Ian P. Cooper
Kate L. NashTueth Keeney attorneys Ian Cooper and Kate Nash won an important court decision on behalf of Missouri Military Academy in an employment lawsuit brought by a terminated employee. The trial court granted Tueth Keeney’s motions to dismiss the employee’s claim of wrongful discharge in violation of public policy, and to dismiss his claims for emotional distress and punitive damages. The employee appealed those rulings, but the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District upheld the successful trial court results, in a short per curiam opinion. The Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District issued its opinion on December 9, 2008.
The successful motions and outcome, both at trial and on appeal, affirm the continued viability of Leuthans v. Washington University, a 1995 Missouri Supreme Court decision favorable to Missouri employers. Ian Cooper, the lead Tueth Keeney attorney on the case, explained that the employee’s attorney “has been working hard to overturn Luethans for some time.” Ian predicted an attempt by the employee’s attorney to return the question to the Missouri Supreme Court, stating “I have little doubt that he will seek transfer [to the Missouri Supreme Court]” so the case bears continued attention.
Ian Cooper a founding Shareholder of the Firm of Tueth, Keeney, Cooper, Mohan & Jackstadt, P.C. Prior to founding the Firm, Ian was a partner at Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin in its St. Louis office. Before entering private practice, Ian served as Law Clerk to the Hon. James F. Warren of the Texas Court of Appeals, First Supreme Judicial District, in Houston, Texas from 1984-1985.
Ian practices in the areas of commercial, employment, higher education, environmental, and tort litigation. Ian has tried numerous jury and bench trials in federal and state courts in Missouri, Illinois, Texas and Arkansas. Ian has served as lead counsel in significant employment, tort and commercial cases, including class actions and other complex litigation.
Kate Nash practices primarily in the areas of education, litigation, labor and employment law. Kate has extensive experience representing private and public employers in all areas of employment law. She has experience advising employers as to all matters of human resource policy issues, specifically ensuring that employers are in compliance with state and federal labor and employment laws. She practices primarily in Missouri and Illinois state and federal courts. She has also represented clients in matters before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Missouri Human Rights Commission and the Illinois Department of Human Rights.
Employment & Labor – Tueth Keeney attorneys have successfully represented a number of employers — public and private, large and small — throughout the Midwest in labor and employment matters. Our broad range of experience includes employment discrimination litigation, wage-hour investigations, affirmative action revision plans development, INS audits, and a variety of traditional labor matters.
Missouri Education – Tueth Keeney has one of the largest and most successful education law groups in the country. The Firm regularly serves the legal counsel needs of approximately 150 school districts throughout Missouri and in Central and Southern Illinois.