Joseph C. Blanton, Jr. Admitted to American College of Trial Lawyers

Joseph C. Blanton, Jr. became a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America, at the Annual Meeting of the College in Nashville, Tennessee on September 28, 2024.

Founded in 1950, the College is composed of the best of the trial bar. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers of diverse backgrounds, who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of fifteen years trial experience before they can be considered for Fellowship.

Membership in the College is limited to no more than one percent of the total lawyer population of any state. Currently, there are approximately 5,700 members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, including active Fellows, Emeritus Fellows, Judicial Fellows (those who ascended to the bench after their induction) and Honorary Fellows. The College is committed to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics, and the administration of justice through education and public statements on the independence of the judiciary, trial by jury, respect for the rule of law, access to justice, and fair representation for all parties in legal proceedings. This allows the College to speak with a balanced and authoritative voice on matters regarding the legal profession and the administration of justice.

Joseph C. Blanton, Jr. is a partner in the Sikeston, Missouri firm of Blanton, Nickell, Collins, Douglas, Hanschen & Peters, LLC and has been practicing in Southeast Missouri since 1987. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia, the University of Texas Law School, and the University of Edinburgh, UK (Master of Science in History). He formerly served as law clerk to the Honorable Stephen N. Limbaugh, Sr., U.S. District Judge for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri, now retired.