Dowd Bennett Welcomes former U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming; Rebecca McLaughlin Elevated to Partner
Former U.S. Attorney, Sayler A. Fleming, is joining Dowd Bennett as Partner in January, 2026. Fleming, who served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri from December 2020-June 2025, is the latest former U.S. Attorney to join Dowd Bennett. Founding Partner Ed Dowd is a former U.S. Attorney as is Of Counsel Jim Martin. “We are proud to have someone of Sayler Fleming’s intellect and achievements join our ranks,” said Dowd. “The depth and breadth of experience that a former U.S. Attorney brings to our practice is a tremendous benefit to both our clients and our fellow colleagues.”
During her tenure as U.S. Attorney, Fleming was known as a convenor of various law enforcement agencies to fight and reduce violent crime in the St. Louis region and beyond. The Eastern District of Missouri which includes 49 counties in Missouri leads the nation in gun prosecutions, including cases involving carjackings, armed robberies and murders. Under Ms. Fleming’s leadership, St. Louis became one of a handful of cities in the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Initiative, which marshals resources to target the ‘worst of the worst’ violent offenders. Fleming co-chaired the Attorney General’s Child Exploitation Working Group and increased the number of prosecutors handling the child exploitation cases. She also oversaw a number of other areas under the federal prosecutor’s umbrella including fraud, cybercrime and civil litigation to name a few.
Fleming is a graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School and clerked for the Honorable Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. who was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri. Before becoming an Assistant U.S. Attorney, she practiced law at Bryan Cave where she focused on class action, commercial litigation and product liability matters.
Rebecca (Becky) McLaughlin has been elevated to partnership status as of January 1, 2026. McLaughlin has a versatile high-stakes litigation practice in the area of product liability and has developed a special expertise in internal investigations for corporate clients which requires the delicate handling of sensitive information. “Becky McLaughlin is a skilled, seasoned litigator and has benefitted both our clients and colleagues. We also admire her commitment to support women in the legal field and to mentor other women attorneys.”
McLaughlin is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center where she graduated magna cum laude and Order of the Coif. She was also the Co-Managing Editor for the Georgetown Law Journal. She clerked for the Honorable Audrey Fleissig and the Honorable John Ross in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. She is a member of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association and currently serves as a Member of the Board for the Women Lawyers’ Association.