Edward James Hershewe

As a trial lawyer, Mr. Hershewe has spent more than 30 years fighting for injured people and their families. Tenacity and work-ethic are key factors in his ability to get full value settlements and jury verdicts for clients in even the most complex personal injury cases.

Mr. Hershewe is proud to have obtained many multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for his injured clients and their families. He currently practices in the areas of Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice and Medical Device Litigation, Auto and Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death, Aviation Litigation, Railroad Law, Insurance law and Workplace Injuries. Known and respected by clients and his colleagues in the legal profession, Mr. Hershewe has an “AV” Preeminent rating, given by other attorneys and judges.

Mr. Hershewe maintains his law license in Missouri and has been admitted to practice “pro hac vice” in cases across the country, including Texas, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and New Mexico.

Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Ed Hershewe knew from a very young age that he wanted to be a lawyer. After graduating from Missouri Western State College (B.A. 1972) he followed his dream and attended University of Tennessee (J.D. 1976) where he ranked third in his law school class and belonged to Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

Since becoming a member of the Missouri Bar in 1977, he has served in many leadership roles including the Board of Governors (2004-present), the Executive Committee, the Special Committee to Review Status of Tort Law, the Events Planning Committee (2006), and Liaison to the Committee on Insurance Law (2005). Mr. Hershewe is Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

He joined the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys and has served as a member of the Board of Governors from 1983 to 1993 and 2003 to the present. Mr. Hershewe currently serves on the executive committee of the Environmental Trial Lawyers’ Association. His current bar association memberships also include the Jasper County Bar Association, the Springfield Metro Bar Association, the Kansas City Metro Bar Association, the Bar Association of Metro St. Louis and the American Bar Association.

Mr. Hershewe began lecturing and speaking at legal seminars on negligence and trial practice early in his career, including the Missouri CLE Seminar on Jury Instructions in July of 1985 and the University of Missouri Seminar on Missouri Torts and Civil Procedures Update of May 3, 1990. He moderated the Missouri Bar CLE Seminar on Missouri Law Update of June, 1991 and presented information about birth injury and medical negligence at the Missouri Association of Court Reporters CLE entitled "Medical Malpractice - Delayed Caesarean Section" in September of 1991.

From 1999 to 2005, Mr. Hershewe presented for personal injury lawyers, medical malpractice lawyers, and trucking lawyers in Arkansas, Florida and Missouri. His topics varied from electronic discovery and medical device litigation to brain injuries and expert testimony in personal injury cases. In 2007, he spoke at the Kansas Trial Lawyers of America about creating dynamic "Opening Statements" and "Wooden's Pyramid of Success." In 2007, Mr. Hershewe served on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Court as well as the APITLAmerica National Advisory Board.

Mr. Hershewe continued to speak on issues facing injured Plaintiffs throughout 2008, presenting at the Springfield Metro Bar Association on "Plaintiffs' Case Themes That Work Today," "Convincing Arguments on Damages," for the American Association of Justice, and "Damages in Interstate Trucking," for APITLAmerica. He then lectured on developing a civil case for trial for the Missouri Bar: "Discovery: Unearthing the Heart of the Case," and discussed "Closing Arguments: Demonstration & Jury Deliberations," for the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys.

Additionally, Mr. Hershewe is the co-author of Chapter 6, "Pretrial Discovery Motions," in the Missouri Products Liability Handbook, published by UM at Kansas City, School of Law. He was also co-contributor to the supplement to Chapter 62 of Averbach, "Handling Accident Cases," published by Lawyers Co-Op. Co-Editor, Missouri Courts Bulletin.

In 2008, Mr. Hershewe was honored with the Thomas G. Strong Trial Attorney Award, an award that is bestowed upon only one attorney per year. The recipient must best exemplify the qualities of professionalism, ethics, character, and courtroom success. That same year, Mr. Hershewe received the APITLAmerica Life Member Award, and the APITLAmerica National Achievement Award. He has also been named in Super Lawyers for 2005, 2007 - 2009, 2011 and 2012, which chooses outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. In 2010, Mr. Hershewe was included in the Top 100 Trial Attorneys for Missouri by the National Trial Lawyers. In December 2012, he was named by 417 Magazine as one of the area's Top Attorneys, as selected by his peers. He served as president of the National Trial Lawyers for 2013.

Mr. Hershewe strives to improve the community by donating time and resources to many diverse local groups, including the Joplin Family Y, Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity, Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School, and the Children’s Center Christmas for Kids program.

He is married to Alison Hershewe and is the father of five children.