Our Team

When I was growing up, I remember seeing relatives and friends constantly out of work or, when lucky enough to have work, getting treated like dirt.  I could see on their faces how much it hurt not to have a job and provide for their families, and the pain and confusion of having a boss who acted like you never do anything right when you're working hard.  I realized that what unites all people is the need for meaningful and dignifying work.  I decided to become a lawyer, and to get involved with the labor movement.  

After college and law school at Harvard, I clerked for a fabulous federal judge on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.  My time with Judge Benton gave me an inside view of the court system.  Afterwards, I went into law practice to help folks like the family and friends I remember from when I was a kid.  I want to help people turn that sadness and confusion into hope and joy.  

Sonal and I were in love and had nothing to lose, and had just gotten engaged.  Start a law firm...why not?!  That's the power of love.  I'm a law nerd, but that's not the most important thing.  One of the many things Sonal and I share is a love of storytelling.  We tell each other stories all the time, and come up with them together.  

I enjoy reading good books (especially Joyce) and writing poetry.  I'm a runner and am very interested in politics (I have good friends across the spectrum and love hearing a diversity of viewpoints).  In my spare time, I'm trying to learn French and Hindi.  

I'm looking forward to hearing your story and sharing mine with you!

Contact E.E. at ee@keenanfirm.com

I'm passionate about helping kind, hardworking employees heal from the trauma of a toxic and abusive workplace. (It changes your body and mind--I know from my own personal experience.)  

During the recession, I worked in sales: all day,  I cold-called companies to sell software products.  There's a silver-lining to everything, and I learned to love the power of negotiation, of connecting with people's pain points and solving problems. 

I loved studying English Literature as an undergraduate at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. But I focused on creative writing because I love storytelling: give me a good myth or fairytale any time!  I earned my first $10 selling a poem when I was in college, and it gave me hope that I could use my creative skills someday in my work.

In law school at Washington University in St. Louis, I co-designed and co-taught a class on gender and the law for brilliant Washington University undergrads.  Teaching turned into another life-committment for me.  I also represented violence survivors in a clinic, and working on a team, drafted the ABA's guidelines for legal practitioners working with incarcerated violence survivors.  (An experience I had firsthand.) 

I love natural wine (ask me about it!), cooking for dinner parties with my friends, and being a political junkie and an activist for causes I care about--like getting big corporations and lobbyist money out of our political system.  I speak some French, some Spanish, some Hindi/Urdu and lots of English. 

Your employment story and your success are in my heart.

I hope to meet you and understand  your goals, and ultimately help you stand up to your employer and achieve your career dreams.  I am so happy and grateful to work with the love of my life (E.E.), and a great team (including you!) to describe your story and ensure that you obtain the best and most fulfilling result for you.  We are on this journey together--you will never be alone.

Contact Sonal at sonal@keenanfirm.com

As a first-generation college graduate, I am aware of the struggles accompanying working for a living and earning a paycheck.  My parents were both hard-working blue-collar workers who often struggled to make ends meet.  I know what it’s like to see people struggle with issues in the workplace.  I decided to dedicate my law practice to help people like my parents.  I look forward to putting the hard work ethic instilled in me by my parents to work for you. 

At Washington University, I earned a degree in History and graduated magna cum laude.  I also wrote a senior honor’s thesis on the Scottish Enlightenment.  My time studying at Washington University instilled in me a lifelong appreciation of the liberal arts and reading.  Some of my many favorite authors include Richard Hofstadter, Thomas Mann, Hans Fallada, and Kazuo Ishiguro.

I earned my law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law.  At SLU, I was a staff member and editor on the Saint Louis University Law Journal and worked as a research assistant for two professors.  My time at SLU taught me to think like a lawyer and pursue a career-path working on behalf of employees. 

Prior to joining Keenan & Bhatia, I spent nearly 10 years at a sophisticated boutique labor and employment law firm located in St. Louis, Missouri.  At this law firm, I had the unique opportunity to work on a variety of labor and employment matters, including individual and collective actions for unpaid wages brought under a federal law known as the Fair Labor Standards Act.  I also worked on other complex matters involving items as diverse as federal securities law and franchise law.  Whatever the legal issue, I enjoyed hearing my client’s story and working hard on their behalf to achieve resolution of the matter at hand.   

I have a passion for helping workers facing tough and often brutal situations in the workplace.  I look forward to working with you to tackle your issues and aggressively advocate on your behalf.  

Contact Mark at mark@keenanfirm.com