Maurice Graham

About Maurice Graham

Maurice (“Marcy”) Graham is one of the most recognized and respected names in the Missouri legal community, where he has practiced in complex business and commercial litigation, catastrophic personal injury and death cases for over fifty years. In 2013, Marcy obtained the highest jury verdict ever received in a medical negligence wrongful death case in St. Louis County. His skill and dedication have produced over $406 million in verdicts and $85 million in settlements in individual as well as class action cases.

In 2023, the University of Missouri School of Law dedicated a classroom after him. “The modernized Maurice B. “Marcy” Graham Classroom will remind future law students that they too can make a difference. I’m grateful for Marcy’s many years of service.”, says Mun Choi, President of the University of Missouri.

In 2022 the Supreme Court of Missouri announced it was changing the name of an award it presents annually to an attorney who has rendered extraordinary service to The Bar and to the Judiciary, and that hereafter this award shall be called the “Maurice B. Graham Award.”

Marcy has been consistently recognized as one of the top attorneys in the state and has been honored with numerous awards, including the President’s Award from the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (2020-2021) and Missouri Lawyer’s Weekly POWER 30 Attorney, Personal Injury. He has been recognized in Best Lawyers of America for Bet-the-Company Litigation as well as commercial litigation, personal injury, and medical malpractice, and repeatedly included in the “Top 10 Attorneys” in the region. He has been voted as one of the top three attorneys in Missouri Lawyer’s Weekly “Missouri Best Survey” in the category of Best Litigator. Marcy is a leader in the legal community, serving in positions including President of the Missouri Bar and President of the St. Louis Bar Foundation. He has also been honored by, and elected to leadership positions in, numerous organizations including such influential positions as Chair of the University of Missouri’s Board of Curators.

Marcy first attended Central Methodist University, where he played football, and he received both his undergraduate and his law degree from the University of Missouri. He served as president of the law school student body. Marcy has been licensed to practice law in Missouri since 1963.

Following graduation from law school, Mr. Graham began his practice in the southeast Missouri town of Fredericktown with the Schnapp law firm. Over his years in Southeast Missouri he had an extensive civil practice handling the defense of medical negligence lawsuits in Courts extending from the Arkansas line, northward to include Jefferson County. Subsequently, Mr. Graham transitioned more into a plaintiff’s practice, which continued through the remainder of his career.

In southeast Missouri he served as the Prosecuting Attorney for Madison County and as the Special Prosecutor for Wayne County, during which time he handled everything from violations for hunting out of season to murder cases.

maurice-graham-st-louis-attorney-image

In 1995, Mr. Graham moved his practice to St. Louis, initially with the Padberg law firm, and subsequently establishing the Graham law firm. In 2000, the Graham law firm merged with Gray & Ritter to become Gray, Ritter & Graham.

Marcy is licensed in Missouri, Colorado and before the United States Supreme Court and U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Fifth, Eighth and Ninth Circuits. He has been lead counsel on many complex business and commercial litigation and catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases in federal and state courts throughout Missouri as well as Montana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, South Carolina, Illinois, Iowa, Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Notable Results

Representative Matters

Professional Accolades

Missouri Lawyers Weekly:
POWER 30 Attorney, Personal Injury Law (2021)
POWER 30 Attorney, Personal Injury Law (2020)
ICON Award (2018)
Mentor Award (2014)
“Missouri’s Best Survey” – Best Litigator (top three) (2008)
Lawyer of the Year Award (2001)

Best Lawyers in America:
Best Lawyers in America (2003–present)
Bet-the-Company Litigation (2010–present)
Commercial Litigation (2010–present)
Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs (2010–present)
Medical Malpractice Law (2010–present)

Best Lawyers St. Louis:
Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year (2021, 2019, 2016)
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year (2020, 2013)
Bet-the-Company Litigation – Lawyer of the Year (2009, 2015, 2018)

Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis President’s Award (2020–2021)
Chambers and Partners, Band 1 rating (highest), Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs (2021 - present)
Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers – Top 10 Attorneys (2018)
Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis Distinguished Lawyer Award (2016)
Richard S. Arnold Award for Distinguished Service, Eighth Circuit Bar Association (2014)
Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis’ William L. Weiss Award (2014)
St. Louis Bar Foundation Spirit of Justice Award (2014)
Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers (2005–present)
Lawyers Association of St. Louis Award of Honor (2010)
Central Methodist University Distinguished Alumni Award (2006)
Purcell Professionalism Award (2000)
Missouri Bar Pro Bono Award (2000)
Missouri Bar Oliver Rasch Award (1996)
Missouri Bar Spurgeon Smithson Award (1994)
University of Missouri-Columbia Distinguished Alumni Award (1992)
Missouri Bar President’s Award (1991)
American Judicature Society Special Merit Citation (1989)
University of Missouri-Columbia Law School Citation of Merit (1988)
University of Missouri Distinguished Alumni Award (1992)
University of Missouri-Columbia Law School Citation of Merit (1988)
AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory

Professional Associations

Professional

Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
Fellow, International Society of Barristers
American Trial Lawyers Association
Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys
University of Missouri Board of Curators (2015–2022)
University of Missouri Board of Curators Chairman (2017), Vice Chairman (2016)
University of Missouri Jefferson Club Trustee (2015)
St. Louis Bar Foundation President (2011–2012)
Sheldon Arts Foundation Board in St. Louis, Board Chairman (2007–2010)
Missouri Bar Board of Governors (1980–1990)
Missouri Bar President (1988–1989)
University of Missouri Law School Foundation President
University of Missouri-Columbia Law School Endowment Campaign Chairman
University of Missouri Law School Foundation President
Lawyers Committee, National Center for State Courts (2013–2022)
Supreme Court Cameras in the Courtroom Task Force Co-Chair
Supreme Court Advisory Committee Member
Supreme Court Advisory Committee Chairman
ABA House of Delegates Member (1990–1994)
Central Methodist University Board of Curators
Missouri Bar
Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis