SWMW Law

09/01/2026

How much do you really know about mesothelioma?
You may know it’s a rare cancer. But there’s much more to the story — including facts about exposure, risk and the disease itself that may surprise you.

September is Mesothelioma Awareness Month, and throughout the month, we’ll be sharing a series of “Did You Know?” facts to educate, inform and shine a light on a disease that continues to impact thousands of families.

We hope you’ll follow along, share what you learn and help us spread awareness. Because sometimes, one fact can start an important conversation.

Here’s our first one.

With over $750 million recovered for thousands of families nationwide, we're your advocate. Contact us for a free consultation - no fees unless we win.

08/27/2026

When leaders in asbestos litigation come together to discuss some of the most important issues facing the practice today, SWMW Law Member Ben Schmickle will be among the voices helping lead the conversation.

Ben has been selected as a featured speaker at Perrin Conferences' National Asbestos Litigation Conference, taking place Sept. 15-16 in Charleston. Considered an authority in the field, he will participate in a panel discussion examining lung cancer and asbestos litigation.

Opportunities like this matter. They allow experienced attorneys to exchange knowledge, challenge ideas and help move the practice forward, all with the goal of better serving people whose lives have been impacted by asbestos exposure.

We’re incredibly proud to see Ben’s experience and leadership recognized on a national level.

Interested in attending? To register for the National Asbestos Litigation Conference or learn more about the event, visit: https://www.perrinconferences.com/conferences/national-asbestos26/

08/21/2026

Two attorneys. Two distinct practices. One shared commitment to standing up for people when the stakes are high.

SWMW Law Partners Patrick O’Brien and Benjamin McIntosh have been recognized in the 2027 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch®.

From advocating for injured railroad workers and personal injury victims to taking on complex civil rights, consumer protection and class-action cases, Pat and Ben have built their practices around helping individuals challenge powerful interests—and pursue the justice they deserve.

We’re proud to see their dedication recognized by their peers nationwide.

Read more about their recognition and the work behind it.

SWMW Law is proud to announce Partners Patrick O’Brien and Benjamin McIntosh have been included in The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® lists, respectively.

08/14/2026

You can study working people. You can represent working people. Or, like Mickey Butkovich, you can know what it means to be one.

Before becoming a law student, Mickey spent 10 years as a union car hauler with Teamsters Local 604. Those years didn’t delay his path to becoming an attorney — they helped define it.

Mickey came to law school with a mission: to provide everyday people access to the legal system and advocate for workers who have been wronged.

This summer at SWMW Law, he got an up-close look at what that mission requires.

From observing our attorneys at trial to working on FELA matters involving injured railroad workers, Mickey saw the strategy behind plaintiff advocacy. But some of his biggest lessons came from watching attorneys interact with clients and build the trust necessary to represent someone during a difficult time.

As Mickey put it, “Developing the trust and connection necessary to advocate for clients isn’t something you can learn in a classroom.”

He would know. Because Mickey is bringing something to the practice of law that can’t be taught there, either: a decade of experience standing alongside the very kind of working people he hopes to represent.

Meet Mickey Butkovich, the final student in our 2026 Summer Law Intern Spotlight series.

Before stepping into a law school classroom, Mickey Butkovich spent a decade on the job as a union car hauler with Teamsters Local 604. That experience gave him a firsthand understanding of the challenges working men and women face—and ultimately inspired him to pursue a legal career dedicated to ...

08/13/2026

Sometimes the work you’re meant to do hits a little closer to home.

For Summer Law Intern Annie Keeney, that was one of the things that drew her to SWMW Law.

Annie grew up in a family with deep ties to the construction industry — her grandfather owns a construction company, and several relatives have spent their careers in the field. So, when she began learning about asbestos litigation and the hardworking men and women SWMW Law represents, she saw something familiar.

She saw people who reminded her of her own family.

That personal connection made the work meaningful from the start.

Throughout her summer at SWMW Law, Annie researched complex legal issues, reviewed military and employment records, observed depositions and trial proceedings, and contributed to real cases involving real families. With every assignment, she gained a better understanding of plaintiff advocacy — and a clearer picture of the attorney she hopes to become.

Meet Annie Keeney and learn how a summer spent helping others helped her find greater purpose in the law.

When Annie Keeney began considering law school, she knew she wanted a career centered on helping others. It was a lesson first sparked by reading Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson in high school and one that continued to grow throughout her undergraduate years.

08/12/2026

For Armand Shabany, becoming an attorney was never just about practicing law. It was about being there for people when life gets hard.

Growing up in St. Charles, Armand remembers watching Law & Order and imagining himself standing up for people who had been treated unfairly. Years later, that childhood instinct has become something much bigger: a career built around helping people who need an advocate in their corner.

This summer, the Saint Louis University School of Law student got to put that passion into practice at SWMW Law.

From drafting affidavits and analyzing deposition testimony to communicating with clients, investigating cases, and even drafting his first legal complaint, Armand wasn’t given busy work — he was trusted with meaningful work that contributed to real cases and real clients.

And with every new experience, he became a little more certain that he’s chosen the right path.

Meet Armand and learn how his summer at SWMW Law helped turn a lifelong passion for justice into the beginnings of a career.

For Armand Shabany, the decision to become an attorney has always been rooted in one simple idea: helping people when they need it most.

08/11/2026

For Mykala Delk, the road to the courtroom started long before law school. It started with a book.

As an elementary school student growing up in Searcy, Arkansas, Mykala read To Kill a Mockingbird and became fascinated by Atticus Finch’s commitment to justice. From then on, whenever someone asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, her answer was simple: an attorney.

Years later, that childhood dream brought her to Saint Louis University School of Law — and this summer, to SWMW Law.

As one of our 2026 Summer Law Interns, Mykala spent 12 weeks experiencing the side of the legal profession no textbook can fully capture: the teamwork behind a case, the stories behind the files, and the responsibility that comes with helping people through some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Along the way, she discovered something else: that childhood dream was pointing her in the right direction all along.

Meet Mykala and read about the experiences that helped shape the attorney she hopes to become.

For Mykala Delk, becoming an attorney wasn’t a dream that developed later in life – it began in elementary school with the pages of a classic novel.

08/10/2026

You can learn the law in a classroom. Learning what it means to be a lawyer takes something more. ⚖️

That’s the idea behind SWMW Law’s Summer Law Intern Program.
For 12 weeks, our interns don’t simply watch from the sidelines.

They work alongside attorneys and paralegals, contribute to real cases, attend depositions and court proceedings, learn from seasoned litigators, and see firsthand the responsibility that comes with advocating for real people.

This summer, Mykala Delk, Armand Shabany, Annie Keeney, and Mickey Butkovich joined us for that experience.

Our newest blog looks back at their summer and the people, experiences, and lessons that helped bring the practice of law to life.

And stay tuned throughout the next several days as we put the spotlight on each intern individually — sharing their stories, aspirations, favorite moments, and what they’re taking with them as they head back to law school.

The future of the legal profession is coming. We’re proud to have played a small part in preparing them for it.

At SWMW Law, preparing the next generation of attorneys isn’t something we view as an obligation – it’s an investment. Every summer, our Summer Law Intern Program gives aspiring attorneys the opportunity to step beyond the classroom and into the meaningful work of advocating for individuals an...

07/31/2026

Not every hero stands in the courtroom.
Some quietly change lives behind the scenes through compassion, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to helping others.

Today, we're incredibly proud to celebrate our own Ja'nelle Herring, who has been named a 2026 Unsung Legal Hero by Missouri Lawyers Media. Her dedication to our clients, her teammates, and our mission has made a lasting impact on thousands of families facing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

Congratulations, Ja'nelle! This honor couldn't be more deserved.

Read more about her incredible recognition:

SWMW Law is proud to announce Asbestos Trust Manager Ja’nelle Herring has been selected as a recipient of the 2026 Unsung Legal Hero Award.

07/23/2026

A backpack may only last a school year. A notebook may only last a semester. But the confidence that comes from walking into the classroom prepared can last a lifetime.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our employees and our partnership with Complete Legal, we collected hundreds of school supplies for St. Louis children who need them most. We hope these donations help students begin the school year feeling ready to learn and knowing their community is behind them every step of the way.

Thank you to everyone who donated and helped make a difference.