Lewis Rice Expands Corporate Legal Team in St. Louis
The firm adds two associates to its practice, increasing its capacity to support corporate legal needs for business operators.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in People
Lewis Rice has expanded its St. Louis corporate department with the addition of Darrwin E. Perkins II and Alexi-Julia Smith as associates. The firm brings in new talent to support its corporate legal practice.
Why it matters
The firm is strengthening its bench in a practice area critical to St. Louis business operations, reflecting a strategic effort to support corporate clients with newly minted and experienced legal expertise.
The firm added two associates to its corporate department, a move following individual academic and professional training milestones for both hires. The total impact on the firm's headcount remains part of its ongoing growth strategy in the St. Louis market.
The players
Lewis Rice
A law firm providing comprehensive corporate and transactional legal services to businesses in the St. Louis area.
Darrwin E. Perkins II
An associate in the corporate department who holds an MBA and a J.D. from Saint Louis University.
Alexi-Julia Smith
An associate in the corporate department with previous legal experience gained at Goodwin Procter in Washington, D.C.
The details
Perkins joins the firm after completing his J.D. at Saint Louis University in 2026, building upon prior graduate business education. Smith brings prior experience from the Goodwin Procter office in Washington, D.C., to the St. Louis practice, having graduated from Howard University School of Law in 2023.
Timeline
2022: Perkins earned his bachelor's degree in business administration.
2023: Smith graduated law school and Perkins earned an MBA.
2026: Perkins graduated from law school.
October 27, 2026: The firm announced the addition of the new associates.
Market Landscape
This move reflects the ongoing competition among St. Louis firms to secure corporate legal talent in a tight hiring market. It follows a pattern of firms scaling their transactional teams to meet the complex legal needs of regional business clients.
Business operators should track these firm-level changes as they indicate shifts in the capacity and expertise available for their corporate and transactional legal needs. Evaluate whether your current legal counsel is adequately resourced for upcoming fiscal or structural changes in your organization.
The takeaway
Staffing changes at key local firms can signal how well-positioned legal service providers are to support your business's growth or regulatory compliance. Monitor firm news to determine if your current outside counsel has the appropriate level of transactional support for your business stage.
Further reading
For more updates on regional talent shifts, visit the People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by St. Louis American.
