About Us
We’re singularly focused on the needs of our clients
ESTABLISHED IN 1996, we offer an alternative to high volume firms were little attention is paid to the case, and paralegals do most of the work. Coffey & Nichols’ practice is largely limited to representing the victims of ordinary and professional negligence and product defect.
The origins of the firm came out of a dissatisfaction with bigger firms with a huge volume of cases and where the attorneys don’t have enough time to dedicate to each case. Coffey & Nichols limits the number of cases we take, so that our lawyers have the time to give their personal attention to each case and client. Attorney Mary Coffey has been a trial lawyer on behalf of injured people since 1983, and started what became Coffey & Nichols in 1996. Attorney Genevieve Nichols joined the firm in 2001 and became a partner in 2008. Callan Moench, our associate attorney, joined the firm in 2021 after working several years representing people charged with crimes who could not afford a lawyer. Our office is located in an historic building in the Clifton Heights neighborhood in St. Louis.
Meet Our Experienced Attorneys and Staff
Mary Coffey
Attorney, Partner
Mary grew up in Brentwood and University City, and graduated from St. Louis University law school in 1980, with honors. She worked as a law clerk for 3 years in federal court downtown, and then became an injury lawyer as an associate with The Hullverson Firm, where she worked from 1983-1987. She then became a partner at the John Frank Partnership in 1987. In 1996 she went out on her own and started what became Coffey & Nichols. Mary has obtained multimillion dollar verdicts and settlements for her clients.
Mary is also a published legal author and teacher of continuing legal education courses for a variety of local, regional and nationwide organizations. She has been rated as a top medical malpractice lawyer in Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers® for most years since 2007, including as one of the 50 top women attorneys.
Mary has been recognized for verdicts and appellate wins in State and National Publications such as the Washington Post, Glamour Magazine, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and the St. Louis American. Mary was the recipient of The Award of Honor from the Lawyers’ Association of St. Louis in 2022, the Law and Leadership Award from St. Louis University School of Law in 1990, and the Lawyers’ Lawyer Award from Missouri Lawyers’ Media in 2008.
Mary has the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards based on Martindale Hubbell’s reviews by other lawyers and judges. She is a past president and member of The Women Lawyers’ Association of St. Louis and a member in the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, the Mound City Bar Association, The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, the Lawyers’ Association of St. Louis and the American Association for Justice.
Genevieve Nichols
Attorney, Partner
Genevieve grew up in University City and is a 1999 graduate of St. Louis University School of Law. Her practice has been limited to representing victims of negligence and product defect since 2001. She is licensed in Missouri, Illinois, and several U.S. District Courts. She has worked up and tried major civil jury trials in St. Louis City and St. Louis County as well as a number of other Missouri state and federal courts. Genevieve has been rated a Rising Star in plaintiff’s personal injury in Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers®, 2008–2012, and has been rated a Super Lawyer 2013–2014, and 2016–present. She has the highest possible rating on Avvo.com. Genevieve has written briefs and argued before the Missouri Supreme Court defending the firm’s substantial verdicts and the constitutional rights of people who have been injured, and has appeared before the Eighth Circuit and Eastern District Courts of Appeal. She served on the City Judicial Evaluation Committee, and, on a City jury.
In 2008, Genevieve received the Lon Hocker award from The Missouri Bar Foundation for excellence in the courtroom as a young lawyer. She has taught trial advocacy at SLU Law School intermittently since 2007. Genevieve has published materials and spoken at seminars about trying civil jury cases for a number of organizations including The Missouri Bar, NELA, BAMSL and MATA.
Genevieve is a past president of the Women Lawyers’ Association and a long-time member of The Mound City Bar Association, BAMSL, MATA and The Lawyers’ Association. She was a Barrister member of the inaugural terms of Theodore McMillan Inns of Court.
Callan grew up in the Clifton Heights neighborhood of St. Louis and graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law in 2012. Prior to joining our firm in 2021, Callan worked for the Missouri State Public Defender’s Office, trying numerous jury trials and working up hundreds of cases. Callan also filed and argued several appellate cases through the Missouri Court of Appeals. Callan is a member of the Women Lawyers’ Association of St. Louis, the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, the Mound City Bar Association, The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, the Lawyers’ Association of St. Louis and the American Association for Justice.
Kathy grew up in the Carondelet Park neighborhood of St. Louis and is our paralegal and office manager. She has been with the firm since 1997 and worked with Mary at the John Frank Partnership starting in the 1990’s. Kathy works closely with the lawyers and clients — getting and giving information, gathering medical records, preparing for trial and otherwise running the office.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of Kathy’s position is dealing directly with the clients. She is readily available to assist clients with anything she can.
Shannon is also a former client and hopes to help others whose lives have been damaged by negligence. Shannon’s own experience as a client brings us a valuable and unique perspective.
Keara has been helping us as needed for several years, and has recently become a permanent employee, helping us grow and provide excellent service to our clients.
