Overview
Whether representing Fortune 50 companies in high-stakes class or mass actions or a local non-profit needing help, Beth A. Bauer balances creative, tenacious advocacy with a calm, commanding demeanor. Clients benefit from her experience as an appellate clerk and practitioner as she strategizes from a broad perspective and gains intricate understanding of the details that make the difference. She learns about clients’ businesses and unique challenges and is a partner in their successes. Both the judiciary and her opponents in some of the toughest jurisdictions for defendants consider Ms. Bauer trustworthy and professional while recognizing her common-sense approach and unmatched skill in protecting her clients’ interests. She lives by lessons learned growing up on a working hog farm, including: "Others may be smarter, but no one will care more or work harder to meet the challenge."
For over two decades, Ms. Bauer has led successful outcomes for clients in:
- product liability actions related to personal products, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices
- commercial disputes ranging from construction breach of contract to trade-secret misappropriation
- environmental litigation for injuries and lost property value
- real property tax disputes
She also works seamlessly in teams with lawyers across the country, providing invaluable insights on local law and practice, opponents, and the judiciary.
At HeplerBroom, Ms. Bauer leads several initiatives related to the effective, ethical, and confidential use of Generative AI; business development; and the summer associate program as well as other management and leadership efforts.
Giving back is vital to her. She serves as the Chairperson of the Collinsville Area Meals on Wheels, helping to ensure the elderly in her community receive daily hot meals and well checks from a volunteer corp. She is Troop Shepherd for the American Heritage Girls Troop IL 2911, a scouting organization providing girls a place to belong and develop leadership skills and whose mission is to build women of integrity. She adores her three daughters and husband of more than 25 years, spending time traveling, enjoying the outdoors, watching old movies, and reading good books with them.
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Education
- Saint Louis University Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2000
- Washington University-St. Louis, B.A. in English Literature and Secondary Education, 1997
LAW SCHOOL HONORS & INVOLVEMENT
- Member and Notes and Comments Editor, St. Louis University Public Law Review (1998-2000)
- Student Editor, Fidelity and Surety News (1998-2000)
- Law School Leadership Council (1999-2000)
- Christian Legal Society
- President (1998-2000)
Admissions & Affiliations
- Illinois
- Missouri
- U.S. Courts of Appeals for the
- 7th Circuit
- 8th Circuit
- U.S. District Courts for the
- Southern, Central, and Northern Districts of Illinois
- Eastern District of Missouri
Professional Associations
- Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC)
- Generative AI Committee (2024-2025)
- Corporate Counsel Symposium Planning Committee (2023-2024)
- Products Liability
- Section Chair (2019-2021)
- Toxic Tort Environmental
- Section Chair (2016-2018)
- Vice-Chair (2014-2016)
- FDCC Advance Committee to improve diversity of membership (2015-2016)
- Litigation Management College Faculty (2014-2016)
- Illinois Supreme Court Character and Fitness Committee (2016-2024)
- Vice Chair, 5th District (2021-2023)
- Illinois Appellate Lawyers Association
- Director, 5th District (2015-2017)
- Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel
- Editor-in-Chief, IDC Quarterly (2014-2015)
- Supreme Court Watch columnist, IDC Quarterly (2002-2014)
- Madison County (Illinois) Bar Association
Other Professional/Civic Involvement
- Collinsville Area Meals on Wheels
- Chair (2022-2024)
- Board Member (2014-2022)
- American Heritage Girls Troop IL 2911
- Troop Shepherd (2024 to present)
- Unit Leader (2016-2024)
- Madison County Pro Bono Legal Clinic, Volunteer (since 2012)
Practices
Results
Representative Product Liability Matters
- Successfully manages and defends thousands of claims in Illinois and Missouri against major personal care products manufacturer in which each plaintiff alleges her use of body powder caused ovarian cancer (2014-present)
- Trial team/embedded appellate issues counsel defense verdicts in: Giese et al. v. Johnson & Johnson, et al., St. Louis City Circuit Court, MO, September 2022 (3 plaintiff trial); Forrest v. Johnson & Johnson, et al., St. Louis City Circuit Court, MO, December 2021; Daniels v. Johnson & Johnson, et al., St. Louis City Circuit Court, MO, March 2017)
- Verdicts reversed and vacated on appeal: Fox v. Johnson & Johnson, et al., 539 S.W.3d 48 (Mo App. E. D. 2017) ($72 million verdict vacated); Ristesund v. Johnson & Johnson, et al., 558 S.W.3d 77 (Mo App. E.D. 2018) ($55 million verdict vacated); Giannecchini v. Johnson & Johnson et al., (No. ED105443, Missouri Court of Appeals, E.D. June 18, 2019) ($67.5 million verdict vacated)
Successfully resolved fire loss claim against international manufacturer of refrigerator component part (U.S. Dist. Court Eastern District MO, 2023)
Attained early resolution for nuisance value putative consumer fraud class action against leading lip balm manufacturer (St. Clair County IL 2021)
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Representative Commercial Litigation and Contract Matters
- Attained award and collection of attorneys’ fees and client’s costs related to obtaining contempt judgment in Illinois Trade Secrets Act case against party that misappropriated client’s trade secrets (Madison County IL Circuit Court, 2024)
- Successfully resolved highly complex construction breach of contract action and mechanical engineering counterclaim for Fortune 500 steel manufacturer (Madison County IL Circuit Court, 2023)
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Representative Environmental-Related Matters
- Obtained early resolution of Fortune 50 client’s first claims involving plaintiff who alleged exposure to PFAS caused his cancer and other injuries (2024)
- Attained minimal contribution by Fortune 50 company to putative class action settlement fund in which plaintiffs alleged de-valued property due to groundwater contamination (U.S. District Court Southern District IL, 2020)
- Attained minimal contribution by Fortune 500 company to class action settlement fund in which plaintiffs alleged de-valued property due to contamination via air particles (Madison County IL Circuit Court, 2018)
- Won class decertification of claims against Fortune 50 petroleum industry client in which class claimed de-valued properties due to groundwater contamination, Parko v. Shell Oil Co., 739 F.3d 1083 (7th Cir. 2014)
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Representative Real Property Valuation and Tax Matters
- Twice achieved multiple tens of millions of dollars real property valuation and tax agreement for Fortune 50 petroleum industry client with 17 taxing districts, Madison County IL assessing officials, and other stakeholders (2015, 2024)
- Successfully resolved litigation with various taxing bodies challenging the value of Fortune 50 company’s real property and client’s lawsuits against taxing bodies for illegal levies in the Madison County Board of Review, Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board, Illinois Department of Revenue, Illinois Pollution Control Board, and Madison County IL Circuit Court (2021-2024; 2010-2015)
- Won appeal in Illinois Supreme Court that certain taxing bodies lacked standing to intervene in the Illinois Pollution Control Board’s proceedings to award tax certifications for pollution control facilities installed by client, which under Illinois law entitles client to more favorable tax treatment (Board of Education of Roxana Community School Dist. No. 1 v. The Pollution Control Board, et al., 2013 IL 115473)
- Annually obtain property tax exemptions worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax savings for two separate non-profit hospital systems (2021-2024)
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Honors
Honors & Awards
- AV Preeminent® Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell
- Best Lawyers in America (2023-2025)
- Illinois Super Lawyer (2014-2024)
- Rising Star (2009-2013)
- Named one of "2013 Top Women Attorneys" by Illinois Super Lawyers
- Leading Lawyer (2014-2024)
- Missouri Lawyer’s Top Defense Wins of 2021 award (Co-recipient)
- Meritorious Service Award for Service as IDC Quarterly Editor-in-Chief (2015)
- Named one of "40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch" by Law Bulletin Publishing Company (2011
Insights
News
Events & Speaking Engagements
- "Discovery on Discovery: Discovery Directed Against the Corporate Discovery Search Team and Outside Discovery Vendors," FDCC 2nd Annual Regional Corporate Counsel Symposium (Chicago IL, 2019).
- "From the Inside Out: Strategies to Avoid, Control, or Eliminate Major Product and Toxic Tort Exposures," FDCC Winter Meeting (Amelia Island FL, 2018).
- “Appellate Jeopardy: A Fun Way to Review the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure,” Eighth Circuit Bar Association (St. Louis MO, 2017).
- “Trying Your Case to Win, In the Court of Appeals That Is,” Illinois Appellate Lawyers Association Fifth District Seminar (Collinsville IL, 2016) (updated version).
Blog Posts
Publications
- “Ultimate Game Changer? Concussion-Related Injuries and Litigation,” FDCC Insights (updated Spring 2017).
- “Ultimate Game Changer? Concussion-Related Injuries and Litigation,” FDCC Quarterly (Vol. 64 Q.338, 2015).
- “Editor's Message,” IDC Quarterly (2014-2015).
- “Supreme Court Watch,” IDC Quarterly (2002-2014).
