Four Attorneys Recognized as 2024 Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars

November 18, 2024

The Center for Family Law is proud to announce that our firm has once again been recognized by Super Lawyers for 2024.


  • Ann Bauer has been included in the Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers list for the 18th consecutive year. In addition, she earned the following prestigious honors:
  • Top 100: Missouri and Kansas Lawyers (3rd year)
  • Top 50: Women Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers (10th year)
  • Top 50: St. Louis Super Lawyers (6th year)
  • Three of our attorneys have been named to the 2024 Rising Stars list for Missouri and Kansas:
  • Allison Gerli (7th year)
  • Kristen Sparks (6th year)
  • Hallie Van Duren (4th year)


We are immensely proud of the hard work, dedication, and commitment these attorneys have demonstrated to their clients, and we are thrilled to see their efforts recognized by Super Lawyers.



About Super Lawyers


Covering more than 70 practice areas, Super Lawyers is a directory of lawyers who have achieved a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 5% of attorneys are selected to the Super Lawyers list and 2.5% are selected to the Rising Stars list in each state.


The annual selection process includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent research of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The Rising Star category is for attorneys who are under 40 years old or who have fewer than ten years of legal experience.



About The Center for Family Law


Since 2013, The Center for Family Law has been providing progressive family law services to clients, with compassion and dedication. The Center for Family Law attorneys strive to lead the way in the practice of family law. As the definition of family law has evolved, so, too, has our practice in our approach to resolving divorce and other family law disputes. We work with clients to form a partnership to address the specific needs of each client and their family.


July 16, 2025
The Center for Family Law is pleased to announce that Robert Boedeker has joined the firm as of July 2025 as an attorney of counsel. Robert is a 2011 graduate of St. Louis University School of Law. For the past ten years, he has worked at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Inc. in the Lasting Solutions Family Law Program, which he co-managed since 2017. At The Center for Family Law, Robert will continue to practice law on family matters and order of protection cases in St. Louis County, St. Louis City, St. Charles County and Jefferson County. Additionally, he is a certified family law Guardian ad Litem and Mediator, and is looking to resume those areas of practice. “Joining The Center for Family Law allows me to dedicate myself again to just representing clients,” said Robert. “At Legal Services, I was dividing my time between clients and my management duties. I am excited to get back to mediating and representing children’s best interests; at Legal Services, often mediation was inappropriate for clients because of the serious domestic violence they were escaping.” He continued, “I loved my time at Legal Services and the clients and colleagues I worked with. But I am now looking forward to focusing just on the courtroom and mediation work. The attorneys at The Center for Family Law have the same passion for serving clients and a wealth of experience that I am grateful to be able to bring to my cases.” “Working in family law is meaningful and can be life-changing for our clients,” said Robert, “and I am glad to join a firm with the right balance of prioritizing conflict-resolution and defending their clients’ interests when needed.” The Center for Family Law welcomes Robert to the team, knowing his experience and personality make him a good fit to continue the firm’s tradition of collaboration and finding solutions for people in need.
By Allison Gerli April 10, 2025
We are proud to share that Ann Bauer will be honored at the 27th Annual Women's Justice Awards on April 10, 2025, as one of this year's recipients in the "Mentor" category. This award celebrates experienced legal professionals who have played an important role in guiding and supporting the next generation of attorneys. Ann’s journey in family law began with co-founding her first firm in 2009, eventually leading to the establishment of The Center for Family Law in 2013. What began as a small practice has grown into a dynamic firm with a team of attorneys and staff dedicated exclusively to family law. Ann has been the heart of this growth—leading with purpose, mentoring with compassion, and consistently advocating for positive change. Ann's unwavering commitment to transforming how families navigate legal separation has helped shift the focus from adversarial litigation to a more compassionate approach to resolution, especially within the collaborative divorce process and in mediation. Her philosophy and approach to family law continue to influence and guide a new generation of legal professionals and practitioners she has mentored throughout her career. Whether she's mentoring within the firm or taking the time to speak with a law student, Ann is always generous with her time, wisdom, and support. She also shares her expertise through active service on numerous committees dedicated to family law and domestic violence. Please join us in congratulating Ann on this well-deserved honor. We are grateful for her vision and proud to continue building on the foundation she helped establish at The Center for Family Law.
January 24, 2025
The Center for Family Law is excited to announce the start of its fourth year hosting the Second Saturday Divorce Workshops, providing valuable support and guidance to individuals navigating the divorce process.