Dashawn Ray Cason

Dashawn is from Chicago, Illinois, but considers himself a resident of the heartland region of the Midwest as he has lived throughout Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana. Dashawn is a first-generation graduate of Bradley University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Global Supply Chain Management with dual minors in Economics & International Studies.

Dashawn also graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law and started his career at the St. Louis City Civil Law Department, serving as an Assistant City Counselor, where he counseled city employees and officials on matters in practice areas including: municipal taxation, election law, and employment law, and also represented the City in state and federal courts in matters ranging from torts to civil rights. Dashawn then transitioned to private practice as a Governmental and Litigation Associate at a regional full-service law firm.

Currently, Dashawn is a Partner at O’Flaherty Law P.C., where he manages the Central Illinois office and primarily litigates in the areas of commercial and domestic disputes. Dashawn also provides outside general counsel services to governmental entities, most recently serving as Interim General Counsel of the Peoria Housing Authority, which owns and operates over 700 housing units in Peoria, Illinois.

As a former foster care youth in the housing projects of inner-city Chicago, Illinois, Dashawn is honored to be the immediate past President of the Junior Board of the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition, where he served a two-year term focused on advancing child rights in the Missouri Legislature and fundraising for the various programming initiatives of the Coalition.

He believes that educational attainment is one of the best vehicles for social mobility and currently serves as Secretary and General Counsel of the Board of Directors of Shared Learning Time LLC., a Christian-based hybrid homeschooling service provider.