Steven B. Garner

Steve is also a member of the International Academy of Trial Attorneys, the American Board of Trial Advocates, the American College of Trial Lawyers; Trial Masters; The National Association of Distinguished Counsel; Missouri/Kansas Super Lawyers Top 100 (2005-present) and Missouri/Kansas Super Lawyers Top 10 (2012-present); Medical Malpractice Trial Lawyers Association (2014-present).

Steve is listed in Best Lawyers in America® (2003–present) and was named Best Lawyers’ Lawyer of the Year, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Springfield, MO, 2011 and 2012 and 2015.Steve Garner has been a shareholder and officer of Strong-Garner-Bauer, P.C. since 1990. Since joining the firm in 1986, Steve has prepared and tried personal injury, wrongful death and product liability suits on behalf of injured parties all over the country.

Steve received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Baylor University in 1983, graduating with high honors. He graduated No. 1 in his class from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1986.

Steve has served as President (2013-2014) and has been on the Board of Governors for over 20 years of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys; the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association Board of Directors, 1993-1996, President-Elect 2006, and President in 2007. In 1996, the Missouri Bar Association awarded Steve the Lon O. Hocker Award. It is an award that is given to three trial lawyers in Missouri under age 37 who have shown excellence in the courtroom.

In October of 1999, Missouri Lawyers Weekly ran a feature story on Steve as one of the state's best trial lawyers under 40 years of age. In 2007, Steve was voted the “Best Litigator” and the “Best Lawyer to Call if You Are in an Accident” in a state-wide poll conducted by Missouri Lawyers Weekly.

In 2008, the same poll was conducted and Steve was again selected as one of the “Best Litigators” in the state and the “Best Lawyer to Call if You Are in an Accident.” He has spoken and written on various aspects of trial advocacy, personal injury law and insurance bad faith.

Year Joined Organization:

• 1986

Litigation Percentage

• 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Certification/Specialties

• Civil Trial Advocate, National Board of Trial Advocacy

Education

• Baylor University, Waco, Texas, 1983, B.A.
• Honors: High Honors

Legal Education

• University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Leflar Law Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 1986 J.D.
• Honors: High Honors-1st in Class

Representative Cases

• Vanskike v. Union Pacific R. Co., 725 F.2d 1146 8th Cir. 1984)
• Vaughn v. Michelin Tire Corp., 756 S.W.2d 548 (Mo.App. S.D. 1988)
• Johnson v. Pacific Intermountain Exp. Co., 662 S.W.2d 237 (Mo. 1983)
• Southern Missouri Bank v. Fogle, 738 S.W.2d 153 (Mo. App. S.D. 1987)
• Placzek v. Strong, 868 F.2d 1013 (8th Cir. 1989)
• Wells v. Bryant, 782 S.W.2d 721 (Mo. App. S.D. 1989)
• Georgescu v. K Mart Corp., 813 S.W.2d 298 ( 1991)
• Countryman v. Seymour R-11 School Dist., 823 S.W.2d 515 ( 1992)
• First National Bank of Fort Smith v. Kansas City Southern Rwy. Co., 865 S.W.2d 719 (Mo. App. W.D. 1993)
• Porter v. Erickson Transport Corp., 851 S.W.2d 725 (Mo. App. S.D. 1993)
• Robinson v. Empiregas Inc., of Hartville, 906 S.W.2d 829 (Mo. App. S.D. 1995)
• Welsh v. Burlington Northern, Inc., Employee Benefits Plan, 54 F.3d 1331 (8th Cir. 1995)
• Midland Risk Insurance Co. v. White, 959 F.Supp. 1092 (W.D. Ark. 1997)
• Rogers v. B.G. Transit Corp., 949 S.W.2d 151 (Mo. App. S.D. 1997)
• Benoit v. Missouri Hwy & Transportation Commission, 33 S.W.3d 663 ( 2000)
• State ex rel. Tracy v. Dandurand, 30 S.W.3d 831 (Mo. 2000)
• Bank of America v. Stevens, 83 S.W.3d 47 ( 2002)
• State ex rel. Ford Motor Co. v. Messina, 71 S.W.3d 602 (Mo. 2002)
• Auto-Owners Ins. Co. v. Tuggle, 289 F.Supp. 1061 (W.D. Ark. 2003)
• Daniel v. Indiana Mills & Mfg., Inc., 103 S.W.3d 302 (Mo. App. S.D. 2003)
• Schubert v. Trailmobile Trailer, L.L.C., 111 S.W.3d 897 (Mo. App. S.D. 2003)
• State of Missouri, ex. rel. Ford Motor Company v. Westbrooke, 151 S.W.3d 364 (Mo. banc 2004)
• Richey v. Catherine M. Philipp, et al., WD 68064, (Mo. App. W.D. 2008)
• West v. Sharp Bonding Agency, 827 S.W.3d 7 (Mo. App. 2010)
• Edwards v. Gerstein, 363 SW 3d 155 (Mo. App. W.D. 2012)
• State ex rel. Mckeage v. Cordonnier, 357 S.W.3d 597 (Mo. Banc 2012)