Top Car Accident Lawyers Near Me in Saint Joseph Area

Kesia Smith was born and raised in St. Joseph. She received her bachelor of science in criminal justice from Missouri Western State University. Following her undergraduate education, Kesia worked as a claims adjuster for an insurance company in Overland Park, Kansas. After seeing the unfair results for victims of injuries which were not their fault, Kesia decided to attend law school.. Kesia graduated from the University of Missouri Kansas City with her J.D. and LLM. Following law school, she practiced law at a mid-sized plaintiff’s firm in both Kansas City and St. Joseph for six years. Ms. Smith opened the Smith Law Office, LLC and practices in the areas of personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, worker’s compensation, family and criminal law, and disputes over insurance coverage.

I am proud to represent people and businesses that have been harmed by the actions of others.  In the summer after my first year in law school, I worked for a lawyer in Kansas City who specialized in personal injury and workers' compensation law.  He represented plaintiffs, or those who had been injured by others.  I fell in love with the work and the clients.  I knew from that point forward that was the work I wanted to devote my career to.. There are two qualities I bring to my practice which I believe are of great benefit to my clients---compassion and creativity.  My clients are not a commodity or a business transaction.  They are real people with real problems and I take the time to get to know them and understand how their lives have been changed by the negligence of others.  I use my creativity to think outside the box and find ways to help people prevail against the odds.  I get really excited when a legal theory comes to mind that will help a client win a tough case or when I unearth evidence that gives my client the edge they need to win.. I am married to Erin and we have two daughters, Isabelle and Ella Mae.  We enjoy biking, hiking, working in the yard and church activities.  We attend McCarthy Baptist Church in St. Joseph and serve in a number of roles there.

Born and raised in Benton Harbor/St. Joseph, Mich., Barry Conybeare attended high school at Lake Michigan Catholic. He graduated from (and is a big fan of) the University of Michigan (B.A., 1988). Barry received his law degree, magna cum laude, from DePaul University College of Law (J.D., 1992).. After graduating from law school, Barry worked in Chicago as a commercial litigation associate with one of the world’s largest law firms, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom. In 1994, after nearly two years with Skadden, Barry, and his wife Jody, moved home to Southwest Michigan. There he began practicing law with his father, Bruce Conybeare, at Conybeare Law Office.Barry’s practice focuses on all aspects of personal injury law, including: auto collisions; medical, hospital and nursing home malpractice; product liability; insurance claims and most other injury cases. Best Lawyers in America© named Barry the 2013 and 2017 Lawyer of the Year for Plaintiffs Personal Injury in the Kalamazoo Region (Southwest Michigan).. Barry is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Michigan and is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of both states. He is also admitted to practice in various federal courts, including the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, Northern and Central Districts of Illinois and Northern District of Indiana.. Since 2008, Barry has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America and since 2009 as a Michigan Super Lawyer. He has the highest peer-review rating of “AV” for professional ability and ethical standards by Martindale-Hubbell, a national directory of lawyers, and is recognized as a Leading Lawyer in Michigan. Barry is also a member of the prestigious American Board of Trial Advocates – Michigan Chapter.. He is active with the Michigan Association for Justice, serving on its board of directors since 2003. Barry also served consecutive 3-year terms on the State Bar of Michigan Character and Fitness Candidate Interview Committee for Southwest Michigan. Other professional affiliations include membership in the Berrien County Bar Association (2016-2017 President), State Bar of Michigan, American Association for Justice and Michigan Association for Justice.. Barry has spoken on a variety of topics to many groups of lawyers, including the Michigan Association for Justice, the Illinois and Indiana Trial Lawyers Associations and the Michigan Defense Trial Lawyer Association. He co-authored a chapter on personal injury claims in “The Effective Associate Training and Development Program,” a publication of the American Bar Association Committee on Continuing Legal Education.. Barry is active in political, civic and community affairs. Previously, he has been on the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation Fund Development Committee, the board of directors of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Michigan, Planned Parenthood Mid-Michigan Alliance, Curious Kids’ Museum, Lake Michigan College Foundation and Point O’ Woods Golf & Country Club. Barry has served as a Trustee on the St. Joseph Public Schools Board of Education since 2016 and is currently the Board President.. When not in the office, Barry enjoys spending time with his wife Jody, and their four children. An avid golfer, he served as the 5-term president of the board of directors of the Point O’ Woods Golf & Country Club (2008-2013).

Antwaun Smith was raised in Missouri. He sees clients in the firm's St. Joseph, Kansas City, and Springfield offices.  Prior to joining his sister, Kesia, at Smith Law Office, he spent five years as a lawyer with the Kansas City large firm Shook, Hardy, & Bacon. Antwaun now represents individuals who have been injured in accidents or hurt on the job.. Antwaun is a Rhodes Scholar and a Mizzou graduate, with degrees in both law and business. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the Missouri State Employees Retirement System, where he oversees and protects workers’ retirement benefits. Antwaun was also elected by fellow attorneys to represent them on The Missouri Bar’s Board of Governors. The Missouri Bar’s mission is to improve the practice of law and administration of justice in Missouri.. Antwaun’s practice areas include personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, workers’ compensation, medical malpractice, and disputes over insurance coverage.