Missouri Lawyers Awards 2025: Jim Cantalin

Partner, Brown & Crouppen
St. Louis

For Brown & Crouppen, a major focus of the last year has been embracing new technology.

In addition to increases in revenue and profits, Jim Cantalin, a partner at Brown & Crouppen, said they are focused on growth in the business side as well as the practice of law. A crucial focus area for them, Cantalin said, is integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into many of their existing processes.

“We definitely have fully embraced AI,” Cantalin said. “That includes everything from advertising, signing up clients, [and] the practice of law.”

Cantalin said the firm plans to continue to grow their AI practice into the next year to keep up with the ever-changing technology.

“We’re looking to see how we can use it even more,” he said. “What we were doing a year ago is different than even what we’re doing today.”

Additionally, Cantalin said throughout the past year, the firm has had a focus on its culture for employees. With an emphasis on work-life balance, Brown & Crouppen is leveraging technology to allow remote work and, in turn, expand their client pool.

Headquartered in Saint Louis, Cantalin said a central office space has also allowed them to foster a healthy culture. For Brown & Crouppen, cutting-edge technology and improving the employee experience are means to an end: creating a better and more efficient experience for their clients.

“We do put a lot of emphasis on getting and retaining the best talent,” he said. “We consider that part of our job. My responsibility is to see if I can do a better job than my competition in hiring good quality talent.”

Brown & Crouppen handled a variety of different cases in the last year, including product liability, trucking cases, motor vehicle crashes, premise liability, commercial general liability claims, and more.

Regardless, Cantalin said their goal is to maximize the value of every single case, regardless of its monetary value.

“The ultimate goal is to continue to get our message out to those who are in need of legal assistance, provide top notch legal services and maintain profitability which will allow us to continue to grow, retain outstanding attorneys and legal professionals in order to provide exceptional legal services well into the future,” Cantalin said.