James “Alex” Starnes is a third-generation lawyer from St. Clair County, Illinois.  He attended the University of Missouri – Columbia where he received a Bachelor of Arts in political science and minored in history.  Starnes then attended the Southern Illinois University School of Law where he received his Juris Doctor.  He has clerked for a circuit court judge, interned with the St. Clair County State’s Attorney, and did pro bono work for the Madison County Public Defender.  Starnes, a cancer survivor, seeks to be a zealous and effective advocate for individuals and families affected by asbestos lung cancer and mesothelioma.