National law firm Polsinelli Shughart welcomes attorney Richard A. Yawitz as a shareholder in the firm’s Business department where he will combine his corporate transactional law experience involving closely-held companies along with his knowledge in the areas of strategic operational planning and taxation.

“Richard’s experience in business planning strategies and estate planning for owners of closely-held companies complements our corporate law team locally as well as our firm’s national practice,” said St. Louis Managing Director Randy S. Gerber. “We are pleased to have him join us.”

Yawitz represents closely-held companies in numerous types of business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, recapitalizations, reorganizations, divestitures and other transactions involving strategic tax and business planning. He also is experienced in a wide variety of wealth and estate planning matters including business succession, family wealth preservation and asset protection planning.   

“Polsinelli Shughart offers me an outstanding opportunity to further develop my corporate law practice while working alongside some of the most respected attorneys in the business,” said Yawitz. “I have been particularly impressed with the technical experience of the firm’s attorneys. I look forward to collaborating with them.”

The addition of Yawitz to the St. Louis office occurs during an exciting period of growth for Polsinelli Shughart. The firm opened new offices in Dallas and Los Angeles and added more than 40 attorneys nationwide last year. The National Law Journal ranked Polsinelli Shughart in 2011 as “the third fastest growing law firm in the country.”

Yawitz earned his J.D. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, and his B.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Michigan. He is a member of the American Bar Association, The Missouri Bar, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis and is a Certified Public Accountant.