Southern Illinois

ALTON, Ill. — Simmons Hanly Conroy LLP has been ranked among the 2026 NLJ 500, the National Law Journal’s annual survey of the 500 largest law firms by attorney headcount in the United States.

Founded in 1999 in Alton, Illinois, Simmons Hanly Conroy has built a national reputation for handling high-stakes, complex litigation and serving in leadership roles in some of the most consequential multidistrict litigation in the country.

ALTON, Ill. — Simmons Hanly Conroy, a national leader in the legal representation of mesothelioma patients and their families, is pleased to announce the 2026 Summer Associate class and to welcome back two returning law clerks. The firm has selected seven outstanding law students from schools across the country to participate in the summer associate program, running from May 18 through August 14, 2026.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Cindy Buys’ empathy and passion for community service and helping others comes from the deep sense of faith she developed while growing up.

That foundation blossomed into a desire to serve her community.

“I think sometimes when we are young, we think we are going to change the world,” said Buys, SIU Simmons Law School professor and the 2026 Lindell W. Sturgis Award recipient. “But what I’ve learned is what is important to me is to make my corner of the world a better place.”

View Illinois State Bar Associations' judicial ratings by county for March 17's primary election.