Our Attorneys

Susan K. Roach

Melissa A. Featherston

Christopher D. Elster

W. Edwin Roussin

SUSAN K. ROACH, managing attorney for The ROACH LAW FIRM, has practiced civil and criminal law for over twenty eight years throughout the State of Missouri and in the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals. Ms. Roach is a former Assistant Prosecuting Attorney having served as such under former St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney George R. “Buzz” Westfall. While practicing as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Ms. Roach prosecuted major felony cases for the Office of St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney.

Ms. Roach established her own civil litigation and criminal defense firm after completing her term with the Prosecuting Attorneys Office and has practiced in civil and criminal litigation over the last twenty eight years. Ms. Roach has obtained large settlements and verdicts in cases ranging from workers compensation to personal injury. Additionally, Ms. Roach is noted throughout the legal community for her aggressive and competent representation of individuals involved in domestic disputes ranging from divorce to motions to modify and contempt and paternity actions. Susan Roach has successfully litigated civil and criminal cases throughout the State of Missouri and in Federal District Court and the United States Court of Appeals. She has appeared in Federal District Court in the State of Missouri, Illinois and Texas. She has represented labor union members in major industrial disputes and was successful in bringing and resolving a class action for the reinstatement of seniority rights for union members against a major corporation in the State of Missouri. Ms. Roach has been involved in major business and contract litigation obtaining the desired results for her clients. Ms. Roach has attained consistently favorable results in her criminal defense cases including many not guilty verdicts. She has tried criminal defense cases in Federal and State courts throughout her career. She is licensed in the State of Missouri, United States District Court and the United states Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Indiana University and her juris doctorate from St. Louis University. She is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys.

Melissa A. Featherston is a member of the Missouri Bar and is a graduate of Washington University School of Law, obtaining her juris doctorate and Western Michigan University, obtaining her undergraduate degree. Before joining THE ROACH LAW FIRM she was a prosecuting attorney in the Office of St. Louis City Counselor. Prior to that, Ms. Featherston interned at the St. Louis County Public Defender's Office and with Clark County Legal Services in Las Vegas, Nevada where she was involved in consumer class action litigation. After joining THE ROACH LAW FIRM she has handled cases primarily in the domestic relations and criminal defense department of the firm. She has handled and negotiated numerous domestic relations cases from divorce cases to motions to modify and paternity actions. Ms. Featherston has also handled matters in the field of workers compensation, appellate process and personal injury. Ms. Featherston is licensed in the State of Missouri and The United States District Court.

Christopher D. Elster is a member of the Missouri Bar. He graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law in May, 2007. While at SLU he received a Certificate in International Law and a Certificate of Academic Excellence for Comparative Law, this consisted of an analysis of many different criminal justice systems. Mr. Elster received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a concentration on Economics, from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2004.

Prior to joining THE ROACH LAW FIRM and throughout his time in Law School, Mr. Elster worked as a law clerk at one of the largest plaintiff’s firms in Madison County, Illinois. While there he was involved in cases dealing with class action, personal injury, Jones Act, FELA and appeals.

After joining THE ROACH LAW FIRM, Mr. Elster has primarily handled cases in the personal injury and worker’s compensation department of the firm. He has also been involved in criminal defense and domestic relations cases.

W. Edwin Roussin is a member of the Missouri Bar. Mr. Roussin has practiced law in the State of Missouri and in the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals over a period of eighteen years. Mr. Roussin is a former Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Missouri. He obtained his undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Arts and Science, from the University of Missouri and his Master of Arts also from the University of Missouri. Mr. Roussin obtained his juris doctorate from Washington University Law School in St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Roussin has litigated all manner of cases involving personal injury, automobile accidents, workers compensation claims, contract disputes and domestic relations matters. Since joining THE ROACH LAW FIRM Mr. Roussin has handled cases primarily in the civil and domestic relations department of the firm. Mr. Roussin has also handled Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and Driving Under the Influence (DUI) cases for the firm and is part of the appellate department of the law firm handling appeals of every nature, both State and Federal. Mr. Roussin also assists Ms. Roach on major criminal felony trials.