When Khampee Kells faced deportation to her native Thailand after the sudden death of her American husband, Armstrong Teasdale’s Darryl Chatman was there to ease her mind and give her legal counsel. As a member of the firm’s litigation team providing free legal help to Kells, Chatman conducted key research and assisted with court briefs. The case became part of a national effort aimed at ending what was known as the “Widow Penalty.” This was a controversial government policy that had forced the deportation of immigrant widows and widowers for over 70 years.
In September 2009, a Missouri federal judge ruled in Kells’ favor, striking down the law. In the months that followed, Congress voted to abolish the law and the U.S. government said it would give up its fight to maintain the penalty. KSDK interviewed Chatman in December 2009 to explain the developments.
Although today Chatman is a polished litigator who adeptly manages a large docket of cases involving numerous legal issues, he’s traveled a circuitous route to reach this place in his life. Born and raised in Jennings, in north St. Louis County, Chatman, 37, is the first person in his family to earn a law degree. He was raised in a single parent household with his mother and a younger brother. Chatman’s grandfather grew up in the downtown housing projects, but education was one of his highest priorities. So he held several jobs so that he could send his eight children to Lutheran High School North.
In that same tradition, Chatman also attended Lutheran High School North. Although he was good in science, Chatman was mostly interested in sports, at which he also excelled. He went on to play college football at the University of Missouri-Columbia, but by the time he was 20, Chatman had both shoulders reconstructed.
“I realized my body was not going to hold up, that there was a day this would end.” Chatman said. “I knew I had to figure out something serious that I would do with the rest of my life.”
It was during his undergraduate years that he took a class from Dr. Jim Spain, a professor of Animal Science and now Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies. Although Spain was a big football fan, he urged Chatman to think about the future and got him interested in animal science and agricultural studies.
“A great teacher can lead you to get involved in something you never knew you’d be interested in,” Chatman said. “It took a Dr. Spain to make me focus on academics.”
Spain, who remains in contact with Chatman, described him as an exceptional student who also demonstrated leadership skills.
“As an undergraduate student in Animal Science, he distinguished himself through his genuine interest in learning new concepts related to animal nutrition,” Spain said. “His interest in learning led Mr. Chatman to complete an undergraduate research project that became the foundation for a project that my lab supported for over 10 years.”
Chatman went on to get a B.S. in animal science. But he didn’t stop there. Instead he went on to earn three masters degrees – one in agriculture economics, another in animal science and a third in public administration.
While earning the latter, Chatman took several law classes that made him decide to get his J.D. at Mizzou, where he was the Notes and Comment Editor for the Missouri Environmental Law and Policy Review. He was elected to the Order of Barrister, received the Roscoe Anderson Award for Excellence in Advocacy, and was a two-time National Client Counseling Regional Champion.
He joined Armstrong Teasdale in September 2008 and has proven to be a talented litigator with a focus on ERISA, employment, intellectual property, and other business issues. Also experienced in sports law, Chatman advises academic athletic departments on NCAA compliance issues and provides guidance to universities on social media issues. For example, he recently presented a program at Mizzou’s 2012 Celebration of Teaching entitled “Social Media and the Law: Social Media’s Impact on Universities.”
Chatman, who is married and has an 8-month-old son, was selected to participate in the 2010-2011 Leadership Academy of The Missouri Bar and he also serves on the executive committee of the St. Louis Workforce Investment Board.
As he looks back at the Kells case and other successes while at Armstrong Teasdale, Chatman credits the role that Spain and law firm mentors have played in his life, guiding his intellectual interests and teaching him the importance of long-term thinking and goal setting.
“I never thought I could reach this point in my life,” he said. “But here I am.”
