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Jame Sansone, middle
back row, poses with wife Kathryn and his three daughters
and seven sons. He says his law degree helped him advance
in the business world.
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Law
and Family
By Miranda Fleschert and Casey Baker
James Sansone's father, Anthony Sansone Sr.,
encourages all of the members of their family-owned real estate
development firm to have a different professional degree. It helps
provide clients with the broadest range of expertise possible.
The Sansone Group in St. Louis boasts MBAs, CPMs, a host of finance
and real estate degrees and even some engineers. But James G.
Sansone, ’87, has a particular fondness for law degrees.
He says a company can’t have too many attorneys. In property
development, a law degree
is a tremendous advantage. “With all the various laws and
regulations, it is great benefit. The analytical skills learned
in law school are applied daily.”
Founded in 1957, the firm provides service in the fields of property
management, leasing, brokerage, tenant representation, development
and market research. Jim Sansone is responsible for all zoning,
rezoning, entitlement and permitting activities in addition to
all corporate general counsel duties. He currently manages more
than 20 million square feet of property worth in excess of $2
billion.
As the father of 10 children — seven boys and three girls
who range in ages from 2 to 19 — Sansone and his wife Kathryn,
also have their hands full at home. He stresses the importance
that family and faith have in shaping every aspect of his life.
Sansone recently was named to the Order of St. Louis King, the
highest honor that a layperson can receive in the Catholic Church.
The award is particularly meaningful because his father received
it 10 years earlier.
Sansone admires the kind of man his father is and wanted to follow
him in business because he respects how he conducts himself, but
he also says his mother is a wonderful example who strongly encouraged
him to become an attorney. The grandmother of 40 recently went
back to school to earn her college degree.
Sansone didn’t start out wanting to go to law school. When
he graduated with a bachelor’s degree from St. Louis University
in 1983, he couldn’t wait to begin his career in business
and began working for a large company right away. While it was
a good experience, Sansone quickly realized that a professional
degree could provide even greater opportunities. After attending
a major real estate convention with his parents and meeting several
nonpracticing attorneys in the business, Sansone knew law school
was the right choice for him.
Sansone chose MU because of its statewide network of professionals
and strong reputation. “From a business standpoint, it’s
one of best decisions I’ve ever made,” he says. He
still keeps in touch with Dean Bob Bailey, whom he says is a “great
mentor and personal friend.” Bailey taught him that “everything
is not black and white,” and forced him to recognize a whole
new way of thinking.
With all that’s on his plate, Sansone says the unique thought
process he learned in law school helps him on a daily basis. “In
my discussions with neighborhood groups and government officials,
or while negotiating on real estate contracts or leases, the ability
to think beyond what is right in front of me has been an advantage
in my career.”
Sansone wants current law students to know that if they decide
a law firm job is not for them, it is not something they should
feel the need to explain or justify. “If you can show your
purpose (for going to law school) is to gain a better understanding
of law and its application in the workplace, and to be comfortable
when those issues, the laws and regulations, arise, the education
will help you advance in the business world. It’s of great
value in all industry.”
Even if students don’t plan to practice law, Sansone advises
them to go ahead and become licensed. “It establishes credibility
in a way that nothing else can,” he says.
With the oldest two of his 10 children now in college, Sansone
is encouraging all of his kids to pursue law degrees. “It’s
one degree that can be applied to all areas of commerce, finance,
medicine … it’s universally beneficial. Whether you
practice law or not you utilize the skills learned in law school.”
Sansone hopes to pass this wisdom on to his children in much the
same way his own father and mother did for him.
Sansone and his wife reside in St. Louis with their 10 children.
She has been featured on Oprah as a role model for motherhood
and a poster woman of fitness. She is the author of Woman
First, Family Always.
Originally published in the Fall 2007 issue
of Transcript, the magazine for alumni and friends of the
MU School of Law.
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Last Update:
February 15, 2008
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