Matthew J. Brown, Attorney at Law

09/10/2026

Welcome Phoenix Mason, Our New Associate Attorney

Seven years analyzing complex appeals. Experience inside the Federal Public Defender’s Office. Now, she’s bringing that perspective to the defense of clients in Illinois and Missouri.

Phoenix joins Combs Waterkotte as an Associate Attorney with a background spanning federal criminal defense, appellate litigation, constitutional issues, police misconduct, custodial interrogations, and suppression of evidence.

She approaches each case with careful attention to detail and a clear understanding of what a criminal charge can mean for a client’s future.

09/09/2026

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐤𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐡𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲

Combs Waterkotte is excited to announce the addition of Associate Attorney Elizabeth Dahle. Elizabeth represents clients across Missouri facing charges ranging from misdemeanors to violent crimes and s*x crimes, providing experienced, compassionate, and aggressive advocacy at every stage of the case.

Elizabeth most recently served as an Assistant Public Defender in the Missouri State Public Defender’s Office, where she represented clients throughout Lincoln and Pike counties. As an experienced trial lawyer, she handled serious felony cases from the initial client meeting through investigation, depositions, motion practice, plea negotiations, and jury trials.

A graduate of Oberlin College and the University of Notre Dame Law School, Elizabeth brings more than 20 years of legal experience to Combs Waterkotte. Before joining the Public Defender’s Office, she operated her own law practice for eight years, representing clients in criminal, family, and civil matters. Her extensive courtroom experience, meticulous preparation, and commitment to her clients make her a tremendous addition to the Combs Waterkotte team.

09/02/2026

Three Felony Charges. The Possibility of Life in Prison. Not Guilty on Every Count.

For this Winning Wednesday, we’re recognizing Combs Waterkotte Partner and former Missouri prosecutor Matthew Brown, who secured a complete jury acquittal for Jason Edward Shifflett in Morgan County.

Shifflett faced two counts of first-degree assault and one count of armed criminal action. At trial, Brown challenged the prosecution’s case by highlighting conflicting witness accounts, the injured person’s inability to identify Shifflett, the lack of testimony establishing that he struck the injured person, and the absence of forensic evidence tying him to the injuries.
The jury returned not guilty verdicts on all three felony charges.

A co-defendant represented by separate counsel was convicted and sentenced to 30 years, underscoring just how much was at stake.
Read more about the case and the defense: [https://www.combswaterkotte.com/combs-waterkotte-partner-matthew-brown-secures-not-guilty-verdicts-on-all-felony-counts-in-morgan-county-assault-trial/]

08/16/2026

08/08/2026

Contributor content. Learn how Matthew Brown has built his reputation protecting his clients' freedoms and futures.

08/06/2026

𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎! Combs Waterkotte Partner Matthew Brown discusses his representation of Manpreet Singh with KMOV as his manslaughter case heads to trial

07/30/2026

𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘! Five-star trust. Five-star defense. Don’t gamble with your freedom. Call Combs Waterkotte today at (𝟑𝟏𝟒) 𝟗𝟎𝟎-𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏.

07/24/2026

Get the Missouri and Illinois criminal defense team 𝙔𝙊𝙐 deserve. Call us today at (𝟯𝟭𝟰) 𝟵𝟬𝟬-𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗣 for a free consultation.

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06/05/2026

𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐤𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐦’𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥-𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫

Combs Waterkotte is proud to announce the addition of its first full-time Investigator, Andrew Skoklo. As the firm’s Investigator, Andrew plays a critical role in supporting our attorneys through every stage of criminal defense litigation. He assists with case strategy, witness interviews, evidence and discovery review, and trial preparation in complex state and federal cases throughout Missouri and Illinois.

Prior to joining Combs Waterkotte, Andrew was a police officer with the Town & Country Police Department, where he conducted criminal investigations, managed active case files, and prepared court-ready reports. His law enforcement background provides valuable insight into police procedures, evidence collection, and case preparation—experience that directly benefits our clients and strengthens our defense team.

We are excited to welcome Andrew to Combs Waterkotte and look forward to the impact he will have as we continue providing aggressive, results-driven representation to clients across Missouri and Illinois.

05/17/2026

A criminal defense team you want in your corner when everything is on the line.

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