Professional and Community Experience

Paul R. Hales began his legal career as an appellate lawyer in the office of the noted civil rights attorney, Louis Gilden.  He became a litigator handling both civil cases and criminal defense in federal and state courts. As a partner at Goldstein and Price Mr. Hales specialized in admiralty and maritime litigation and appeals including complex multi-district federal litigation and also developed a business and estate planning practice.  

Mr. Hales has been active in the community throughout his professional career.  He was counsel to the Metropolitan Coordinating Council in the St. Louis Desegregation Case, Liddell v. Board of Education, Planning Coordinator of the St. Louis Career Education District and founder of City House Learning Centers.  As an attorney for STARRS, the St. Louis Area Regional Response System, he was the principal draftsman of a Mutual Aid Agreement among more than 40 hospitals to address mass casualty incidents.

Mr. Hales has special interests and experience in community development, govenrment, education, public health and public policy.   He served on many nonprofit, business and community boards and chaired the St. Louis Community College Foundation and Aid to Victims of Crime.  Mr. Hales was recognized for community leadership by the St. Louis Black Leadership Roundtable, St. Louis Jaycees and St. Louis Congregations Allied for Community Improvement.