With every case we take on, with every victim we support, we reaffirm our mission to ensure that justice prevails and survivors find their voices.

Our Mission

The mission of St. Louis Survivors Legal Support (SLSLS) is to provide zealous advocacy and meaningful access to justice for victims of intimate partner violence and their children, and to educate the St. Louis community about the legal process and resources for those seeking protection. SLSLS helps victims get effective legal relief in the form of thorough and enforceable orders of protection and other companion orders.

What We Do at SLSLS

Partner with police departments, community advocate organizations, and local establishments that regularly encounter people in distress. Through these relationships, SLSLS connects with victims before they would typically seek help on their own, perhaps saving them from years of abuse.

Educate partner community organizations’ members about the dynamics of intimate partner violence, how to identify victims of intimate partner violence, how to obtain an order of protection, and how to refer cases to SLSLS.

Consult with victims of intimate partner violence to help them determine whether an order of protection is in their best interest (as sometimes the filing of a petition to get a full order of protection could place the victim in a more dangerous situation).

Assist with the SLSLS application process, prepare them for their court hearings, refer them to advocates for safety planning, and connect them with community resources for their other needs.

Provide free legal representation at their order of protection hearings, advocating for them to obtain the relief that they need, such as custody/visitation of their children, child support, rent, firearms relinquishment and batterer programs. When abusers “pose a serious danger” to SLSLS clients (due to the facts alleged and/or the offenders’ history), their attorneys seek lengthy orders of protection.

Help hold offenders accountable when they violate orders of protection, by strategizing with officers from partner police departments, and by helping victims file motions for contempt to report these violations to the judges who issued the orders.

Our History

SLSLS was created for several very basic reasons: 

  1. Too many victims of intimate partner violence fail to report their abuse.  National statistics show that only a small percentage come forward to file petitions for orders of protection.  

  2. The process of petitioning for an order of protection is daunting for victims who are frightened, anxious, tired, and angry.  As a result, many victims do not provide all the information that the judges need to make decisions about both short-term and long-term protection.  Many victims do not ask for all the help that they deserve – and the judges can only grant the help that has been requested.

  3. A huge percentage of those who do file fail to return to the courthouse to have their cases heard, leaving judges little choice but to dismiss their cases.

  4. Of those who actually do return for their hearings, very few have attorneys to help them get the relief that they deserve.

  5. Most victims have no idea that if the abuser violates the order of protection, they can return to the Order of Protection Office and file a motion for contempt.  In contempt court, if the judge finds that the abuser violated the order, the abuser could be jailed for up to six months.

SLSLS was founded on the belief that no victim should go through any part of the order of protection process alone.  

Victims need help filing their petitions to ensure that they convey all the facts necessary to get the relief that they deserve.  Victims are more likely to appear at the courthouse when they know that someone is there waiting for them. Furthermore, victims need experienced professionals representing them in the courtroom to present the evidence sufficient to get long-term protection.  Victims also need help figuring out what to do when the offender violates the order of protection; sometimes calling the police is simply not enough.

SLSLS believes in the generosity of the St. Louis legal community.  Nearly fifteen years ago, SLSLS’ founder counted on attorneys from the community in establishing and sustaining the St. Louis County Domestic Violence Court.  He knew that he could continue turning to incredible local attorneys for support when he founded SLSLS in 2022.  More than 120 attorneys have volunteered to provide their services. 

In its first five months of operating (April - August 2023), SLSLS has hired 2 full-time employees; hosted three all-day volunteer trainings attended by over 125 volunteers; cultivated numerous partnerships with police departments, service providers, and law firms; and, most importantly, handled more than 80 cases, with nearly 100% of its clients returning to the courthouse to have their cases heard.  With additional support, SLSLS will be able to extend a helping hand to so many more victims of intimate partner violence.

Our Team

Leadership

Michael Burton

Michael Burton, Executive Director of SLSLS

Michael D. Burton was a judge on the St. Louis County Circuit Court bench for 22 years. After serving as the Court’s presiding judge, he retired from the bench in August, 2021, to attend a year-long leadership initiative at his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame.

Burton has taught trial advocacy, evidence, and other courses at both Washington University and St. Louis University law schools for more than twenty-five years.

In 2009, Burton founded the St. Louis County Domestic Violence Court, to address better ways to hold offenders accountable and ultimately keep victims safe. Four special dockets were created to focus on monitoring offenders and responding to their noncompliance with the terms of their orders of protection (“O/P”s) and probation. In 2020, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Office on Violence against Women selected the St. Louis County Domestic Violence Court to be one of four Mentor Courts in the country. Only thirteen other courts in the country have received similar recognition.

From 2008 to 2021, Burton developed and maintained a user-friendly process to bring petitions for orders of protection to the circuit court during evenings, weekends and holidays. Moreover, during the pandemic, the St. Louis County Circuit Court developed a system for victims to obtain temporary (ex parte) orders of protection online, without having to leave their residences. He has regularly trained more than a thousand law enforcement officers from all sixty-plus police departments in St. Louis County about these processes and about many other procedures, statutes and rules pertaining to O/Ps and domestic violence.

Burton has written a manual for judges and law enforcement officers on the pertinent local, state and federal procedures, rules, statutes and case law for domestic violence issues. He has also written the Missouri Bar’s chapter (and supplement) on Orders of Protection for its CLE series. Burton created bench cards for all Missouri judges who preside over order of protection hearings.

Burton was the chairperson for the St. Louis County Domestic Violence Council for ten years, the St. Louis County Domestic Violence Court for twelve years and the Missouri Supreme Court's Commission on Combating Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence for its formative first four years.

Burton has trained hundreds of attorneys and judges throughout the state and country on domestic violence issues -- through the St. Louis County Bar, the Missouri Judicial College, the National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. He is currently involved with the American Bar Association’s training of judges and attorneys on best practices for handling DV cases with victims from the LGBTQI+ community.

In 2018, the American Bar Association presented Judge Burton with the Judith Kaye Award for Judicial Excellence. This award recognizes one judge in the country who embodies the commitment provided to victims of domestic and sexual violence by New York State’s former chief judge. While on the bench, Burton was honored for his work in protecting victims of abuse by various organizations, including Legal Advocates for Abused Women, A Woman’s Place and Voices for Children.

Contact me directly at michael.burton@slsls.org

Michael D Burton

Founder and Executive Director

Tali Katz

Tali Katz, Director of Legal Advocacy

Prior to joining SLSLS as the Director of Legal Advocacy, Tali Katz spent six years practicing complex commercial litigation at the law firm Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C.

Before that, she was an Assistant District Attorney in her hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, where she also graduated from Vanderbilt School of Law. Her work as Team Leader of the Domestic Violence Prosecution Team earned her the recognition of the Nashville Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which named her the Outstanding State Government Official in 2014.

As a member of the Nashville Mayor’s Safety and Accountability Assessment Team, Tali served on a committee tasked with assessing how Metro government could improve victim safety and offender accountability in the law enforcement and justice systems. She then worked with the Nashville Mayor’s Office to implement crucial court and prosecution related recommendations, including a coordinated community response to domestic violence through the newly established Family Justice Center.

Tali has served on multiple nonprofit boards, including the Mary Parrish Center for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence, Missouri Appleseed, and the Humane Society of Missouri’s Women’s Leadership Council. She also worked to advance animal protection legislation, partnering with the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation to draft the Pet Protection Bill, which secured pets’ inclusion in orders of protection.

Contact me directly at tali.katz@slsls.org

Tali Katz

Director of Legal Advocacy

Ema Remtula

Ema Remtula, Director of Client Services

Ema Remtula has been a paralegal for 19 years and a legal advocate for victims of violence for 11. Prior to joining SLSLS as the Director of Client Services, Ema worked as a litigation paralegal in personal injury, workman’s compensation, and family law at Klar, Izsak and Stenger, LLC. She has also worked at a variety of non-profit organizations, such as Land of Lincoln Legal Aid in East St. Louis, IL, Call for Help and Legal Services of Eastern Missouri.

Ema has dedicated herself to advocating for victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. In 2016, Ema was published in The St. Louis American business journal for her role at LSEM.

She continues her passion for helping victims in her community, with friends, family, and neighbors by listening, believing, and supporting. Ema also uses her former modeling career as a platform to educate and inform different target groups, working as a model coach to educate young models and their families on potential risks and dangers of falling prey to predators, as well as participating in women’s panels.

Ema earned her Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration and her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Lindenwood University in Belleville, IL, which affords her the knowledge and understanding of law enforcement procedures to further nurture relationships with law enforcement agencies. She also earned her Specialized Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies from Hickey College.

“I aspire to inspire before I expire.” – Author Unknown

Contact me directly at ema.remtula@slsls.org

Ema Remtula

Director of Client Services

Aruna Tailor

Aruna Tailor, Outreach Advocate/Specialist in Immigration Services (OASIS)

Aruna has worked in immigrant communities with an emphasis on domestic violence and women empowerment for more than 20 years.

After graduating with a Masters degree in Social Work from Washington University, she co-founded SAWERAA (South Asian Women Empowerment Association), the only community organization in St. Louis serving victims and survivors of domestic violence in South Asian communities. In 2007, she joined Legal Services of Eastern Missouri as an Accredited Representative advocating for and representing immigrants in acquiring legal benefits. She represented survivors or victims of crimes, including domestic violence and human trafficking.

Currently, she serves on the Board of Safe Connections, a service agency serving victims of domestic violence and empowering youth to prevent being victimized. She is a member of the St. Louis Domestic and Family Violence Council and is a member of the MO Supreme Court Commission on Combating Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence.

In addition, she is serving on the Board of Room at the Inn, a homeless shelter for families and is a member of Immigration Service Providers Network to improve language access for LEP (Limited English Proficiency) immigrants.

Contact me directly at aruna.tailor@slsls.org

Aruna Tailor

Outreach Advocate/Specialist in Immigration Services (OASIS)

Sister Katie Norris

Sister Katie Norris, Client Advocate

Sister Katie Norris is a Daughter of Charity with 50 + years of experience in social work, having worked with children and families who were struggling as well as several years in administration in various social service settings across the country in Texas, Michigan, Alabama, Kentucky, New York, Illinois and Georgia. Sister also served in leadership for the Daughters of Charity in Indiana and Missouri.

Sister was born and raised in Chicago as the second oldest of eight children. Education was a priority as well as giving back to the community.

Sister Katie completed her undergraduate degree at Wayne State University in Detroit and received her Masters in Social work from Fordham University in New York City.

She has served on several boards in the areas of health, education and social services primarily in .

Sister Katie has a heart for those on the margins as well as individuals (old and young) who have suffered injustice and the effects of generational poverty.

Contact me directly at katie.norris@slsls.org

Sister Katie Norris

Client Advocate

Razia Essack

Razia Essack-Kauaria, Grant Writer & Researcher

Razia Essack-Kauaria has worked at the executive levels in direct response, management and advocacy in the health, humanitarian and human rights fields mostly in Africa and at the international level.

Razia graduated with an MPA in public administration and policy analysis from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville and started her career in South Africa and the United States.

Razia relocated to Namibia in 1992 and worked for the Ford Foundation as Grants Administrator and then as Secretary General of the Namibia Red Cross Society, taking the organization from 25 to 650 staff at the height of the HIV AIDS pandemic. She joined the Aurum Institute in South Africa which focused on HIV related TB in a multi-country research project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She then went on to serve as the Director of Governance Support and Global Monitoring for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Switzerland, responding to a global network of national societies.

Her work in the United States has primarily been as a consultant for the United Nations, Civil Rights Enforcement Agency and Organization for Black Struggle among others.

Razia has served on the governing boards of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria, as well as on community projects and boards in St Louis.

Born in Newcastle, South Africa and married to a Namibian, her family resides in St. Louis with their two adult sons, all of whom are American citizens. She is a firm believer that all lives must have equal value and that the spirit of Ubuntu (I am because we are) will help create a better world for all.

Contact me directly at razia.kauaria@slsls.org

Razia Essack-Kauaria

Grant Writer & Researcher

SLSLS Staff

SLSLS Staff

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