BUCHHOLZ & PARTNEY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Founding Partner
- Senior Partners
Erik Papke, a St. Louis native, is the primary bankruptcy and financial attorney for Kramer, Hand, Buchholz & Partney. Erik attended St. Louis University High School, and graduated from Rockhurst University in 2002 with a bachelors degree in Psychology. While studying there he achieved the distinction of being on the Dean's List. He served as the Student Senate President of his class, and was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity where he served as the treasurer.
Erik graduated from the University of Missouri at Columbia School of Law in 2005. While attending law school he participated in Mediation, Negotiation and Mock Trial competitions. Erik was a founding member of the Sports Law Society, which looks at the intersection of sports and the law and the role that the law plays in the functioning of sports. Erik interned with the Missouri Department of Conservation in the summer of 2004.
His law experience includes; Workers' Compensation, Consumer bankruptcy, Consumer collections, Family and Criminal Law. He is licensed in both Missouri and Illinois state courts along with the Eastern District of Missouri, and the Central and Southern District of Illinois Federal courts. Erik is a member of the Debtors' Attorneys of Metropolitan St. Louis and the Bar Association of Metro St. Louis. Erik became a partner at Kramer, Hand, Buchholz & Partney in 2018.
Jennifer graduated in 1996 from the University of Missouri, where she majored in psychology and minored in English. She was a member of the Chi Omega sorority.
Jennifer went on to earn her Juris Doctor law degree at St. Louis University School of Law. During law school, Jennifer was active in the SLU Law legal clinic program assisting veteran and indigent clients with various family law matters. She also worked as a paralegal and law clerk in St. Louis.
After law school, Jennifer worked for Sievers & Borcherding, practicing family law in St. Louis and the surrounding areas. In 2019 she joined Kramer, Hand, Buchholz & Partney.
Jennifer focuses her practice on domestic law and guardian ad litem work, and she has over 15 years of experience in the St. Louis and Jefferson County Courts. She is active in the Jefferson County Bar, the Missouri Bar, the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. She is a trained and certified mediator and parent coordinator.
Jennifer lives in Eureka, MO with her sweet Brittany spaniel, Riley. She is passionate about issues facing veterans, and is active with the charity Dogs for Our Brave.
Jennifer L. Breedlove graduated in 2004 from the University of Missouri, Columbia where she majored in business and minored in Psychology. She continued to the University of Missouri School of Law where she graduated and received her Juris Doctor degree in 2008.
After law school, Jennifer worked as an attorney for a small firm with a focus on Family Law, Estates, Criminal Law, and Bankruptcy. In 2017, Jennifer joined Kramer, Hand, Buchholz & Partney where she has focused her practice on Domestic and Estate Law. In 2019, Jennifer became a partner in the firm.
Jennifer is a certified guardian ad litem, and an active member of the Jefferson County Bar Association and the Jefferson County Women's Bar Association.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Legal Counsel for the City of St. Louis
Joe Montecillo graduated from the Washington University School of Law and began practicing law in 2002. Prior to becoming an attorney, Joe earned a graduate degree in Anatomy and held faculty positions in Gross Anatomy and Neurobiology.
Joe has worked as legal counsel for the City of St. Louis and the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, as well as for many years in private practice. He has successfully argued cases before the Missouri Court of Appeals. He has extensive experience in a several practice areas. Joe represents clients in the areas of:
Joe is a St. Louis native and a compulsive outdoorsman. He joined Kramer, Hand, Buchholz & Partney in 2020.
Kevin Schaaf grew up in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, and graduated from Valle Catholic High School. Prior to going to law school he was a factory laborer, a telecommunications salesman, the Vice President of a manufacturing company and a food trader. He has been a member of the Missouri Bar in good standing since 1996 and brought more than 20 years of legal experience to Kramer, Hand, Buchholz & Partney when he joined the firm as of counsel in 2018.
Kevin is a general practice attorney who has represented clients in thousands of cases and matters, big and small, in numerous practice areas. His areas of practice are expansive, including helping clients in business negotiations and litigation; helping clients form businesses or sell businesses, as well as writing operating agreements and drafting and defending contracts in court. He helps clients with estate planning, including drafting wills and trusts; represents clients in auto accidents and consumer matters. He has represented clients in criminal matters. In addition, he represents clients in commercial and residential real estate negotiations, in drafting leases, in evictions as well as other real estate related lawsuits. He helps clients to retrieve wrongfully withheld or retained property and to get declaratory judgments to determine the status of someone's rights to property or in other types of disputes. Kevin also represents clients in all types of family law matters, and has represented the State of Missouri in Child Abuse and Neglect cases. He is a caring and concerned lawyer and a gentleman.
Education
* Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - Cum Laude, Southeast Missouri State University, 1983.
* Master of Business Administration (MBA), Washington University in St. Louis, 1986.
* Juris Doctor, University of Missouri - Kansas City, 1996. American Jurisprudence Award for Legal Research and Writing. Dean's Honor List. Received Dean's Achievement Award upon graduation.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner at Kramer
Kourtney Lamb, a native of Iowa, moved to Missouri to study law at the University of Missouri in Columbia. During law school, she participated in Mock Trial, Mediation, Negotiation and Client Counseling competitions which honed her advocacy skills for the practice of law. She was Vice President of the Student Bar Association and a Student Ambassador. She graduated with her law degree in May of 2005 and joined Kramer & Hand L.L.C. in August.
In 2011, Kourtney became a partner at Kramer, and Hand, and shortly thereafter became a named partner when the firm became Kramer, Hand, Buchholz & Partney. Kourtney practices Family Law in Jefferson County and St. Louis counties. Her practice includes divorce/paternity cases, juvenile matters, guardianships, adoptions, and work as Guardian ad Litem for minor children.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Junior Partner at Kramer
Meagan Zimmer Breeze is a Junior Partner at Kramer, Hand Buchholz & Partney, who focuses her practice on the law involving injury and disability; she handles cases involving personal injury, disability, and workers compensation as well as cases involving family law and family disputes.
Meagan is a compassionate and caring attorney; her clients value her ability to listen and her desire to understand their legal situations almost as much as they value her fierce advocacy in and out of the courtroom.
Meagan is graduated with honors from the University of San Diego in 2000, where she earned a B.A. in English Literature. She went on to earn her J.D. from Arizona State University College of Law in 2006. While in law school, Meagan became a Justice Court mediator and participated in the college's civil practice clinics. Megan also clerked for a land use planning and zoning law firm, a family law firm, and several small civil litigation firms. After graduation and passing the Arizona bar exam, Meagan practiced in a specialized small firm focused on education law, municipal law, and employment law issues. Meagan joined Kramer, Hand, Buchholz & Partney where her diverse experience and amazing work ethic have made her an indispensable part of the team and resulted in her promotion to Junior Partner in 2019.
Meagan is a certified Guardian Ad Litem and a certified mediator.
Meagan lives in Jefferson County with her 2 girls and her kitten, Martin Luther Kitty Jr.
Sarah Burton Partney, originally from a small town in Illinois, earned a B.A. in English from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale before going on to attend law school at University of Missouri-Columbia. During law school Sarah was active in the Board of Advocates, participated in Mock Trial and Negotiation competitions, and clerked for two criminal defense firms. She graduated in 2005, earning her J.D., a Certificate in Dispute Resolution, and membership in the Order of the Barristers for excellence in courtroom advocacy.
After graduation, Sarah accepted a position at the Office of the Missouri Public Defender in Farmington, Missouri. During her time with the Public Defender's Office, Sarah gained experience handling a wide variety of criminal cases, and successfully represented defendants in numerous felony jury trials. In 2008, Sarah joined Kramer & Hand L.L.C. Attorneys at Law, where she now practices as a partner, managing domestic and criminal law cases in Jefferson County and the surrounding areas.
Sarah is active in Jefferson County, and is currently a member of the Jefferson County Bar Association, and the Jefferson County Women's Bar Association. Sarah has previously been active in the Missouri Bar Mentoring Program, and the Jefferson County Adult Drug Court Panel (Defense Representative).
Sarah resides in Jefferson County with her husband, boys, and a large pup named Jake Pawralta.