Tanner A. Kirksey, 26

Associate, Stanton Barton, St. Louis

Practice Areas: Products liability, transportation, personal injury

Law School: Saint Louis University

Tanner Kirksey is just getting started. In a few years, he will be able to look back and see what he’s been able to accomplish as an attorney. The great team at his firm and his growing professional network are sure to play a large part in his success.

Kirksey enjoys the challenge that comes with a law career, just as his father told him he would. “I remember hearing my dad, who is also an attorney, say that not many professions allow you to use such a wide variety of skills on a daily basis,” he says. “Within the first week of law school, I knew I had made the right career choice.”

Just a month after licensure, Kirksey obtained dismissal of multiple entities from the same suit in the span of a few days. He says, “That first ‘well done’ from a client carries a special weight to it.”

Kirksey advises younger attorneys to keep asking questions and putting themselves in a position to grow. “They need to trust their training and abilities,” he says. “They made it this far for a reason. They may be overwhelmed, but they deserve to be in this space.”

What is something about you that would surprise people?
I’m an amateur handyman. Whether you need new tile or flooring, electric work, new shelving, or a garment tailored or hemmed, I’ve got you — and I accept coffee as payment. I’m also a foodie on a budget (newly married, new house, etc.). Getting creative with inexpensive ingredients is a great way to relax.

What is your biggest accomplishment this year?

Arguably, this honor. It represents a culmination of professional and personal accomplishments that I am grateful for.