Experience:
There are litigators and then there are trial attorneys. Litigators push paper and generate legal fees for their clients. Trial attorneys resolve disputes. Robert Guinness counts himself as one of the trial attorneys. Over the past 25 years, Robert Guinness has represented clients in a wide range of practice areas, including construction litigation, civil litigation, real estate, business formation, employment law, and municipal law. This variety of disciplines gives him unique insights into solving his clients� problems from many different perspectives.
His construction cases range from multi-million dollar public works projects such as the Superfund Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project and the Washington Public Power Supply System nuclear power plants, large private projects like Conrail's overseas coal loading facilities, Miller Act claims on federal projects, the use of the RICO statute in construction matters, mechanics liens in Missouri and Illinois, and residential construction. He has litigated malpractice cases involving leading design professionals. Mr. Guinness also drafts and negotiates construction contract documents from major projects like St. Peters Rec Plex to smaller residential developments. His municipal law practice also provides him with special insights for his construction clients on public construction projects. He has written educational materials for other lawyers, including an authoritative work on Mechanics Liens and the Prevailing Wage Law in Missouri. Mr. Guinness serves as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association�s Construction Industry Panel. He is also a member of the American Bar Association�s Forum on the Construction Industry, the Missouri Bar Association�s Construction Committee, and the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis� Construction Committee.
Mr. Guinness has been chosen by many governmental entities to advise them in their municipal affairs. His governmental clients include the St. Charles County Convention and Sports Authority, the City of Elsberry, the City of Clarksville, Village of Chain of Rocks, the Village of Josephville, the Lake St. Louis Fire Protection District, the Greens Bottom Levee District, and the Darst Bottom Levee District. As a former elected official himself, he has a keen appreciation for the issues faced by local governments.
Real estate is also a large segment of Robert Guinness� practice. His work includes title disputes, conveyances, condominiums, easements, condemnation, zoning, leasing, and various development issues. Mr. Guinness� own real estate development projects give him a special appreciation for the practical problems facing his real estate clients. He is the author of a chapter in the Missouri Bar Association's Real Estate deskbook.
Mr. Guinness� personal injury practice includes automotive collisions, workplace accidents, and premises liability cases. In a recent head injury case against a private individual, he successfully negotiated a settlement of more than $1,400,000.00 after the client was told that there was only $50,000 in insurance.
Mr. Guinness represents clients in the state and federal courts of both Missouri and Illinois. He has argued appellate cases in the Missouri Supreme Court, Missouri Court of Appeals, and the United States Courts of Appeals for the Seventh and Eighth Circuits.
Admitted to Practice In:
State : Missouri #37618, Illinois #06199534
Federal: U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Ct. of Appeals (Eighth, Seventh and Third Circuits)
U.S. District Court (E.D. Missouri, S.D. Illinois, and C.D. Illinois)
Employment:
Guinness & Buehler, LLC (formerly Pelikan, Ehlmann & Guinness) (1994 - Present)
St. Charles, Missouri
Thompson & Mitchell n/k/a Thompson & Coburn (1988 - 1994)
St. Charles and St. Louis, Missouri
Schnader, Harrison, Segal & Lewis (1984-88)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Law Clerk to the Hon. Theodore McMillian (1982 - 83)
United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
Law Clerk to the Hon. Clyde Cahill (1983 - 84)
United States Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Professional Affiliations:
Arbitrator:
American Arbitration Association (Construction Panel)
Member:
Missouri Municipal Attorneys Association
Missouri Bar Assn. Municipal Law Committee
Missouri Bar Assn. Construction Law Committee
BAMSL Construction Law Committee
ABA Construction Law Forum
Education:
University of Pennsylvania J.D. Cum Laude 1982
Associate Editor, University of Pennsylvania Law Review
St.
Joseph's University B.A. Magna Cum Laude 1979,
Public Administration (Government management
and
economics)
� Guinness & Buehler, LLC 2006, 2008 & 2014
