James C. Hetlage is an experienced employment attorney, litigator, and municipal attorney. He represents government and private-sector employers before state and federal administrative agencies, trial courts and appellate courts. Mr. Hetlage is experienced in resolving employment discrimination claims and other labor and employment disputes in court and through mediation and arbitration. He has addressed the impact of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter for employers, and has counseled employers on proper means for avoiding discrimination and harassment claims. Mr. Hetlage serves as the City Attorney for Glendale and Wentzville, Missouri. In that capacity, Mr. Hetlage addresses substantially all of the legal needs of these cities, including preparation and review of ordinances and contracts, analysis of zoning and land use issues, Sunshine Law requests, and personnel matters. Mr. Hetlage partners with his employer and municipal clients to identify ways to avoid risk and keep his clients out of the courtroom. Mr. Hetlage provides clients with counseling and guidance on drafting and implementing ordinances, employment policies and on Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), wage and hour, and discrimination compliance issues. In addition, he handles litigation involving commercial disputes including breach of contract, condemnation, construction, and real estate matters.

Jim has been selected for inclusion in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers (Employment & Labor) in multiple years, most recently in 2018, and has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in multiple years, most recently in 2019, for his work in Employment Law – Management. Jim is also peer rated AV Preeminent® with Martindale-Hubbell. He earned his J.D. from Washington University School of Law.