawyers in America, Illinois Super Lawyers, and Illinois Leading Lawyers and has been named one of Illinois Super Lawyers’ Top Women Attorneys.
In addition to their many contributions to the legal profession, both Hepler and Bauer are dedicated to giving back to their communities. Hepler has been a driving force in local development (ranging from downtown beautification efforts to economic development), while also supporting projects that enrich the lives of children in his community. Bauer helps guide the services offered by the Collinsville Area Meals on Wheels and, for nearly a decade, served as a leader in an American Heritage Girls Troop.