Dan Emerson was born and raised in South St. Louis City. He attended Christian Brothers College High School, then spent seven years in Kansas City, Missouri, where he received a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English and Political Science at Rockhurst University. He then attended University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law where he attained his Juris Doctorate as the second-youngest person in his graduating class of 2004.
Dan currently lives in Ballwin with his wife, Kim, and their three children, Charlie, Adeline, and Lucas.
He also assists businesses that are dealing with local government to secure permits, licenses, or, in some cases, to preserve existing permits and licenses.
Dan began the practice of law as an Assistant City Counselor for the City of St. Louis in August 2004. He primarily practiced in the City Counselor’s Civil Litigation Unit, where he defended the City of St. Louis in personal injury cases. Dan also practiced extensively in United States District Court where he handled a variety of complex civil cases including First Amendment issues and civil rights issues relating to the City’s correctional system. Dan has extensive trial experience in both State and Federal courts, trying both jury trials and bench trials to a judge.
Dan also has extensive appellate experience, drafting appellate briefs and arguing cases in the Missouri Courts of Appeals, the Missouri Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. Dan also worked as a municipal prosecutor throughout his tenure with the City of St. Louis.