News
In Memoriam – Ned Lemkemeier
Jun 23, 2022
We mourn the loss of our friend, former partner and colleague Ned Lemkemeier, who passed away suddenly but peacefully June 13. Ned had been vacationing with family in Wyoming and passed away as he was resting after a day of fishing.
Ned began his career in-house with longtime client Monsanto Company (now Bayer) from 1962-1965. He was a partner with the law firm of Spoehrer & Lemkemeier from 1965-1984. He then joined us in 1985 and soon became a mainstay of our Employment & Labor Practice. Ned was noted for his work in collective bargaining and labor negotiations on behalf of a wide variety of employers throughout the United States, including employer associations. He handled all aspects of what could often be fraught union organizing efforts, including NLRB proceedings and development of employer campaign strategies. His wide-ranging federal and state court litigation experience included wildcat strike injunctions, damage actions for wildcat strikes, and lockouts.
Ned was consistently recognized by Best Lawyers in America for his employment and labor practice and rightly so. He helped build our practice. Employers knew they were lucky to have Ned’s experience on their side, and so were we. Ned also proudly served on our legacy Operating Group (a predecessor to the Management Committee) from 1997–2003.
In addition to his dedication to our firm, Ned was a giant in the broader St. Louis business and philanthropic communities, serving on numerous boards and community nonprofits. Among many other contributions to the community, Ned advised Washington University Chancellor Dr. William Danforth in his role as settlement coordinator for the St. Louis desegregation case from 1996-1999 and was counsel to the Special Advisory Committee on St. Louis Public Schools led by Dr. Danforth and civil rights pioneer Frankie Freeman. In those roles, he helped improve educational opportunity for thousands of kids throughout the St. Louis community.
Ned’s intelligence, dignity and humor will be missed in our halls. His greatest joy in life was his wife and family. Please keep his wife Sally and their sons, David and John, in your thoughts and prayers.