Denise Watson-Wesley Coleman was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois.  She attended St. Elizabeth High School and DePaul University. She was a high school teacher and taught at Robert Morris College, now known as Robert Morris University.

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She became interested in law when she went to work as a legal secretary for the law firms of Stratford Lafontant Fisher Gibson & Cousins and Wildman Harold Allen & Dixon.  She realized her dream of becoming an attorney when she graduated from St. Louis University Law school and began the practice of law in 1985.  She became licensed to practice in Illinois in 1986.

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Denise Watson-Wesley Coleman has over 35 years of legal experience.  She has represented governmental entities, financial institutions, businesses, and individuals.  At the beginning of her career, she was an Assistant Public Defender and Prosecutor for the City of St. Louis as well as a Law Clerk for the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit.  Her experience expanded to municipal law.  As General Counsel to the Comptroller, she created municipal corporations to issue bonds and created 501(c)3 corporations and handled litigation.  She was red book certified.  She also was the Attorney for the Municipality of Berkeley, Missouri.

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Attorney Coleman has legislative experience as an Administrative Assistant to Missouri State Senator JB (Jet) Banks, the only African American Senate Majority Leader and transitioned his successor, Missouri State Senator Paula J Carter. As Administrative Assistant, she drafted and reviewed legislation and met with several department heads to discuss and broker issues germane to the City of St. Louis. While on the Senate Floor, Attorney Coleman recalls being instrumental in discussing with a Southeastern Missouri Senator how the particular legislation being discussed would not hurt his constituency and how important it was to the City of St. Louis.  The measured passed.   One major issue during this time was partial birth abortion.

 

Attorney Coleman has judicial experience.  She was a Hearing Officer on the municipal level for several years.  She heard and decided public nuisance cases.

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Attorney Coleman's practice transitioned from the public sector to the private sector.  She has represented clients in the areas of civil matters, contracts, criminal law, employment law, entertainment law, family law, personal injury, probate, real estate, tax and traffic matters. Attorney Coleman’s experience as a lawyer, law clerk, hearing officer, and legislative assistant is unparalleled and benefits her client’s needs from a broad perspective. 

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Attorney Coleman is committed to providing clients with exceptional representation while preserving personalized service and responsiveness to her clients' needs.