Before pursuing a career in law, Tony DeWitt was a respiratory therapist and department manager at several different hospitals. During this time, he experienced frustration with how the organizations operated and how physicians and hospitals lacked accountability. “I decided if I could not make a hospital listen to me as a therapist, that I could make them listen to me as a lawyer.”

At Bartimus Frickleton Robertson Rader, DeWitt focuses on false claims, class action litigation and appellate work. He most enjoys the writing and research that goes hand in hand with appeals, and colleagues know him as the “go-to” for drafting assistance, sometimes knocking out 30-page briefs in a day. He enjoys reducing complicated matters into something simple and understandable.

Tony was part of the team that won the Burns vs. Smith insurance accident coverage case in 2010, one that brought to question the interpretation of insurance policy language. In it, Tony helped change the law on insurance contracts for the state of Missouri. The case went up to the Supreme Court, and the firm won. As a result of the decision, the company elected to withdraw its policies from the state.

To Tony, being a good person is his main foundation, and being a great lawyer is a natural extension. He takes this to heart by volunteering for a variety of causes, including pro bono cases and work with the American Respiratory Care Foundation. “When you can give someone who is scraping by or having a difficult time a lifeline, and help them get their life back on track just by making a few phone calls, there is very little in life that feels as good.”