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Matthew B. Banocy

Matthew B. Banocy

Partner / St. Louis

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314-257-0305
OVERVIEW REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE NEWS & INSIGHTS EVENTS

Matt Banocy is a trial lawyer representing corporations and individuals in employment and business litigation matters.

Matt is an experienced litigator and has successfully represented clients at trial and arbitration as both lead and second-chair counsel. Matt has conducted over 100 fact and expert witness depositions. His extensive litigation experience allows Matt to quickly identify key legal issues at the inception of every case, work with clients to develop a strategy, and aggressively pursue that strategy to achieve the most beneficial outcome possible. 

Matt concentrates his practice representing individual and corporate clients in employment and business litigation matters. Matt routinely represents clients in various industries, including healthcare, hospitality, airline, restaurant, food and beverage, education, financial services, technology and software, manufacturing, and transportation. 

Matt represents clients before state courts, federal courts, and administrative agencies. Matt regularly defends clients against claims arising under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the Family Medical Leave Act among other federal and state laws. Matt also represents clients on a wide range of business litigation matters, including the enforcement of non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, claims for misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty. 

Matt has been consistently recognized by national media outlets for his expertise in employment and business litigation. For seven straight years, Matt has been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers, a distinction earned by only 2.5% of attorneys under age 40. Matt’s outstanding professional excellence has also earned him recognition by Best Lawyers in America for five consecutive years. 

In addition to his litigation practice, Matt utilizes his trial lawyer’s mindset to provide reasoned and practical preventative advice and counsel to his clients. Matt counsels employers on virtually all employee relations issues, including discipline and discharge decisions, wage and hour laws, employee misclassification issues, and complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

Honors & Awards
  • Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch - Labor and Employment Law - Management, and
    Litigation - Labor and Employment (2021 - 2025)
  • "Missouri Rising Stars," Super Lawyers Magazine (2018 - 2022)

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Matt Banocy - Rising Star Widget

  • First chaired a bench trial representing a municipality and five members of the Board of Aldermen in a state court action filed by the former Chief of Police alleging wrongful removal in violation of the Missouri Administrative Procedures Act. Following the trial, the Judge returned a defense verdict on all seven claims asserted by the former Chief of Police. 
  • Represented interstate compact employer in employment discrimination case filed by former employee alleging gender discrimination, hostile work environment, and constructive discharge under Title VII. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri granted employer’s motion to dismiss former employee’s claims for gender discrimination and constructive discharge. 
  • Represented plaintiff regional air carrier in Illinois state court in lawsuit against former pilot employee who breached employment agreement and promissory note executed at inception of her employment. Former employee filed counterclaim for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Illinois state court granted plaintiff employer’s motion to dismiss counterclaim.
  • Represented truck manufacturing company in an unfair labor practice charge filed by a former employee alleging discrimination and retaliation in violation of the National Labor Relations Act, resulting in the Regional Director dismissing the former employee’s charge and refusing to issue a complaint. Upon appeal, the General Counsel for the NLRB affirmed the Regional Director’s dismissal. 
  • Represented employer in Missouri state court in case filed by former employee who was terminated as part of a company-wide reduction in force. Plaintiff alleged a cause of action for age under the Missouri Human Rights Act. Circuit court granted employer’s motion for summary judgment. Currently on appeal before Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District.  
  • Represented hospital in Illinois state court in lawsuit alleging retaliatory discharge. The state court granted the hospital’s motion to dismiss the plaintiff’s claim with prejudice for failing to state claims upon which relief may be granted. 
  • Matthew Meinen v. Bi-State Development Agency: Represented employer in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri in employment discrimination case filed by former employee alleging claims for race discrimination, gender discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation under Title VII. The District Court granted the employer’s motion to dismiss all four claims with prejudice. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals subsequently affirmed the district court’s dismissal in 2024. 
  • Represented beverage manufacturer in a lawsuit filed by a former employee alleging claims for gender discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation under the Missouri Human Rights Act. After successfully removing the case to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, the court dismissed plaintiff’s complaint without prejudice. Following the court’s dismissal, a non-monetary settlement and mutual release of all claims was negotiated in exchange for the plaintiff dismissing his claims with prejudice. 
  • Represented hospital against the Union’s breach of contract action arising under Section 301 of the Labor Management Relations Act, alleging the hospital’s refusal to arbitrate a grievance violated the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. The United States District Court for the District of Kansas granted summary judgment in favor of the hospital and dismissed the case with prejudice. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals subsequently affirmed the District Court’s decision in 2023. 

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Education
  • University of Missouri - Columbia School of Law
    J.D., 2014
  • Southeast Missouri State University
    B.S., 2011
Services
Memberships
  • American Bar Association
Bar Admissions
  • Missouri
  • Illinois
Court Admissions
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas