Killian Walsh

The most significant turning point of Killian Walsh’s career was when she tried her first case. As she tells younger associates at her firm, “You don’t really start to understand what everything you’re doing is for until you’re at about year five, and that was about the time I tried my first case. Doing that changed my perspective of litigation overall because it made me realize the purpose of all the things I was doing throughout the workup of the case.” 

Killian takes on “an extraordinary caseload across multiple business lines,” according to her nominator, including “condo associations, trucking companies, and insurance companies in first-party litigation.” Killian has also grown adept at writing Daubert motions—a niche she enjoys.

Missouri Lawyers Weekly recognized Killian as an Up-and-Coming attorney in 2024, she is a council member for the Missouri Bar Young Lawyers, and, for CLM, she regularly speaks at and helps organize chapter events in St. Louis.

For Killian, mentorship means “giving younger people more opportunities than I had.” She advises young professionals not to “be afraid to ask questions, but to always try to figure out the answer first on your own.” When it comes to recruiting new talent, she recommends spreading interest and awareness. “When you say you’re a defense lawyer, people automatically clam up and think you’re representing the bad guy. So, I think that sharing articles on LinkedIn and social media, and speaking at local schools or job fairs, is going to make a real difference.”