Yvette joined Childress Ahlheim Cary LLC in 2018 after practicing for several years at a large national defense firm. Yvette’s experience defending corporations, professionals and insurers spans almost two decades, including jury trials in Missouri and Illinois state and federal courts. She has argued before the Court of Appeals and successfully defended clients in arbitrations and administrative hearings.

She has robust experience defending a wide variety of complex litigation matters including alleged medical device defects, professional malpractice, foodborne illness, class actions, wrongful death, trucking accidents and catastrophic injuries. Her past and present clients include hotel and restaurant chains, transporters, manufacturers, contractors, accountants, nursing homes and physicians.

She has successfully defended multiple cases involving traumatic brain injury and has developed an in depth understanding of the underlying neuroscience and testing. Yvette believes preparation is the key to success and understands the importance of an early and thorough investigation including preservation of evidence and expert consultation.

Yvette has also litigated employment law matters including allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. She has successfully defended claims of wage and hour violations, including denial of certification of a proposed class, and has successfully enforced noncompete clauses in employment contracts.

Yvette takes an individualistic approach with her cases, acquiring necessary information regarding the client’s business and/or the subject product as well as applicable laws, regulations, and codes. In formulating a defense strategy, she considers the client’s concerns, goals and preferences and understands that there can be great variance with regards to a client’s comfort level with the litigation process. Even the savviest of individuals and the most well-established of entities enter litigation with trepidation and Yvette works to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses in her cases as quickly as possible to assist in managing expectations and outcomes as well as choosing the battles that will be fought along the way.

Organizations

Yvette currently chairs the Biotech and Life Science Committee for the Missouri Bar and serves as the Event Coordinator for the St. Louis Chapter of Claims Litigation Management (“CLM”). In addition, she is a member of the Lawyers Association and St. Louis County Bar Association where she served on the Executive Committee from 2011 to 2020. She also previously served on the board of the St. Louis Association of Healthcare Risk Managers.