Kenneth M. Chackes

Ken Chackes has extensive mediation experience having served as a mediator in over 200 cases since 1999, primarily in the areas of employment, civil rights, and education. He also has represented parties in more than 100 additional mediations as part of his litigation practice. Ken is a Qualified Mediator for the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri; Circuit Court for the City of St. Louis; U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Ken also has significant litigation experience, specializing in employment discrimination, disability law, education law, civil rights, clergy sex abuse, and other civil matters. Since 2002 he has counselled and represented over 300 survivors of childhood sexual abuse. He currently practices in the law firm of Ken Chackes, LLC. Ken was a founding partner of Chackes Carlson, LLP (established in 1996 as Van Amburg, Chackes, Carlson & Spritzer). He previously served as a Staff Attorney and Statewide Managing Attorney for Missouri Protection and Advocacy Services, a federally funded disability rights organization; practiced with the law firms of Vines, Frankel, Rubin, Bond & Dubin, P.C., Chackes & Hoare, and Chackes, Hoare & Sedey. Ken also serves as a Hearing Officer in special education hearings for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and in Title IX hearings for Title IX Solutions, LLC. He was a member of the Training Faculty for the Master Class in Civil Mediation, Washington University School of Law (2004) and the Two-Day Civil Mediation Training (2004). Ken taught at Washington University School of Law as a full-time Visiting Assistant Professor (1984-1988), teaching Trial Practice, Pre-trial Practice and Procedure (including settlement negotiations and ADR), and in the Civil Litigation Clinic.

Ken has been a frequent speaker and author regarding legal rights and civil litigation for numerous organizations including Eighth Circuit Judicial Conferences; the ABA; the Missouri Bar; the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis; Washington University, St. Louis University and University of Missouri-Kansas City Schools of Law; Legal Services Attorney Training Programs in Missouri and Illinois; and numerous community organizations.