Biography

Aaron L. Pawlitz serves as the Practice Group Leader for the Corporate Strategies practice group. He is a transactional attorney focusing on publicly-traded and closely-held businesses, mergers and acquisitions, securities, real estate, distribution, and other commercial transactions.

In his corporate practice, Aaron guides business leaders and investors through regulatory, contractual, and deal-making landscapes so that they can achieve their objectives, pursue new opportunities, and move confidently through emerging challenges. He frequently represents buyers or sellers in merger and acquisition transactions and, since 2007, has worked with the transactional insurance products that facilitate those transactions. Those products include representations and warranties insurance, tax indemnity insurance, and intellectual property liability insurance, and the dollar value of the underlying transactions have ranged from $8 million to $27 billion. He also frequently represents clients analyzing their corporate finance options, including issuers in securities offerings. Aaron’s transactional experience extends to counseling clients regarding franchise and other distribution network alternatives. 

In his real estate practice, Aaron helps owners, tenants, and investors realize the benefits of their real property assets so that they can move forward with developments and other projects, provide for the space needs of their workforce and customers, and achieve the desired return on their investment. Aaron understands that his clients’ successes in real estate deals hinge in significant part on his ability to deliver responsive, practical counsel. Although Aaron routinely counsels clients regarding office, warehouse, and retail leases, he also has worked on unique properties such as golf courses, baseball stadiums, and data centers.

Practice Areas

Education

  • Saint Louis University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2002)
    • Editor-in-Chief, Saint Louis University Law Journal
  • University of Missouri at St. Louis (B.A., magna cum laude, 1997)
    • Political Science

Legal Background

  • Spencer Fane LLP (2016-2021)
  • Lewis Rice LLC (2002-2016)
  • Summer associate, Lewis Rice LLC (2001)
  • Summer associate, Spencer Fane LLP (2000)
  • Intern, Office of the United States Trustee, Eastern District of Missouri (1994-1995)

Professional Affiliations

  • American Bar Association
  • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis

Admissions

  • Missouri Bar
  • Illinois Bar

Charitable & Civic Activities

  • Board of Trustees, LHM Foundation (2022–present)
  • Board of Governors, Missouri Athletic Club (2016–2022, 2023-present)
  • Board of Trustees, Lutheran High School Association of St. Louis (2023-present)
  • Board of Directors, Lutheran Family and Children’s Services of Missouri (2015–2018)
  • Board of Directors, Christ Community Lutheran School (2012–2018); President (2015–2017)
  • Class Agent, Saint Louis University School of Law Alumni Council (2004–2006)
  • Attorney Volunteer, Volunteer Lawyers Program, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (2003–2007)

Honors & Awards

  • The Best Lawyers in America (2021-2024)
  • Preeminent AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell
  • Top 100 St. Louisans to Know to Succeed in Business (April 2022)
  • Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers® (2020-2023)