Saint Louis Brief - Spring 2009 Dean's Message • Changing Lives • Stimulus: Through a Legal Lens Faculty View • Faculty Profile • Alumni Profiles • Class Notes PDF of Entire Issue • Brief Home

Alumni Profiles

• Sidney Greathouse, '95
• The Honorable Nannette A. Baker, '94

Alumni Profile: Sidney Greathouse, '95

Sidney Greathouse, ’95, always had an interest in the law. While growing up in California, Greathouse became active in student government and even strongly considered pursuing a career in politics. During college at the University of California – Davis, he majored in political science and worked as a volunteer on political campaigns and voter registration drives. It was through these experiences that Greathouse was inspired to attend law school.

While visiting the School of Law his senior year of college, Greathouse spent the day speaking to an admissions counselor, a faculty member and several law students. He admits that he was nervous about moving so far away from California, but his fears were immediately put at ease because “everyone I met during my short visit made me feel very welcome, which made my decision to attend SLU an easy one.”

Today, Greathouse holds the position of Vice President of Legal Services at The Cheesecake Factory, and he serves as the company’s chief litigation counsel and head of the litigation department. In the following interview, Greathouse reflects back on his days at SLU LAW and discusses the challenges and rewards of practicing law.

What do you miss most about law school? I miss seeing my friends on a daily basis. Contrary to what most people think about law school, there was a very strong sense of community at SLU. The students generally got along very well and were willing to help each other succeed. I miss being challenged by my professors, who really made me think about the issues we were discussing. I also miss the faculty and students in the Wefel Center for Employment Law, since they first got me excited about my chosen area of practice.

Tell us about your role at The Cheesecake Factory: I joined The Cheesecake Factory in May 2000 as an associate counsel, primarily responsible for labor and employment law matters. At the time I joined, we had approximately 35 restaurants with plans for significant growth. Over the next nine years, the company grew to more than 160 restaurants. My job has since expanded to take on trademark, insurance and general business matters.

What are some of the professional challenges you face on a daily basis? Most people are used to working with lawyers after a problem arises. My daily challenge is to get others to partner with the legal department early in the decision-making process. The goal is that we are not merely seen as a roadblock to getting things done, but rather as a business partner with the same interest in helping the company accomplish its goals.

What do you like most about the law? I absolutely love being an advocate for my client. In addition, I have had the good fortune to help shape policy in some areas of the law that directly impact what I do on a daily basis at The Cheesecake Factory.

How has employment and labor law changed since you graduated from law school? The practice of labor and employment law is very different in California than it is in Missouri. Over the last five to seven years, labor and employment lawyers have spent most of their time practicing wage and hour law under the California Labor Code. Because of the number of lawsuits that have been filed, the governor and state legislature have grappled with these developments. Over the years, there have been a number of proposed changes to the way the law is enforced and how penalties are assessed against employers. Currently, there are several decisions on appeal that will have a significant impact on the practice of labor in employment law in California.

In 2007, you were appointed Chairman to the California Law Revision Commission, a state agency that studies problem areas in California laws and recommends reforms to the governor and legislature. How has your legal education and work experience assisted you in reaching recommendations? I really get to put my legal education to use as a member of the commission, especially when we study topics that were part of our law school curriculum. For instance, the commission is presently reviewing whether California should create an exception to the hearsay rule for a present sense impression, similar to Federal Rules of Evidence. It is at times like these, I really appreciate my SLU LAW legal education.

Given the current economy, what career advice would you give graduating law students? Find a good mentor. Mentors can give you valuable insight by sharing information about their own experiences and the realties of practice in hard economic times. They can also serve as sounding boards, and they can provide a supportive ear and words of encouragement to a lawyer just starting out in his or her career. You can find a mentor at your job or the local Bar Association. I would also strongly encourage new graduates to check the School of Law’s Alumni Association for a SLU LAW alum in your area to identify a potential mentor.

Alumni Profile: The Honorable Nannette A. Baker, '94

The ability to impact society with influential decisions is why the Honorable Nannette A. Baker, ’94, finds her role as Chief Judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District incredibly fulfilling.

“Knowing how important the case is to the people involved makes my job very satisfying — everyone deserves your full attention and a fair shake,” she says. “Only about 10 percent of cases ever make it to the Missouri Supreme Court, so most of the time, we on the Court of Appeals have the final say. Knowing that our decisions can affect so many people is both rewarding and daunting.”

Baker is the first African-American female in Missouri to preside over a state court, and the third African-American to serve as Chief Judge of the Eastern District. She also has twice been considered for the Supreme Court of Missouri.

She was appointed by the late Governor Mel Carnahan to be a circuit judge for the City of St. Louis from 1999-2004, after serving on the Board of Election Commissioners and engaging in private practice for two St. Louis law firms. Prior to her years in practice, Baker served as a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Odell Horton in the Western District of Tennessee. In 2004, former Governor Bob Holden elevated her to the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District, which covers 25 counties plus the City of St. Louis and handles about half of the state’s intermediate appellate caseload.

In the following interview, Judge Baker reflects on her one-year appointment as Chief Judge and explains what inspired her to shift careers from journalist to judge.

As you reflect on your term as Chief Judge, can you share some of the highlights? This year has been challenging because of the economy. The state budget has been cut and that has affected the judicial branch of government. As a result, the courts are being asked to do more with less. This has meant coming up with strategies to serve the citizens adequately while keeping a tight rein on spending. I’ve also had the privilege of serving as the Chair of the 21st and 22nd Circuit Judicial Nominating Commissions. There have been five vacancies on the St. Louis and St. Louis County courts and the commissions have worked hard to select well-qualified nominees for those positions.

Your one-year term as Chief Judge ends on June 30. What’s next for you? While I have appreciated the responsibility of serving as Chief Judge, I am looking forward to handling a full caseload on the Appellate Court.

What are some of the goals you achieved as Chief Judge? I’ve accomplished more openness with both the public and the media by taking the ‘show on the road.’ We’ve been holding court at locations away from our downtown court building, such as universities and county court houses, so the public has an opportunity to learn about what we do. We often invite high school and college students to these special sessions of the court in an attempt to better educate the public about the judicial system. The Missouri Court of Appeals held court in the William H. Kniep Courtroom and heard three cases on March 25.

We have also made an effort to invite the media to the special sessions, so that those who could not attend the court sessions can learn more about our work. As a former journalist, I believe in openness with the media because the media offers a great means of educating the public about what we do as judges.

You were a seasoned reporter: what motivated you to switch careers? As a consumer reporter at KSDK-TV 5, I covered a lot of stories involving the Missouri Attorney General’s Office and attempts to combat consumer fraud. As a result, I met a lot of lawyers and government officials, and law school finally seemed like a reality.

Then I sat in on a class with Professor Vincent Immel — it was like the “Paper Chase.” And I was hooked. The only law school I applied to was Saint Louis University. But I was concerned that I was going to be 36 when I graduated. An astute, young student then said to me: “You’re going to be 36 anyway, you might as well be 36 and a lawyer.”

You were a reporter and anchor at several stations in St. Louis and Tennessee. How has your journalism background enhanced your skills as an attorney? My skills as a journalist have served me very well as an attorney. As a journalist, you develop strong researching and writing skills, which continue to help me excel in legal writing. The ability to tell concise, compelling stories even helped me do well on my exams. Seasoned reporters are skilled with interviewing and asking questions, which translates well in depositions. Broadcast reporters also develop a poise from years of appearing in front of the camera and from interviewing a wide range of people, and those skills arm you with confidence as a trial lawyer and allow you to excel at communicating with juries.

Did you know that you wanted to be a judge in law school? No. When I started law school, I thought I’d pursue media or entertainment law because of my reporting background, but I realized those fields would involve a lot of contract law. I became interested in trial work during law school because I appreciated the impact that litigation has on ordinary people.

Having had a career outside of the legal field, I realized I enjoy working with people and that shifted my focus to civil trial work and employment law. I earned a certificate from the Wefel Center for Employment Law because employment law is focused on the relationship between people and their employers.