Shook Partner Chosen for Elite International Academy of Trial Lawyers

The International Academy of Trial Lawyers (IATL) has selected Shook Partner Charles Eblen as a fellow, pending its annual meeting in Berlin later this year. The IATL is known as an elite, invitation only organization with fellows undergoing a rigorous vetting process via peers and the judiciary. Lawyers must demonstrate a career of excellence, integrity and professionalism. Fellows are often selected for their active participation in pro bono efforts.

The academy limits fellows to 500 active trial lawyers from the United States and includes more than 150 fellows from nearly 40 countries across the globe. The prestigious list includes prosecutors and defense lawyers in criminal cases, plaintiff and defense council in civil litigation, public interest and public service trial lawyers, and international trial lawyers who practice at local and federal levels.

Eblen represents clients in high-stakes cases in jurisdictions across the United States and is a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL). In addition, he has served as a board member for the Missouri Coalition for the Right to Counsel (MCRC) and is active with Shook’s pro bono committee. He has earned a number of awards including Law360’s Rising Star for his trial work. Recently, Eblen led the trial team who obtained an $8.5 million award for the family of a federal detainee at the Phelps County Jail in Rolla, Missouri. The jury returned a verdict against a doctor, nurse and Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc.—the largest health care provider for jails in the US—for a Section 1983 deliberate indifference claim and medical negligence.