Spencer Fane LLP is pleased to announce its expansion into downtown St. Louis with a new office that will open shortly after former St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay officially joins the firm on May 8, 2017.
Francis Slay joins the firm following a 16-year term as mayor of the City of St. Louis, the longest tenure of any mayor in the city’s history. As Of Counsel with the firm, Francis will practice in the downtown office with other Spencer Fane attorneys who will relocate from the firm’s Clayton office.
“Francis Slay’s contributions to our city are unprecedented, and we’re excited to have him join our firm. His remarkable experience, perspective and skills will benefit our attorney teams and clients,” said Frank Neuner, St. Louis Office Managing Partner. “The opening of our downtown office also aligns with our commitment to having a presence where our clients do business.”
“As many of our clients have operations in the core of St. Louis, we are dedicated to investing in downtown. We are confident that these attorneys will serve as a cornerstone in that effort.”
In his role with Spencer Fane, Francis will serve clients in a manner similar to that of a general counsel, advising clients on a full spectrum of legal issues and orchestrating the firm’s in-house legal teams to meet those needs across a range of practice areas.
Prior to his long-standing service to the City of St. Louis, Francis was a private practice attorney for 20 years. He will combine his substantial legal knowledge with his experience in public service to advise clients in both the public and private sectors. He will work with clients from a wide variety of industries with a focus on economic development, real estate development, public finance, international commerce, regulatory work and related business transactions.
“I value the relationships that I’ve formed with my colleagues and friends at Spencer Fane over the years, and I look forward to working alongside them in this new role,” Francis said. “I have come to know the firm as one that places a strong and equal emphasis on client service and exceptional counsel, which has me excited to roll up my sleeves and return to private practice with Spencer Fane.”