Sonette Magnus is a highly experienced litigator and business advisor counseling corporate clients across many industries, including higher education, retail, food, biotechnology, agriculture, sports and finance.
Representing clients in state and federal courts across the United States, Sonette skillfully creates and implements litigation strategies that considers all external factors influencing a trial, including geography, socio-economic realities, and jury composition.
In addition to complex disputes, Sonette’s solution-oriented counsel addresses her clients’ day-to-day business needs. She handles contract issues efficiently while collaborating with business units and in-house legal teams to mitigate litigation risks.
Her experience also includes representing agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology companies, consumer and industrial product companies, food product companies, department stores, home improvement stores, sports teams, and financial institutions. She advises and serves as outside counsel to non-profits and institutions of higher education on issues including accreditation, governance, employment matters, financial restructuring, intellectual property strategies, and creation and enforcement of policies and procedures, including student and employee discipline.
Sonette began her career as a federal law clerk to the Chief Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. She draws upon that experience today when representing lenders in receiverships as well as Chapter 11 restructurings, liquidations in DIP Financing, and Plan negotiations.
experience
Higher Education
- For a private university, defended multiple programs facing loss of accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. The university was successful in keeping accreditation.
- For a Midwestern college with a nearly depleted endowment, led a financial restructuring outside of bankruptcy and advised on a capital campaign that together allowed the institution to remain open.
- Counseled multiple institutions on student discipline, Title IX investigations, and other employment matters.
- Defended private institutions in internal administrative proceedings brought by graduate students disciplined by the institutions for failing to complete program requirements.
- Managed the trademark portfolio of a private institution.
- Negotiates and prepares commercial contracts with vendors.
- Spanish (strong)
- French
Professional
- Commercial Receivers Organization, Founding Board Member
- Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal, Advisory Board Member
- Federal Practice Memorial Trust for the Eastern District of Missouri, Trustee
- Federal Bar Association
- Canada’s Honorary Consul for the greater St. Louis area
- St. Louis Consular Corps
Community
- Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Executive Board
- “40 Under 40” Emerging Leaders In Insolvency Practice, American Banking Institute, 2023
- Up & Coming Lawyer, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, 2023
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Commercial Litigation in St. Louis, Missouri, 2021-2023 (by BL Rankings)
- Co-Author, “Four Strategies for Avoiding Privilege Pitfalls”
ABA Commercial & Business Litigation, Volume 25, Issue 1, February 27, 2024 - Interviewed, “2023 Up & Coming Awards: Sonette Magnus, 38”
Missouri Lawyers Weekly, October 11, 2023 - Co-Author, “United States Licensed Attorney Required for Foreign-Domiciled U.S. Trademarks”
Client Alert August 2019 - “The Real Face of Human Trafficking”
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri March 2016 - “Section 365(a) Trumped by Inability to Assign Trademark Under Nonbankruptcy Law”
American Bankruptcy Institute August 2015 - “Everything You Need to Know about Bankruptcy”
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri June 2013 - “Tips From a Law Clerk: How to Improve Your Bankruptcy Practice in the EDMO”
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri September 2011
- U.S. and Canadian Opportunities Panel
Career Education Colleges and Universities Convention , June 21, 2023 - Panelist: Commercial Receiverships in Illinois
June 13, 2023 - Women Lawyer’s Association of St. Louis, A Peek at Life as a Partner
June 9, 2023 - Commercial Receivers Association Annual Conference, the State of State Receiverships
August 22, 2022 - Panelist: Insurance and Bond Issues in Receivership
August 22, 2022 - Panelist: Special Issues in Partnership Disputes in Receiverships
May 25, 2022 - Fireside Chat
Corporate Counsel Women of Color Career Strategies Conference September 29, 2020 - Co-Presenter, “The Advertising Law Landscape: Recent Trends and Developments to Watch Out For”
April 2018 - Co-Presenter, “Amendments to the FRCP: Game Changer or Much Ado About Nothing”
Eastern District of Missouri Federal Practice Fundamentals November 2016 - A View from the Bench and the Podium: How to Meet (and Exceed) Expectations”
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri September 2015
I love to travel internationally, especially to see wonders of the world, read classics and NY Times bestsellers (to see if I think they should be a bestseller), and do small house projects.