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Most people facing a criminal charge have never been inside a courtroom, and the uncertainty of that experience can be as overwhelming as the charge itself. Steven Waterkotte, founding partner of the Missouri and Illinois-based law firm Combs Waterkotte, has built his practice around treating that uncertainty as the first problem to solve, not an afterthought to the legal strategy.
Waterkotte offers strategic criminal defense in St. Louis to clients facing everything from DWI and DUI charges to orders of protection, felonies, white-collar crimes, and federal cases. What distinguishes his approach isn’t just the range of cases he handles. It’s the belief that clients who understand their options can participate in decisions about their own defense.
Communication as Strategy, Not Just Courtesy
Facing a serious accusation tends to strip away a person’s sense of control. Waterkotte’s St. Louis criminal defense practice areas are structured to return some of that control through transparent, consistent communication that keeps clients informed at every stage, rather than leaving them to guess what happens next. That approach extends to families too, who are often navigating the legal system for the first time alongside the person actually charged.
That transparency doesn’t come at the expense of preparation. Waterkotte has built a reputation for meticulous casework and a courtroom presence that doesn’t back down. This approach has carried him through misdemeanors, orders of protection, and high-stakes felony cases alike. He prepares every case as if it could go to trial, a posture that shapes how prosecutors approach negotiations from the outset.
Building a Firm on a Fair Trial, Not Just Fair Odds
Waterkotte co-founded Combs Waterkotte with Christopher Combs on the belief that every individual deserves a rigorous defense regardless of the accusations against them. That founding principle shows up in how the firm operates: personalized legal strategies built around each client’s specific circumstances, aggressive representation when a case heads toward trial, and support meant to carry clients through what is often the most stressful period of their lives.
His work has earned recognition across the profession. The firm itself has received numerous awards, and Steve’s relentless advocacy and decades of criminal defense experience are at the center of it all.
Photo credit: Combs Waterkotte
A Practice That Extends Past the Courtroom
Waterkotte’s investment in Missouri communities isn’t limited to casework. His firm has provided thousands of dollars in scholarships to students across the state. The firm’s members also regularly support local organizations and civic interests focused on legal education, community safety, and access to justice and civil rights.
Looking ahead, Waterkotte has said he wants to keep expanding Combs Waterkotte’s reach into more complex and high-profile cases while strengthening the firm’s involvement in the broader Missouri legal community. For clients walking into his office for the first time, that ambition translates into something more immediate: a defense built around their specific situation, explained clearly enough that they understand every step of it.
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