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Conference

2021 Virtual Annual Meeting


Total Credits: 20.6 MCLE, 11.2 Ethics, 4.7 Elimination of Bias, 19.0 Kansas Credit, 11.0 Kansas Ethics, 2.0 Kansas LPM


Dates
Schedule at a glance


Description

2021 Virtual Annual Meeting


Annual Meeting Week Sept. 20-24
Encore Sessions Sept. 27 - Oct. 1


Full Registration Only $189

Plenary Sessions

  • Exploring the Nexus Between Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Lawyer Well-Being
  • Voting Rights Past, Present & Future: Constitutional, Legal, and Historical Context
  • Regulating the Internet: Multi-Billion Dollar Companies, Government Power and Free Speech - Section 230, Social Media, First Amendment, Antitrust

Specialized Tracks

All About Business  |  Family Law  |  Probate, Trust and Elder  | All About Litigation  | LawFusion2021
 

Highlights

  • More than 25 track and plenary sessions available to choose from
  • Convenient, easy to access, fatigue free “lunch & learn” session schedule
  • No need to block out calendar or spend long days tied to your computer screen
  • "Encore Week" Sept. 27 - Oct. 1 (rebroadcasts of select track sessions for additional live credit)
  • Access to all conference materials and sessions for the next year for self-study

 

Materials

Speaker

Comm. Carol Aiken's Profile

Comm. Carol Aiken Related Seminars and Products

31st Judicial Circuit Court


Comm. Aiken was appointed probate commissioner for the Greene County Circuit Court in 1997.  She practiced in the Missouri Attorney General's Office from 1995-1997 and at Woolsey, Fisher, Whitaker, and McDonald from 1988-1995.

Comm. Aiken is a member of the National College of Probate Judges, the Missouri Association of Probate and Associate Circuit Judges, the Southern Missouri Women Lawyers, and the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association.

Comm. Aiken received her B.A. in English literature at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts in 1979 and her M.A. in journalism at the University of Missouri - Columbia in 1981. She received her J.D. at University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law in 1988. 

 

 


Seth Albin's Profile

Seth Albin Related Seminars and Products

Summers Compton Wells, LLC


Seth Albin is a member of the law firm of Summers Compton Wells, LLC, where he focuses his practice on the areas of Bankruptcy, including representing individuals and businesses, Creditor’s Rights, Family Law, Enforcement and Collection of Judgments Secured Transactions, Arbitration, and Litigation. Seth currently serves as a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Panel Trustee, a Chapter 12 Bankruptcy Panel Trustee and a Subchapter V Trustee for the Eastern District of Missouri as well as a panel arbitrator for United States Arbitration and Mediation. Seth has served as a Receiver, Special Master and as a Guardian Ad Litem in civil and domestic cases. Seth also volunteers for the St. Louis County Domestic Violence Court as a Special Prosecutor. Seth has lectured on topics such as the intersection of Bankruptcy and Family Law, Bankruptcy and Civil Litigation, Receiverships, Adoption, Enforcement and Collection of Judgments, Revised Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code and Arbitration Clauses in Commercial Transactions and is the co-author of Chapter 4 of the Missouri Bar Bankruptcy Practice Deskbook.


Sarah Bardol's Profile

Sarah Bardol Related Seminars and Products

Minana & Associates


Sarah Bardol is an associate in the firm’s litigation practice group. Her extensive experience working in the court system, as well as in the role of assistant prosecuting attorney, make her a strong asset to the firm's team.

Prior to joining Armstrong Teasdale, Sarah was a judicial law clerk to Judge E. Richard Webber in the U.S. District Court. Eastern District of Missouri. She previously served as a judicial law clerk to Judge Sherri Sullivan, Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District.

Sarah has additional experience as an assistant prosecuting attorney to the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney in Union, Missouri; a court certified law clerk in the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office in Oregon City, Oregon; and a law clerk for the child advocacy section of the Oregon Department of Justice in Eugene, Oregon.

Sarah is an active volunteer with the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, serving on its Attorneys Against Hunger Committee. She is also chair of the Women in the Legal Profession Section and chair-elect for the Young Lawyers Division at The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. 

Sarah has organized more than 50 food and necessities distributions in the past year. Every week, she and others in the legal profession make 2,000 sandwiches which are given out – along with other food, personal protective equipment, and toiletries – at distribution sites throughout the St. Louis area. 

Sarah received the 2021 Legal Champion Award from Missouri Lawyers Media; the 2021 Tom Cochran Community Service Award from The Missouri Bar Young Lawyers' Section; and the 2021 Ronda F. Williams Community Awareness Award from The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. 

Sarah received her J.D. from the University of Oregon School of  Law and her B.S. in criminal justice from Lindenwood University.
 


Melinda J. Bentley's Profile

Melinda J. Bentley Related Seminars and Products

Legal Ethics Counsel


Melinda serves as legal ethics counsel in Missouri where she provides oral and written informal advisory opinions to attorneys on issues related to the Missouri Rules of Professional Conduct. In that position, she also serves as administrator and counsel to the Advisory Committee of the Supreme Court of Missouri. Melinda began serving in this position in 2012.

Previously, Melinda worked for the Illinois State Bar Association as assistant counsel from 2001-2003, first assistant counsel from 2003-2011, and assistant director of legislative affairs from 2009-2011. She is a frequent speaker and author on professional responsibility matters.

Melinda currently serves as a member of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, the Solo and Small Firm Conference Planning Committee, and the Special Committee on Remote Public Access to Case.net. She was a board member and officer of the National Organization of Bar Counsel from 2015-2020, including a term as president from 2018-2019, and she formerly served on the editorial board of the ABA/BNA Lawyers’ Manual on Professional Conduct as a member (2015-2016) and chair (2016-2018), as well as a member of the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility Coordinating Council (2016-2018).

Melinda is licensed in both Missouri and Illinois, and she is a member of The Missouri Bar, Illinois State Bar Association, American Bar Association, National Organization of Bar Counsel, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, and Cole County Bar Association.


Brandon Boulware's Profile

Brandon Boulware Related Seminars and Products

Boulware Law LLC


Brandon Boulware handles business litigation and catastrophic personal injury matters. He began his legal career clerking for a Missouri Supreme Court judge, followed by a federal trial court clerkship. He then practiced with a business litigation boutique for 13 years. Brandon started his own firm in 2018, and lives in Kansas City with his wife and four children.  


Suzanne Brown Walsh's Profile

Suzanne Brown Walsh Related Seminars and Products

Murtha Cullina Attorneys at Law


As a member in the firm’s Trusts and Estates Department, Suzanne Brown Walsh represents clients in the areas of estate and tax planning, particularly for families of children with special needs, elder law, estate and trust administration, trust modifications and trustee changes.

Suzy is nationally known for her speaking and writing, including the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, the Southern Federal Tax Institute, and numerous regional organizations throughout the country. She has been interviewed for On the Media, PBS Newshour Weekend and Marketplace Money. She has been quoted in the New York Times, Time Magazine, Bloomberg BNA’s Electronic Commerce Law Report, The Chattanooga Times Free Press, The Kansas City Star and by NBC News, CBS News and Agence France-Presse.

Suzy is a member of the Connecticut Bar and holds a B.S. degree from Boston University and a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School.

Since 2005, Suzy has served as one of Connecticut’s Commissioners on Uniform Laws.  As such, she represents Connecticut as a member of the Uniform Law Commission, a national organization which promotes statutory uniformity.  She chaired the ULC’s Drafting Committees on Electronic Wills, the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, the Amendments to the Uniform Principal and Income Act (2008), as well as a study committee on Mental Health Advance Directives.

Suzy currently is a member of the Conflicts of Laws in Trusts and Estates, Economic Rights of Unmarried Cohabitants and Health Care Decisions Act drafting committees, and serves on the ULC’s Joint Editorial Board on Uniform Trust and Estate Acts and Legislative Council.  She has served on the ULC’s Scope and Program Committee and Drafting Committees for the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction, Uniform Insurable Interests in Trusts, Uniform Premarital and Marital Agreements, Uniform Powers of Appointment, Trust Decanting, Regulation of Virtual Currency Businesses, Directed Trust, and Fundraising Through Public Appeals Acts.  In addition, Suzy taught Estate Planning and Taxation at the University of Connecticut Law School.

Suzy is a past chair and current executive committee member of both the Connecticut Bar Association’s Estates and Probate and Elder Law Sections. She is a Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel (ACTEC) and has chaired its Digital Property Committee, and is a member of the Program, Digital Property and State Laws Committees. She has also served on the board of directors of several community organizations, including PLAN of Connecticut, Inc., a nonprofit corporation providing low-cost trust services to the families of the disabled. Before it was disbanded, Suzy served for years on the Connecticut Law Revision Commission’s Probate Advisory Committee.


Hon. Michael Burton's Profile

Hon. Michael Burton Related Seminars and Products

St. Louis Co. Courthouse


Michael D. Burton was appointed circuit judge on Feb. 16, 2004, by Gov. Bob Holden. He was appointed an associate circuit judge by Gov. Mel Carnahan on Apr. 19, 1999.

He received his B.A. in government from the University of Notre Dame in 1982, and his law degree from Washington University School of Law in 1985.

From 1985 until 1989, Judge Burton was an assistant public defender for the Special Public Defender's Office, serving St. Louis and St. Louis County. He practiced law from 1989-1999 with the law firm of Margulis, Grant, Burton & Margulis, P.C. He was a guardian ad litem for the St. Louis County Family Court from 1995 to 1999.

The St. Louis County judges elected Judge Burton to be the Circuit's Presiding Judge in March 2020 and again in October 2020.

From 2008-2012, Judge Burton served as the St. Louis County Family Court Administrative Judge. He chaired the St. Louis County Domestic and Family Violence Council from 2008 to 2012 and from 2015 to 2020. In 2016, Judge Burton became the Circuit's first full-time alternative treatment court judge, presiding over the Drug, DWI, Veteran and Mental Health courts. From 2016 to 2020, he chaired the Missouri Supreme Court's Commission on Battling Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence.

Judge Burton is involved in numerous community and volunteer activities. In 1991, he and his wife started Join Hands, ESL, an organization that offers various programs to youth from East St. Louis, IL housing projects. Judge Burton has been the president and founder of the organization's Boys Club since 1991. He volunteered as a truancy court judge for the Ferguson-Florissant School District from 2000 to 2008. He is past president and co-founder of the Alumni Association for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri and served on its board of directors from 2003 to 2008. He was a parish council member and chairman of the St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church from 1998 to 2001 and was a mentor for the St. Louis Association for Retarded Citizens from 1991-2008.

In 2018, the American Bar Association gave Judge Burton its Judith Kaye Award for Judicial Excellence (which recognizes one judge in the country who embodies the New York State's former chief judge's commitment to victims of domestic and sexual violence).

In 2013, Judge Burton received the Spirit of Justice Award from the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis; the Champion for Change Award from A Woman's Place, and the Community Superhero Award from Voices for Children/Court Appointed Special Advocates. In 2011, he received Washington University School of Law's Distinguished Young Alumnus Award and the first Ellen Cowell Leadership Award from the Missouri Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. Judge Burton also received the Special Recognition Award from Legal Advocates for Abused Women (2009); Children's Advocacy Award from Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (2007); St. Louis University School of Law's Clarence Darrow Award for Public Service (2006); the Legacy Award (2005) from Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri; and the Missouri Bar's Tom Cochran Community Service Award (2004).

Judge Burton has been an adjunct professor of law at Washington University School of Law since 1997 (teaching Evidence and Trial Advocacy), and at St. Louis University Law School since 1992 (teaching Trial Advocacy and Pre-Trial Practice). He has been a judicial instructor at the Missouri Judicial College since 2000, and an adjunct judicial instructor at the National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges since 2008.

Judge Burton is a member of Mary Queen of Peace and St. Vincent DePaul Parishes. He belongs to the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis and the St. Louis County Bar Association.
 


Alisse Camazine's Profile

Alisse Camazine Related Seminars and Products

Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal, P.C.


In her over 40 years of practice, Alisse Camazine has become one of the leading family law practitioners in the St. Louis area. 
She has been listed in Best Lawyers in the area of Family Law since 1993. She became a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in 1988 and has been certified as an arbitrator by the Academy. She received the Women’s Justice Award for Trial Practice from Lawyers Media in April 2009, recognizing women who have demonstrated leadership, integrity, service, sacrifice, and accomplishment in improving the quality of justice and furthering the highest ideals of the legal profession. She is ranked annually by St. Louis Magazine as one of St. Louis’s “Top Lawyers” for Family Law. Since 2005, she has been listed in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers which, in 2018, named her one of the Top 10 Missouri & Kansas Lawyers. Super Lawyers has also designated her as one of St. Louis’s “Top Fifty Lawyers” and “Top Fifty Women Lawyers,” and she was voted Missouri’s best divorce attorney in a poll conducted by the legal newspaper Missouri Lawyers’ Weekly, in October, 2007. In 2010, she was selected as “Lawyer of the Year—Family Law” by Best Lawyers. Ms. Camazine, along with her long-time law partner Alan Freed, co-authored the book Divorce in Missouri, which was published in April 2009. She has co-authored many articles for legal journals and continuing legal education programs, including a chapter in the Missouri Bar Family Law desk book titled, “Enforcement of Judgments.” Ms. Camazine has lectured on a wide range of family law topics such as Property Division in Complex Dissolution Cases, Ethical Issues in Family Law, Psychological Testing in Custody Cases, and Ethical Issues for Psychologists in Custody Cases. She has co-authored many articles for legal journals and continuing legal education programs.
Ms. Camazine handles family law cases including division of complex property cases, spousal support, paternity and child support. She is well known for her handling of and complex child custody cases involving mental illness, addiction, sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, orders of protection and adult abuse orders motions to modify. Ms. Camazine is well known for her trial strategies and her expertise in the court room and handles lengthy, complicated custody and divorce matters.

 


Hon. Nicole Colbert-Botchway's Profile

Hon. Nicole Colbert-Botchway Related Seminars and Products

22nd Judicial Circuit


Judge Nicole Colbert-Botchway was appointed associate circuit court judge July 2, 2015, and she was retained in 2016 and 2020.

Judge Colbert-Botchway served as an Administrative Hearing Commissioner for Missouri when appointed to the associate circuit bench by Gov. Jay Nixon on July 2, 2015. After working in private practice and serving as an assistant circuit attorney for the St. Louis City Circuit Attorney's Office, Judge Colbert-Botchway served as an assistant attorney general and unit leader for Missouri for over ten years.

Judge Colbert-Botchway has also served for many years in several bar and community leadership roles including on The Missouri Bar Board of Governors.

Judge Colbert-Botchway received her B.A. from Saint Louis University, her M.B.A. from University of Missouri - St. Louis, and her J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law.


Rep. Mary Elizabeth Coleman's Profile

Rep. Mary Elizabeth Coleman Related Seminars and Products


Representative Mary Elizabeth Coleman, a Republican, represents parts of Jefferson and St. Louis counties (District 97) in the Missouri House of Representatives. She was elected to her first two-year term in November of 2018.


Lauren Collins's Profile

Lauren Collins Related Seminars and Products

The Automobile Club of Missouri


Comm. Patrick Connaghan's Profile

Comm. Patrick Connaghan Related Seminars and Products

Of Counsel

UB Greensfelder LLP


Patrick Connaghan is a highly respected legal professional who previously served as the Probate Commissioner and Clerk of the Probate Division for the 22nd Judicial Circuit, which covers the City of St. Louis, from 2007 to 2022. In this role, he was responsible for administering and overseeing probate cases, including the management of trusts, estates, and guardianships, as well as hearing civil commitment cases involving mental health and addiction issues. He brings the deep knowledge and experience gained from his time at the probate court to help clients resolve issues in an effective manner and navigate difficult situations.

Before his appointment as Probate Commissioner, Patrick’s long and distinguished career in public service included 12 years as General Counsel for the St. Louis City Board of Aldermen. There, he was responsible for providing legal advice and representation to the board and its members, as well as drafting legislation and serving as a liaison to the city’s operating departments.



Prof. Travis Crum's Profile

Prof. Travis Crum Related Seminars and Products

Washington University School of Law - St. Louis


Travis Crum is an associate professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis. Professor Crum’s scholarship explores the relationship between voting rights, race, and federalism. His current projects examine the Fifteenth Amendment as an independent constitutional provision and the role of racially polarized voting in redistricting.

Professor Crum’s work on the Voting Rights Act’s bail-in provision was described by the Wall Street Journal as the “blueprint” for the “Obama administration’s new legal strategy to preserve decades of minority-voting rights” in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder striking down the VRA’s coverage formula. His work has also been discussed in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and MSNBC. He is a frequent contributor to the Election Law Blog and Take Care. Professor Crum’s proposal for an effects-test bail-in provision was incorporated in the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives.

Professor Crum served as a law clerk to Justice Anthony Kennedy and Justice (Ret.) John Paul Stevens on the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge David Tatel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, and Judge Myron Thompson on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. While in practice, he was a Bristow Fellow in the Office of the Solicitor General of the United States and an associate at Mayer Brown LLP. Immediately prior to joining the faculty, he was a Bigelow Fellow at the University of Chicago Law School. Professor Crum received his JD from Yale Law School, his master’s degree from the London School of Economics, and his undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University. He was a first-generation college student.


Hon. Heather Cunningham's Profile

Hon. Heather Cunningham Related Seminars and Products

St. Louis County Circuit Court


Heather R. Cunningham was appointed associate circuit judge Mar. 6, 2020, by Gov. Mike Parson. Prior to her appointment, Judge Cunningham previously served as a commissioner for the Juvenile Division of the Family Court.

Judge Cunningham graduated from Bradley University with a degree in political science and a minor in history. She received her law degree from St. Louis University.

Before her appointment to the bench, Judge Cunningham worked for the family law firm of Cordell & Cordell, P.C., and served as attorney for the juvenile officer in the 20th Circuit and the 21st Circuit Courts. She was an adjunct professor at St. Louis Community College -Meramec. Judge Cunningham serves as the co-chair of the Court's Diversity and Inclusion Committee and chair of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. She is also involved with the Court's Student Encouragement Program (formerly Truancy Court).

She is a member of The Missouri Bar, St. Louis County Bar, Women Lawyers' Association of St. Louis, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis and Mound City Bar Association.

Judge Cunningham lives in St. Louis County with her family.


Keith Cutler's Profile

Keith Cutler Related Seminars and Products

James W. Tippin & Associates


Keith Cutler is a trial attorney with the law firm of James W. Tippin & Associates in Kansas City, and has practiced in the areas of commercial, construction, general liability, and insurance defense litigation for close to 35 years.  He is a frequent CLE speaker on trial practice; ethics and professionalism; and diversity, equity, and inclusion.


Hon. Deborah Daniels's Profile

Hon. Deborah Daniels Related Seminars and Products

13th Judicial Circuit Court (retired)


Judge Deborah Daniels serves as a senior judge, after almost 12 years as an associate circuit judge for the 13th Judicial Circuit Court. She was the judge responsible for the probate division. From 1983 - 2023,  she was an adjunct professor of law at University of Missouri-Columbia.

Before joining the bench, Judge Daniels served as chief counsel at the Missouri Attorney General's Office and assistant prosecuting attorney in Boone County. 

Judge Daniels is ASTAR judge. She has made presentations to judges and lawyers for continuing education and has been a member of the Missouri Supreme Court Committee on Instructions and Rules-Criminal for many years.  


Athena Dickson's Profile

Athena Dickson Related Seminars and Products

Siro Smith Dickson PC


Athena Dickson joined the firm as an associate in 2003 and currently practices in the areas of Personal Injury and Employment Discrimination. She is licensed to practice in Missouri and Kansas state courts as well as federal courts in the District of Kansas and the Western District of Missouri. “Taking the time to listen to a person’s needs” is the foundation of Ms. Dickson’s personal philosophy in practicing law. Ms. Dickson recognizes that litigation can be intimidating for her clients, and she makes every effort to help make it easier and less stressful.
Ms. Dickson is also active in the community by serving on the board of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation (KCMBF) She also represents District 12 (Kansas City) on the Missouri Bar Board of Governors. Ms. Dickson is also a board member on the Lawyers Encouraging Academic Performance (LEAP) board. Ms. Dickson has served as a mentor as part of AWLF’s Denise Hennings Connections Program since 2014 and is currently the board liaison to the program. She has also served as President of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA) in 2020, of the Association for Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City (AWL) in 2014, and KCMBA’s YLS Section in 2013.

 



Prof. Joshua Douglas's Profile

Prof. Joshua Douglas Related Seminars and Products

University of Kentucky College of Law


Prof. Joshua A. Douglas teaches and researches election law and voting rights, civil procedure, constitutional law, and judicial decision making. He is the author of Vote for US: How to Take Back our Elections and Change the Future of Voting, a popular press book that provides hope and inspiration for a positive path forward on voting rights.

His most recent legal scholarship focuses on the constitutional right to vote, with an emphasis on state constitutions, as well as the various laws, rules, and judicial decisions impacting election administration.  He has also written extensively on election law procedure.

Prof. Douglas has published in top journals, including the Georgetown Law Journal, Penn Law Review Online, Vanderbilt Law Review, Washington University Law Review, George Washington Law Review, William & Mary Law Review, Indiana Law Journal, and the Election Law Journal, among others. His article Procedural Fairness in Election Contests was a winner of the 2011-12 SEALS Call for Papers, and he has been cited extensively in major law review articles and case books in the field.

He is also a co-author of an Election Law case book (Aspen Publishers 2014) and a co-editor of Election Law Stories (Foundation Press 2016), which tells the behind-the-scenes stories of the major cases in the field. In addition, his media commentaries have appeared in the New York Times, CNN, Washington Post, LA Times, USA Today, Reuters, Politico, The Atlantic, Huffington Post, and Slate, among others, and he has been quoted in major newspapers throughout the country. He appeared live on CNN on Election Day 2016.

Further, he was the founder and initial chair of the AALS Section on Election Law.

Prior to joining UK, Prof. Douglas clerked for the Honorable Edward C. Prado of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and practiced litigation at the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld. Professor Douglas earned his J.D., with highest honors, from George Washington University Law School, where he was an articles editor on the GW Law Review.


Whittney Dunn's Profile

Whittney Dunn Related Seminars and Products

Barnes & Thornburg LLP


Whittney Dunn is a professional responsibility attorney providing legal ethics and professional responsibility advice to the attorneys of Barnes & Thornburg LLP, an AmLaw 100 firm. Whittney previously served as Senior Risk Manager at The Bar Plan, where she gave ethics CLEs and provided guidance to insureds on practicing ethically. 


Prof. Atiba Ellis's Profile

Prof. Atiba Ellis Related Seminars and Products

Marquette University Law School


Prof. Atiba R. Ellis joined the Marquette University Law School faculty in 2018. His research focuses on voting rights law with specific attention to how varying conceptions of the right to vote exclude voters on the margins. He has written about the economic entry barriers posed by voter ID laws, felon disenfranchisement laws, the theoretical effects of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, the impact of the Supreme Court's decision in Shelby County v. Holder, and related topics. Prof. Ellis’s current research focuses on voting rights theory and how ideology affects the scope of the right to vote. He has also written on critical legal theory and legal history.

Prof. Ellis is a frequent speaker at academic conferences, university and law school lectures, and community events about voting rights law, how race and gender affect the law of politics, diversity issues, and other matters related to the law of politics.

Prof. Ellis joined Marquette after teaching for nine years at West Virginia University College of Law and after serving as the Boden Visiting Professor of Law at Marquette Law School in the fall of 2017.


Prof. David English's Profile

Prof. David English Related Seminars and Products

University of Missouri - Columbia


Prof. English joined the MU law faculty in 1999, following a career as an estate planning partner with the Chicago law firm of D’Ancona & Pflaum and teaching at the Universities of South Dakota and Santa Clara.

Prof. English is best known for his work with the Uniform Law Commission, for which he was the reporter for the Uniform Trust Code, the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act, and the Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act. He was also the chair of the drafting committee on the Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship and Other Protective Arrangements Act.

Prof. English has also been active in the ABA and The Missouri Bar. For the 2018-2019 bar year, he served as chair of the ABA Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section, and he is a former chair of the ABA Commission on Law and Aging, a former member of the ABA House of Delegates, and a former chair of the Probate and Trust Committee of The Missouri Bar.

Professor English is co-author of the three-volume treatise, Tax, Estate and Financial Planning for the Elderly, successor author of volumes 4A, 4B, and volumes 5 through 5D of Missouri Practice, and co-author of the books Wills, Trusts and Estates, Principles of Wills, Trusts and Estate, and the Fiduciary Accounting and Trust Administration Guide. He teaches Estates and Trusts, Estate Planning, Elder Law, and Fiduciary Administration.



Nicole Fisher's Profile

Nicole Fisher Related Seminars and Products

Fisher Law LLC


Nicole is the founding member of the firm, Fisher Law LLC. Nicole focuses her practice on representing individuals in their family law litigation. She is passionate about representing real people in their most personal matters. Nicole is licensed to practice law in Missouri and Kansas.


Prof. Chad Flanders's Profile

Prof. Chad Flanders Related Seminars and Products

St. Louis University School of Law


Prof. Patricia Fry's Profile

Prof. Patricia Fry Related Seminars and Products

University of Missouri-Columbia


Patricia Fry retired in 2007 after 30 years of teaching commercial law. She is the Edward W. Hinton Professor of Law Emeritus at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law.  

From 1990 to 1994, Professor Fry chaired the Subcommittee on Electronic Commercial Practices of the Uniform Commercial Code Committee, ABA Business Law Section. That Subcommittee grew quickly under her leadership and now is the Cyberspace Committee of the ABA Business Law Section.

After her appointment to the Uniform Law Commission in 1991, Professor Fry served on Drafting Committees to revise UCC Article 2 and for the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act. She chaired the Drafting Committee for the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.  

In 2000, upon her move to the University of Missouri-Columbia, she was appointed to the Uniform Law Commission [ULC] for Missouri and continued to serve on a variety of study and drafting committees. Now a life member of the ULC, she most recently chaired the Drafting Committee to Revise the Uniform Law on Notarial Acts and its subsequent amendments. She currently is a member emeritus of the Permanent Editorial Board for the Uniform Commercial Code, and a member of the Drafting Committee for the Public Meetings During Emergencies Act and the Study Committees on Mortgage Modifications and Public Health Emergency Authorities. She is a member of the Uniform Law Commission’s Committee to Monitor Developments in Technology.

Throughout her career, Professor Fry has spoken and written on the subject of the relation between commercial transactions and practices, electronic technologies and the law.
 


Sheena Hamilton's Profile

Sheena Hamilton Related Seminars and Products

St. Louis City Counselor's Office


Hon. Bruce Hilton's Profile

Hon. Bruce Hilton Related Seminars and Products

Circuit Judge Div.13 21st Judicial Circuit


Bruce Hilton was appointed circuit judge in June 2017.

Before his appointment to the bench, Judge Hilton was engaged in the private practice of law. He worked for: Leritz, Reinert & Duree PC, from 1984 to 1989; Charles P. Todt & Associates, from 1989 to 1991; Eisen, Gillespie, Brown & Hilton, LLC, from 1991 to 1995; Hilton, Gillespie & Kiesewetter, LLC, from 1995 to 2001; Hilton & Kiesewetter, LLC, from 2001 to 2005; Hilton & Harford, LLC, from 2005 to 2011 and Hilton Family Law Group, LLC, from 2011 to 2017.

Judge Hilton serves on the board of the Meacham Park Neighborhood Improvement Association and the Kirkwood Library. He is a member of The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, St. Louis County Bar Association (past president), The Lawyers Association of St. Louis, and Mound City Bar Association.

Judge HIlton was chair of the 21st Judicial Circuit Judicial Evaluation Committee from 2008 to 2013. In 1992, he received the Good Citizen's Award from the Grand Jurors Association. He also serves as a volunteer judge for the student encouragement program.

Judge Hilton received his B.A. in history from St. Louis University in 1980 and his J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1986.


Eric Jennings's Profile

Eric Jennings Related Seminars and Products

Supreme Court of Missouri


Eric Jennings currently serves as general counsel for The Missouri Bar. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Law (2005) and Truman State University (2002) and a member of The Missouri Bar, BAMSL, SMBA, and the Federalist Society.


Eric Johnson's Profile

Eric Johnson Related Seminars and Products

Spencer Fane, LLP


Eric is a partner at Spencer Fane LLP where he serves as the practice group leader for the bankruptcy, restructuring and creditors’ rights group and co-practice group leader of the firm’s banking and financial services group. Eric represents clients in bankruptcy, non-bankruptcy insolvency proceedings, such as receiverships, and other related insolvency matters.

Eric is a fellow of The American College of Bankruptcy and serves on the board of directors for the American Bankruptcy Institute, one of the leading organizations for insolvency professionals. Eric was recently named by Best Lawyers in America as a 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for Kansas City, Missouri for bankruptcy litigation and bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law.

Eric received his Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law and his undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa, where he currently serves on the board of managers for the alumni association.


Aaron Kirkland's Profile

Aaron Kirkland Related Seminars and Products

Kirkland Woods & Martinsen LLP


Prof. Jeffrey Kosseff's Profile

Prof. Jeffrey Kosseff Related Seminars and Products

United States Naval Academy


Prof. Jeff Kosseff is an Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity Law at the United States Naval Academy. He is the author of Cybersecurity Law (Wiley), the first comprehensive textbook on U.S. cybersecurity laws and regulations, and in Spring 2019 he published The Twenty-Six Words that Created the Internet (Cornell University Press), a nonfiction narrative history of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.  He currently is writing a third book, also for Cornell University Press, tentatively titled United States of Anonymous Speech, about the history of the First Amendment right to anonymous speech in the United States, from the Federalist Papers to online postings. 


Prof. Thom Lambert's Profile

Prof. Thom Lambert Related Seminars and Products

Center for Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship


Prof. Thomas A. Lambert is the Wall Chair in Corporate Law and Governance and Professor of Law at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. 

Lambert’s scholarship focuses on antitrust, corporate and regulatory matters. He is the author of How to Regulate: A Guide for Policymakers (Cambridge Univ. Press 2017) and co-author of Antitrust Law: Interpretation and Implementation (5th ed., Foundation Press, 2013). He has also authored or co-authored numerous book chapters and more than 20 journal articles in such publications as the Antitrust Bulletin, the Boston College Law Review, the Minnesota Law Review, the Texas Law Review and the Yale Journal on Regulation. He blogs regularly at Truth on the Market, a site focused on academic commentary on antitrust, business and economic legal issues.


Alexander Lee's Profile

Alexander Lee Related Seminars and Products

TKC Holdings, Inc.


Alex is the chief legal officer for TKC Holdings, Inc. (formerly Centric Group, LLC).

Alex previously practiced complex litigation including medical professional liability defense, commercial litigation, contracts, and employment law. 

Alex received his B.A. in political science from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law.

 

 


Dean Lyrissa Lidsky's Profile

Dean Lyrissa Lidsky Related Seminars and Products

University of Missouri - Columbia School of Law


Dean Lyrissa Lidsky is dean of the University of Missouri - Columbia School of Law and Judge C.A. Leedy Professor of Law. The focus of her research and teaching is the intersection of Tort Law and the First Amendment, with an emphasis on free speech issues in social media. 

A prominent Media Law scholar, she is co-reporter on the Restatement of Defamation and Privacy, co-author of a leading Media Law casebook, a First Amendment casebook, and a reference book on press freedom. She has published dozens of articles, culminating in her recent article in the California Law Review titled Considering the Context of Online Threats. Her work on anonymous speech has been cited by a number of state supreme courts and the highest courts of Canada and Hong Kong.


Prof. Denise Lieberman's Profile

Prof. Denise Lieberman Related Seminars and Products

Missouri Voter Protection Coalition



Michelle Masoner's Profile

Michelle Masoner Related Seminars and Products

UMB Bank N.A.


Michelle Masoner is Legal Counsel with UMB Bank N.A. She practiced primarily in the area of commercial litigation, corporate restructuring, bankruptcy, and debtor-creditor rights for over 20 years in private practice. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law.


Donald Maxwell's Profile

Donald Maxwell Related Seminars and Products

Donald E. Maxwell, LLC


Mr. Maxwell represents small businesses and practices in the areas of real estate development, estate planning and contract negotiations.

Mr. Maxwell is involved in the community including CENTURIONS Leadership Development Program, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce; board of directors for Equity, LLC; Kansas City Keys Community Foundation; board of trustees for Concord Fortress of Hope Church, and board of directors for Beta Lambda Educational Institute.

He received his B.S. in business administration from the University of Missouri - Columbia and his J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law.

 


Hon. Brian May's Profile

Hon. Brian May Related Seminars and Products

St. Louis Co. Circuit Court


Brian H. May was appointed circuit judge on Oct. 4, 2016.

Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge May was director of the Governor's Eastern Regional Office from 2011 to 2016. He was deputy director of the Missouri Department of Labor/director of the Division of Workers' Compensation from 2010 to 2011.

Judge May served in the Missouri House of Representatives from 1993 to 2001, where he was chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. From 2001 to 2010, he practiced civil and criminal law as a managing member of Yates & May, LC. He was a partner at the law firm of Larsen, Feist, Hess & May, PC. from 1995 to 2001, and he worked as an associate at Casserly & Jones from 1989 to 1995.

Judge May graduated summa cum laude from Harris Stowe State University in 1986 with a B.S. in education. He earned his J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1989.


Hon. Christopher McGraugh's Profile

Hon. Christopher McGraugh Related Seminars and Products

22nd Judicial Circuit


Judge McGraugh was appointed circuit judge in April 2015, and he was retained in 2016. He was appointed associate circuit judge in November 2012. 

Judge McGraugh received his B.A. from Saint Louis University in 1983 and his J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1987.

 

 


Laura McKnight's Profile

Laura McKnight Related Seminars and Products

Creative Planning


Laura practiced estate planning, tax, and corporate law at Spencer Fane in Kansas City. She then served as CEO of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation and as CEO of Crown Philanthropic Solutions, a private equity-owned SaaS company, facilitating its sale. Laura now leads practice development for Creative Planning. 


Mira Mdivani's Profile

Mira Mdivani Related Seminars and Products

Mdivani Corporate Immigration Law Firm


Mira serves as immigration law counsel to U.S. and multi-national corporations, providing advice, representation, immigration compliance audits, and training. She represents employers in IT, engineering, food processing, construction, manufacturing, healthcare, insurance and banking industries, working closely with executives, in-house counsel and HR professionals to ensure corporate immigration compliance and availability of visas for international personnel.

Mira has served as chair of The Missouri Bar's Immigration Law Committee and chair of the Kansas Bar Association’s Immigration Law Section. She has written books and articles on corporate immigration law, and has spoken on business immigration issues before lawyers and business leaders across the United States.

Mira's professional work and leadership have been recognized by numerous awards, including The Missouri Bar President's Award, Association for Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City President's Award, Business Practitioner of the Year by Missouri Lawyers Media, Best of the Bar by the Kansas City Business Journal, Robert Gernon Award for Excellence in Continuous Legal Education, and pro bono recognition from the University of Missouri – Kansas City Law Foundation, the Kansas Bar Association and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Mira received her Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.


Nicholas Mebruer's Profile

Nicholas Mebruer Related Seminars and Products

Mebruer Law Firm, P.C.


Nicholas Edward Mebruer was born and raised in Lebanon, Missouri. He graduated the University of Missouri – Columbia School of Law and was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1995. A solo practitioner in The Mebruer Law Firm, P.C., in Lebanon, he focuses primarily on family law. The majority of his practice is dedicated to representing children in foster care in Camden and Laclede County, as well as contested custody cases in the 25th, 26th and 30th Circuits. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Missouri State University in 1989 and formerly served as a senior analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. He has served terms as president and treasurer of the Laclede County Bar Association and is an active member of the 26th Circuit Bar Association. He is a member of Rotary International and past chairman of the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks, Board of Directors. He and his wife, Emily, are raising four adopted children, ages 16, 15, 14 and 12. He is a freelance sports photographer for KY3’s Ozarks Sports Zone and ZouNation Magazine.


Daniel Nelson's Profile

Daniel Nelson Related Seminars and Products

Digital Silence, Ltd.


Dan is the co-founder and chief operating officer of Digital Silence, a security consulting firm which provides a wide range of security assessment services, ranging from full scope red team testing to social engineering and application security. 

Dan is a Certified Ethical Hacker (C|EH) through the EC-Council and a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) through the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

Dan’s past experiences include 27 years as a trial attorney at Armstrong Teasdale, LLP, where he also co-founded the firm’s Privacy & Data Security Practice.

 


Kate Noland's Profile

Kate Noland Related Seminars and Products

Noland Law Firm


Kate graduated from William Jewell College with a B.A. in Political Science and Organizational Communication.  She graduated from University of Missouri – Columbia Law School with the honor of Order of the Coif, and was on the Missouri Law Review and Moot Court team.  After law school, Kate clerked for Missouri Supreme Court Judge William Ray Price. Kate was a prosecutor for six years, one year with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office and five years with the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office.

Kate is an adjunct professor of constitutional law at William Jewell College.  She was a member of the 2010-2011 Missouri Bar Leadership Academy and has served on the Missouri Bar's YLS Council from 2012-2019, and currently serves on the Missouri Bar's Board of Governors.

She received the Lon O. Hocker Trial Advocacy Award in 2016.


Mary Olson's Profile

Mary Olson Related Seminars and Products

Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP


Mary is an associate at Shook, Hardy & Bacon and leads Project Affirmation, Shook’s pro bono name change and gender marker amendment clinic. She has represented and counseled hundreds of trans clients in obtaining accurate identification documents, including litigating before hostile judges and negotiating with counsel for vital records offices. 


Nathan Orr's Profile

Nathan Orr Related Seminars and Products

Spencer Fane LLP


Nate Orr created a model where he serves as fractional general counsel for his clients, managing their legal matters across all the firm’s practice areas. His goal is to connect clients with the very best attorneys available, no matter their business needs. 

Nate takes advantage of more than 20 years of litigating and negotiating commercial, real estate, financial and employment claims/agreements. He uses lessons learned from his litigation experience to counsel dozens of businesses and financial institutions, providing strategy to restructure credits, protect assets, maintain regulatory compliance, avoid costly litigation and create new business relationships. This approach allows Nate to bring pragmatic business acumen to legal analysis, resulting in an exceptional client experience.

Nate is a past president of Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, past chair of Kansas City's Downtown Council, and past chair of the Salvation Army Board for Western Missouri and Kansas.

Nate received his bachelor’s degree, with honors, from the University of Kansas. He received his J.D., cum laude, from Saint Louis University School of Law, where he served as a faculty fellow and was a member of the Alpha Sigma Nu National Jesuit Honor Society.

 


Bhavik Patel's Profile

Bhavik Patel Related Seminars and Products

Sandberg, Phoenix & von Gontard


Bhavik joined Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard in 2004. He currently serves as the firm’s CEO and chair of the firm's executive committee. He oversees the strategy and direction of the firm, manages growth and expansion opportunities, and coaches the firm leaders.

Under his direction, the firm developed and implemented a strategic communications plan and rebranded to better reflect the firm’s values, culture and commitment to service. He has fostered and led the firm to grow to nearly 350 employees and approximately doubled the firm’s revenue in the last three years.

In addition to his work as CEO, he is chair of the firm’s Wealth Planning Group and Special Needs Planning Group and focuses in the following areas:

•    Wealth/Tax Planning and Administration
•    Business/Corporate Planning
•    Special Needs Planning
•    Probate and Trust Litigation
•    FINRA Litigation
•    Trademarks

Bhavik’s work with the special needs community extends outside of the firm. He is the founder and chairman of Families at Ease, a local not-for-profit entity focused on delivering information about programs, services and resources available for special needs children and their families. He is also committed to civic and philanthropic causes. Bhavik serves as a board member for the St. Louis Zoo; the membership co-chair for Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), a global leadership community; a member of the board of directors for St. Louis ARC and Starkloff Disability Institute; and an emeritus board member of the Foster and Adoptive Coalition. He founded the Sandberg Phoenix Charitable Foundation and is this year’s co-chair for the Strategy Across the Board Gala.
 


Alan Pratzel's Profile

Alan Pratzel Related Seminars and Products

Office of the Chief Disciplinary Counsel


Alan Pratzel was appointed as the Chief Disciplinary Counsel by the Supreme Court of Missouri in April 2007.  In that position, Mr. Pratzel oversees the system that receives, investigates and litigates ethics complaints against lawyers in Missouri.  He began working for the attorney discipline system in 1985, serving as a Special Representative in the City of St. Louis.  Prior to becoming Chief Disciplinary Counsel, Mr. Pratzel was in private practice for 30 years in St. Louis, engaging in various types of litigation.  He is also an adjunct professor of Professional Responsibility at the University of Missouri School of Law in Columbia and at the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.


Harry Price's Profile

Harry Price Related Seminars and Products

Dysart Taylor McMonigle Brumitt & Wilcox, P.C.


Forty-one years into his practice, Joe Price draws on decades of experience helping businesses and individuals plan for their future through estate planning, tax planning, business succession planning, and wealth preservation.

Joe occupies a unique position in the Kansas City estate planning community. He is one of only five individuals who has been elected as a Fellow of the American College of Tax and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and as an inductee into the Kansas City Estate Planning Society Hall of Fame.

Joe had the privilege of working with great mentors early in his career and has spent decades giving back to the community by serving as an adjunct professor at the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law and as chair of the Student Development Committee of the Kansas City Estate Planning Symposium which provides scholarships and internships to law students.

Joe has served in leadership positions at several large firms. His experiences and responsibilities included managing estate planning and tax law departments. Additionally, he was the executive vice president of BryanMark Financial Group, the Saint Louis office of the M Financial Group which specialized in estate planning and asset preservation purposes.

Joe received his B.A., with distinction, from the University of Kansas in 1975. He received his J.D. from the University of California - Berkeley School of Law in 1978.


Donald Quinn's Profile

Donald Quinn Related Seminars and Products

Quinn & Quinn Law, P.C.


Donald Quinn has practice probate and trust litigation for 42 years. He went into private practice with his father, Donald J Quinn in June 1981, and he currently practices law with his son, Matthew D. Quinn.

Mr. Quinn has litigated cases in the counties of Jackson, Clay, Cass, Platte, St. Clair and Benton in Missouri. He has also argued cases before the Court of Appeals, Western District Missouri.

Mr. Quinn is a frequent guest speaker on estate planning, elder law and probate matters before both professional, church and civic groups. In August 2019, he was recognized by the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association for his assistance with veterans.

Mr. Quinn received his B.A. in English from the University of Missouri - Kansas City in 1977 and his J.D. from the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law in 1980. 


Chris Ritter's Profile

Chris Ritter Related Seminars and Products

State Bar of Texas


Chris became director of the Texas Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP) in 2018. Before joining the TLAP staff in 2014, he was an assistant district attorney as well as a partner in two prominent civil litigation law firms.

Chris has a passion for helping lawyers learn how to recognize depression and get help for those at risk for self-harm. The film, “Just Ask: How We Must Stop Minding Our Own Business in the Legal World,” was recently published by Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania and the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program as part of a national campaign to raise awareness about mental health issues within the legal profession. 

Ritter received his J.D. in 1998 at the University of Texas School of Law. He graduated magna cum laude from Baylor University in 1994 with a B.A. in political science and philosophy. He holds a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Lamar University (M.Ed., 2018). 

 


Denise Robinson's Profile

Denise Robinson Related Seminars and Products

The Still Center LLC


After counseling clients on a variety of labor & employment matters as a law firm associate, Denise pursued a career building diverse and inclusive institutions, including as a law school and college admissions officer focused on multicultural recruitment for Georgetown University. She continued this pursuit at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, where she was promoted through a series of roles to serve as the firm’s Director of Diversity & Inclusion. Subsequently, Denise served as the Diversity Officer for the International Monetary Fund. Denise is also a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance, which is the foundation of her work in mindfulness, meditation, and other contemplative practices. Denise is the Founding Principal of The Still Center LLC which focuses on facilitating personal well-being, meaningful interpersonal connections, and organizational diversity & inclusion. 


Camille Roe's Profile

Camille Roe Related Seminars and Products

Quarles & Brady LLP


Camille focuses on employment litigation, including defending against state and federal claims. Her experience includes defending suits brought by private parties and by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. She has extensive trial experience, having litigated numerous labor and employment matters at trial and in arbitration. In addition, she has handled cases involving discrimination claims related to race, age, disability and sex; sexual harassment; and retaliatory discharge.

Camille works with a wide range of employers to provide timely and practical counseling to address both day-to-day and unique challenges in the workplace. She offers creative “out of the box” solutions to her clients to address the ever-changing employment landscape. She counsels clients on the application of existing laws and regulations and anticipates the possible impact of new laws and regulations on clients’ employment practices.

While attending law school, Camille served as a legal intern with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Solicitor, where she assisted with investigating and litigating OSHA, MSHA and FLSA claims. Prior to joining private practice, Camille served as law clerk to Judge Jack R. Grate, circuit judge for the 16th Judicial Circuit Court.

Camille received her B.A. from Avila University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Columbia.



Jessica Rooks's Profile

Jessica Rooks Related Seminars and Products

The Rooks Law Firm, LLC


Jessica runs a thriving elder law and estate planning firm in rural northeast Missouri.

Jessica opened a solo small firm after law school, focusing on elder law and estate planning, with the aim of serving the needs of rural Missouri. Since opening her practice in 2012, Jessica has served as the first circuit juvenile attorney, was named an Up and Coming young attorney by Missouri Lawyers Weekly in 2018, and has held numerous community seminars and information sessions on estate and long-term care planning.

Jessica has worked extensively with local charities and has served on the board of her local chapters of the Chamber of Commerce, HUD, and YMCA.

After receiving a B.S. in political science with honors from Truman State University, she went on to to earn her Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law, graduating in the top 15% of her class. While in law school, Jessica helped shape Missouri guardianship reform law. 


Patricia Scaglia's Profile

Patricia Scaglia Related Seminars and Products

Scaglia Law Firm, LLC


Patricia M. "Tricia" Scaglia is a solo practitioner in Independence primarily practicing in family law. She frequently serves as a guardian ad litem and mediator.

Tricia has served on The Missouri Bar Board of Governors since 2012. She is a past chair of the Family Law Section. Tricia was a recipient of the President's Award in 2016 and was the 2012 recipient of the Roger P. Krumm Family Law Award.

Tricia earned her Juris Doctor from University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 1997.


Debra Schuster's Profile

Debra Schuster Related Seminars and Products

Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal, P.C.


Dianne Smith Misemer's Profile

Dianne Smith Misemer Related Seminars and Products

Hovey Williams LLP


Dianne has devoted her entire legal career to intellectual property, specializing in trademark and copyright law. Her years of experience in prosecution, transactional and litigation matters give her a unique skill set that spans the life cycle of intellectual property from conception and registration through commercialization and enforcement. 

Dianne regularly advises individuals, small businesses and multinational corporations on brand development and protection strategies and she guides them through domestic and international registration processes. Her hybrid transactional-litigation practice provides clients with the benefit of a single resource for expertise in all trademark matters from the early clearance and application stages and conscientious management of trademark portfolios all the way through dispute resolution and litigation.

Dianne has extensive experience practicing before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board where she has represented clients in numerous opposition, cancellation and concurrent use proceedings. Dianne also represents clients in intellectual property litigation involving trademark and copyright infringement, cybersquatting, false advertising, unfair competition and breach of contract claims.

Dianne received her B.S. in political science from Santa Clara University in 1994.  She received her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law, with highest honors, in 1999. 


Derek Spencer's Profile

Derek Spencer Related Seminars and Products

17th Judicial Circuit


Derek Spencer serves as an assistant attorney general at the Missouri Attorney General's Office in Kansas City. He previously served as an assistant circuit attorney in the Violent Crimes Unit of the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office

Derek was a member of The Missouri Bar's 2020-21 Leadership Academy.

Derek received his B.A. in political science and government from the University of Mississippi in 2013.  He received his J.D. from the University of Missouri - Columbia School of Law in 2016.

 


Gordon Spring's Profile

Gordon Spring Related Seminars and Products

Polsinelli


Gordon Spring's primary practice involves implementing acquisition and divestiture strategies on behalf of private equity funds, family offices, founders and management teams, with particular emphasis on middle-market transactions. 

Gordon establishes deep relationships with clients’ management teams to fully appreciate business operations and provide customized guidance. As a result, he serves as outside general counsel for a large number of businesses and works closely with a cross-disciplinary team of colleagues to address needs relating to entity formation, corporate governance, employment and separation matters, commercial arrangements, and debt and equity financings, among others.

Gordon is chair of The Missouri Bar's Mergers & Acquisitions Committee.  He is a member of the Association for Corporate Growth.

Gordon received his B.S. from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2006. He received his J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis in 2009.


Hon. Michael Stelzer's Profile

Hon. Michael Stelzer Related Seminars and Products

22nd Judicial Circuit Court


In July 2012, Judge Stelzer was appointed to the circuit bench.  Since his appointment to the bench, he has handled civil, criminal and family court dockets and has served on the budget, drug court and public education committees.  In January 2021, he was elected as presiding judge for a two-year term. 

Judge Michael Stelzer was appointed to the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court as associate circuit judge in 2004.

Judge Stelzer graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL with a B.A. in 1986. After working for the U.S. Treasury as a federal bank examiner for three years, he went to law school. He obtained his J.D. from Saint Louis University in 1992, graduating cum laude.

 


 


Catherine Vannier's Profile

Catherine Vannier Related Seminars and Products

Missouri Office of Prosecution Services


Catherine Vannier is the Special Victims Resource Prosecutor for the Missouri Office of Prosecution Services (MOPS). Prior to coming to MOPS, Catherine had 11 years of experience prosecuting criminal cases full time. Catherine currently leads the Missouri Elder Abuse & Financial Exploitation Response Coordination Team. 



Lee Viorel's Profile

Lee Viorel Related Seminars and Products

Lowther Johnson LLC


Lee J. Viorel, III possesses more than 20 years of legal experience and focuses his practice primarily on creditor rights, commercial transactions, acquisitions and mergers, commercial litigation, and banking and bank regulations matters.  Lee joined Lowther Johnson as a member in 2003.  He is a skilled litigator, has a wealth of experience at both the trial and appellate level, and he is committed to providing quality legal service to clients at a reasonable price.

Lee’s expertise and commitment to his clients has earned him an excellent reputation in the local legal community.  


Jaclyn Warr's Profile

Jaclyn Warr Related Seminars and Products

Stinson LLP


Nicci’s experience includes working on complex litigation matters spanning antitrust, consumer protection laws and intellectual property issues. She has extensive trial and appellate experience, including the U.S. Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeals for the Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Tenth and Eleventh Circuits.

Nicci received her B.S./B.A. in 2002 from the University of Missouri. She received her J.D. in 2007 from Washington University School of Law.


Comm. Misty Watson's Profile

Comm. Misty Watson Related Seminars and Products

21st Judicial Circuit Court


Misty Watson was appointed Deputy Probate Commissioner for Saint Louis County in 2019. Prior to appointment, Watson was a member of the executive committee at Danna McKitrick. She has over fifteen years experience in trusts, estates, and guardianships.

Watson received the 2019 Publico Pro Bono Award from The Missouri Bar. She was the Washington University School of Law Women's Law Caucus International Women's Day 2013 Celebration Honoree and received the John R. Essner Award for pro bono work through Legal Services of Eastern Missouri. 

Watson received her LLM in Taxation and Juris Doctor from Washington University.


Daniel Wheeler's Profile

Daniel Wheeler Related Seminars and Products

Kirkland Woods & Martinsen LLP


Daniel P. Wheeler is a shareholder with the firm of Kirkland Woods & Martinsen LLP. Mr. Wheeler focuses his practice on fiduciary litigation, probate administration, adult and minor guardianships, and mediation in cases throughout Missouri and Kansas.
 
Mr. Wheeler served as a Probate Commissioner for the Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri for more than fourteen years. As Probate Commissioner, he presided over family and fiduciary disputes in trust and probate matters, including fiduciary litigation, complex trust litigation, discovery of assets actions, surety claims and general probate administration in decedent, guardianship and conservatorship estates. He has been chosen to be the probate presenter at the annual Missouri Judicial College for the past seventeen years, and also presents annually at the conference of the Missouri Association of Probate & Associate Circuit Judges. He speaks regularly at the Missouri Bar annual meeting as well as numerous continuing legal education seminars for the Missouri Bar, the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association and the University of Missouri at Kansas City.
 
Prior to joining the bench, Mr. Wheeler was in engaged in private practice in the area of probate litigation and administration matters. He has tried thirty-two jury trials to completion, of which twenty-six were in the probate division of the circuit courts. He is licensed in the states of Missouri and Kansas, and has completed the mediation training requirements of the Missouri Supreme Court.
 
Mr. Wheeler received a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Missouri - Columbia in 1981. While an undergraduate student, he was a captain of the University's cross-country and track teams, and he was a recipient of the Tom Bott's Award, the senior track leadership award. He received a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Missouri in 1985, where he was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society. He received his law degree, cum laude, from the University of Missouri in 1985, and he was a member of the Missouri Law Review and the Order of the Coif honor society.


Ruthie White's Profile

Ruthie White Related Seminars and Products

Spencer Fane


Ruthie White helps employers resolve labor and employment disputes in and out of court. She has an established track record of favorable outcomes in discrimination, harassment, and retaliation cases while defending educational entities, local governments, and clients in the energy, banking, technology, retail, health care, and construction industries in legal venues throughout the state.

Ruthie’s broad in-house and outside-counsel background gives her the ability to counsel employers on a wide range of labor and employment issues. She has significant experience drafting employment policies, procedures and best practices; investigating allegations of employee misconduct; implementing disciplinary, job performance and leave management procedures; and developing selection criteria for reductions in workforce. She frequently presents employment law seminars for supervisors and managers geared to meet the overall business objectives of her clients.

Having served as an adjunct professor at South Texas College of Law and on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, Ruthie is a founder of The Downtown Group, a 200-member networking organization of African American female lawyers, and contributes pro bono legal services to the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program. She is a frequent speaker at CLE seminars for law schools and bar associations.

Ruthie received her B.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, her M.B.A. from the University of Houston, and her J.D. from South Texas College of Law.


Hon. Joseph Whyte's Profile

Hon. Joseph Whyte Related Seminars and Products

Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit of Missouri


Judge Joseph Whyte was appointed circuit judge for the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court in 2018. He served as an assistant attorney general for Missouri for two years and was engaged in the private practice of law for almost 26 years. 

Judge Whyte is a Missouri Lawyers' Assistance Program volunteer. He is also a member of the Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, the Fox Park Neighborhood Association, and the Patriot Guard Riders.

Judge Whyte received his B.S. from the University of Missouri - Columbia, and he received his J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law.

 


Raymond Williams's Profile

Raymond Williams Related Seminars and Products

Past President, The Missouri Bar

Williams Law Offices, L.L.C.


Hon. Paul Wilson's Profile

Hon. Paul Wilson Related Seminars and Products

Supreme Court of Missouri


Supreme Court of Missouri Judge Paul C. Wilson assumed the role of chief justice beginning July 1, 2021. His term as chief justice will run through June 30, 2023. He succeeds Judge George W. Draper III, who remains on the Court.

A Jefferson City native, Wilson earned his undergraduate degree from Drury College in Springfield and his law degree, cum laude, from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law, where he was named to both the Order of the Coif and the Order of the Barristers. He clerked at the Supreme Court of Missouri and then the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit before becoming a litigation associate at the New York law firm Sullivan & Cromwell. He returned to Missouri in 1996 to work in the Attorney General’s Office, culminating there as deputy chief of staff for litigation and, later, as counsel for budget and finance in the office of administration. He served as a circuit judge in 2010 in Cole County before joining the Columbia law firm Van Matre, Harrison, Hollis, Taylor and Bacon PC. Governor Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon appointed him to the Supreme Court in December 2012, and voters retained him for a twelve-year term in November 2014.

Wilson was raised in a home devoted to public service. His father was a longtime municipal and associate circuit judge in Cole County; his mother served as director of the county health department and the state division of maternal, family and child health and was the first executive director of the Missouri Association of Local Public Health Agencies. Wilson is an Eagle Scout and elder of the first Presbyterian Church in Jefferson City; he previously served on the Legal Services of Mid-Missouri board of directors. He was awarded the National Association of Attorneys General’s Ray Marvin Award in 2002 for excellence as an assistant attorney general and dedicated service in a leadership role in multistate legal initiatives and other projects. He has served for many years as the Court’s liaison to the Missouri Court Automation Committee and other committees.

Wilson and his wife, Laura O’Kelley Wilson, are the proud parents of Meredith Wilson and Alice and Julianna Whitson.
 


Lauren Zehnle's Profile

Lauren Zehnle Related Seminars and Products

St. Louis Addiction Counseling LLC


Lauren is a licensed professional counselor and co-founder of St. Louis Addiction Counseling. She has worked exclusively with clients struggling with substance abuse for over 10 years.

Lauren has been a speaker for many National Alliance on Mental Illness events, numerous radio shows and podcasts. She is passionate about being a part of the recovery community in St. Louis and believes in the importance of dismantling the stigma surrounding the treatment of addiction and mental health. 


Hon. Jerri Zhang's Profile

Hon. Jerri Zhang Related Seminars and Products

16th Judicial Circuit Court Div 3


Jerri J. Zhang was appointed circuit judge for the 16th Judicial Circuit Court on Sept. 10, 2021. She was appointed probate commissioner for the Court in February 2020.  She served as deputy probate commissioner from 2016-2020. 

Judge Zhang’s career has been focused on public service. Prior to her appointment to the bench, she was with the Jackson County Counselor’s Office where she prosecuted petitions for involuntary detention and represented Jackson County in civil litigation. She also served as legal counsel for the Jackson County Public Administrator where she managed the estates of incapacitated and disabled individuals, minor conservatorships, and decedent estates. She has also worked as legal counsel for the Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission and as the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law Coordinator of Diversity Programs and Academic Success.

Judge Zhang has been an active member in the legal community through The Missouri Bar, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Asian American Bar Association of Kansas City, Association for Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City, and the American Bar Association. 

Judge Zhang received her J.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law and her undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.   


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Updated 8/30/21

CLE Ethics

CLE Ethics Lunch & Learn


Sept. 8, 2021 @ 12:00 PM    

2021 Update on Lawyer Ethics Issues

(Qualifies for 1.2 Ethics hour)

Presenter: Melinda Bentley, Missouri Ethics Counsel, Jefferson City

This program will provide an update on recent amendments to the Missouri Rules of Professional Conduct, recently published Informal Opinions, other timely ethics issues, and resources.    


Sept. 9, 2021 @ 12:00 PM 

Insights from Missouri's Chief Disciplinary Counsel

(Qualifies for 1.2 Ethics hour)

Presenter: Alan Pratzel, Chief Disciplinary Counsel, Jefferson City

This program will provide a review of data from the attorney discipline system; recent case decisions from the Supreme Court of Missouri; the requirement to report another lawyer's misconduct; and helpful pointers on responding to an ethics investigation. 

YLS New Lawyer Series

YLS New Lawyer Series


Sept. 15, 2021 @ 12:00 PM

Best Practices for the Young (or Even the Not So Young) Practitioner for Working Remotely - Navigating WebEx, Hearings, Depos ...

Moderator: Lauren Collins, Automobile Club of Missouri (AAA) | Kraft, Bischoff, Buckley & Collins, St. Louis
Panelists: Sheena Hamilton, Dowd Bennett, Clayton; Judge Michael Stelzer, 22nd Judicial Circuit Court, St. Louis


Sept. 16, 2021 @ 12:00 PM

Opportunities for Young Lawyers in Estate & Probate Practice - Tips for Serving a Diverse Clientele

(Qualifies for 1.2 Ethics & 1.2 Bias hours)

Moderator: Whittney Dunn, The Bar Plan, St. Louis
Panelists: Judge Jerri Zhang, 16th Judicial Circuit Court, Kansas City; Don Quinn, Quinn & Quinn, PC, Kansas City

Cultural competency is essential to represent a diverse clientele in estate and probate practice, and this need creates a unique opportunity for young lawyers to provide services to traditionally underserved groups. This program will provide attendees information about diversity and cultural competency issues which can arise in probate practice, including meaningful practice tips for young lawyers looking to expand into this area of law.

Plenary

Plenary Sessions

 

Sept. 22, 2021 @ 12:00 PM

Exploring the Nexus Between Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Lawyer Well-Being

(Qualifies for 1.5 Ethics & 1.5 Bias hours)

Platinum Sponsors: The Hershewe Law Firm, PC, Joplin and The Bar Plan, St. Louis

Gold Sponsor: Thompson Coburn, LLP, St. Louis

Moderator: Athena Dickson, Chair of the Lawyers Living Well Committee and Member of the Board of Governors, Siro Smith Dickson PC, Kansas City

Presenter: Denise A. Robinson, Diversity & Inclusion Advocate | Mindfulness and Well-Being Consultant, Washington D.C.

Recent studies show that the well-documented mental health challenges for lawyers and other legal professionals are even worse for members of the profession who identify as people of color. While this should come as no surprise in light of the continued challenges the legal profession has with making meaningful change with respect to diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI), not enough attention has been paid to the relationship between DEI and well-being. This program will explore why and how DEI efforts need to be augmented by a focus on well-being to improve the whole-person experience for all in the legal profession.

Program Objectives: 

  • Understanding the importance of developing and evaluating efforts to promote well-being in the profession with a DEI lens.
  • Exploring mindfulness as a key capacity to develop in helping lawyers address both mental health and DEI needs.
  • Outlining practical strategies to foster a symbiotic relationship between organizational well-being and DEI programs.

Sept. 23, 2021 @ 12:00 PM

Voting Rights Past, Present & Future: Constitutional, Legal, and Historical Context

Moderator: Prof. Chad Flanders, Saint Louis University School of Law, St. Louis

Panelists: Prof.  Travis Crum, Washington University School of Law, St. Louis; Prof. Joshua Douglas, University of Kentucky College of Law, Lexington, Kentucky; Prof. Atiba EllisMarquette University Law School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Prof. Denise Lieberman, Washington University, St. Louis


Sept. 24, 2021 @ 12:00 PM

Regulating the Internet: Multi-Billion Dollar Companies, Government Power and Free Speech - Section 230, Social Media, First Amendment, Antitrust

Moderator: Dean Lyrissa Lidsky, University of Missouri School of Law, Columbia

Panelists: Prof. Jeff Kosseff, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis MD; Prof. Thom Lambert, University of Missouri, Columbia

Is Big Tech too big? Do tech giants like Facebook, Google, and Twitter wield too much power and need to be regulated? Whether the ultimate answer is yes or no, the interim question is, if so, how? Join this panel of legal experts for a discussion exploring what the law says.

From Section 230, often referred to as the “26 words that created the internet” to free speech and First Amendment issues to the use of antitrust actions, this session hopes to arm lawyers with the knowledge to cut through the “clutter” and understand the legal and constitutional issues that surround rising calls for regulation. 

Business

All About Business

Gold Sponsor for All Track Sessions: REJIS - MoBar Net
 

Sept. 20, 2021 @ 11:00 AM

Life Span of a Business, Part I: Startup - Raising Capital, IP/Licensing, Employment Issues, Equipment Purchase/Asset Purchase

Moderators: Nathan Orr, Spencer Fane LLP, Kansas City; Eric Johnson, Spencer Fane LLP, Kansas City

Panelists: Gordon Spring, Polsinelli, St. Louis; Dianne Smith-Misemer, Hovey Williams LLP, Overland Park, Kansas; Ruthie White, Spencer Fane LLP, Houston, Texas


Sept. 20, 2021 @ 12:00 PM

LAWTalks 

Cybersecurity Nightmares to Avoid for Law Firms
Presenter: Daniel Nelson, Digital Silence, Denver, Colorado

Employment Issues – New World Red Flags and Policies – Post COVID-19
Presenter: Camille Roe, Jackson Lewis, Kansas City

What You Need to Know About Big Tech Antitrust Cases
Presenter: Nicci Warr, Stinson, LLP, St. Louis

Addressing Clients' Charitable Giving Priorities in an Era of Looming Tax Reform
Presenter: Laura McKnight, Creative Planning, Kansas City
Meeting clients' charitable giving goals in their estate plans has become increasingly complex as tax laws change and pressure increases on tax policy. This presentation will offer insights in how to raise the issue with interested clients; stay current on relevant legislative developments; and be authentic in your approach. 


Sept. 21, 2021 @ 11:00 AM

Life Span of a Business, Part II: Mature Mid-Cycle Growth - Corporate Issues, Employment and Real Estate, Growth/Market Change, Financial Issues, DEI and Culture

Moderator: Nate Orr, Spencer Fane and Hypothetical Client: Eric Johnson, Spencer Fane

Panelists: Donald E. Maxwell, Donald E. Maxwell LLC, Kansas City; Ruthie White, Spencer Fane LLP, Houston, Texas


Sept. 21, 2021 @ 12:00 PM 

Roundtable on the Business of Practicing Law

Moderator: Seth Albin, Summers Compton Wells, LLC, St. Louis

Panelists: Bhavik Patel, Sandberg Phoenix, St. Louis; Mira Mdivani, Mdivani Corporate Law Firm, Kansas City; Alex Lee, TKC Holdings, Inc., St. Louis


Sept. 22, 2021 @ 11:00 AM

Life Span of a Business, Part III: End Cycle - Bankruptcy, Succession, Business Sale, Family Key Person Issues, Estate Planning

Moderator: Nate Orr, Spencer Fane and Eric Johnson, Spencer Fane

Panelists: H. Joseph Price, Jr., Dysart Taylor, Kansas City; Michelle Masoner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Kansas City; Lee Viorel, III, Lowther Johnson LLC, Springfield 

Family Law

Family Law


Sept. 20, 2021 @ 11:00 AM

Transgender Issues for Missouri Practitioners and Related Legislative Action

(Qualifies for 1.0 Ethics & 1.0 Bias hour)

Presenters: Brandon Boulware, Boulware Law, Kansas City; Mary Olson, Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP, Kansas City        

The following topics will be discussed:

  • Treating transgender people with respect means treating them according to their gender identity, not the sex they were assigned at birth.
  • Language matters: Using a person’s chosen name and pronouns.
  • Changing names and amending gender markers on government-issued identification documents: the basics.
  • Legislative action impacting trans Missourians.
     

Sept. 20, 2021 @ 12:00 PM

Mental Health for the Family Law Practitioner

(Qualifies for 1.0 Ethics hour)

Presenters: Seth AlbinSummers Compton Wells, LLC, St. Louis; Alisse Camazine, Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal, PC, St. Louis; Lauren Zehnle, St. Louis Addiction Counseling LLC, St. Louis


Sept. 21, 2021 @ 11:00 AM

Primer on Orders of Protection

Presenter: Judge Michael D. Burton, 21st Judicial Circuit Court, St. Louis  

This program focuses on orders of protection – what is necessary to obtain an ex parte and full order; different requirements when parties are family/household members or not; available relief; evidentiary issues; impact of an order on the parties; renewal and dismissal considerations – for a thorough primer on the subject. This will be followed by a description of the 21st Judicial Circuit's approach to enforcing full orders of protection through compliance dockets and the contempt process.


Sept. 21, 2021 @ 12:00 PM

Family Law Legislative and Case Law Update

Presenter: Tricia Scaglia, Scaglia Law Firm LLC, Independence


Sept. 22, 2021 @ 11:00 AM

The Ying and Yang of Technology & Access to Justice in Family Law Cases

Moderator: Chad Courtney, Courtney & Mills LLC, Springfield

Presenters: Judge Bruce Hilton, 21st Judicial Circuit Court, St. Louis; Nick Mebruer, Mebruer Law Firm, PC, Lebanon; Nicole Fisher, Fischer Law LLC, Kansas City

LawFusion2021

LawFusion2021

 

Sept. 20, 2021 @ 11:00 AM

Legislative Update

Moderators: Eric Jennings, The Missouri Bar, Jefferson City and Ray Williams, Williams Law Offices, LLC, West Plains

Panelists: Rep. Mary Elizabeth Coleman (District 97 - parts of Jefferson and St. Louis Counties); Rep. David Evans (District 154 - Howell County)Rep. Wes Rogers (District 18 – Clay County); and Rep. Rudy Veit (District 59 - parts of Cole and Miller Counties)


Sept. 21, 2021 @ 11:00 AM

What Lawyers Should Know About Depression and Suicide

(Qualifies for 1.0 Ethics hour)

Presenter: Chris Ritter, Texas Lawyers Assistance Program, Austin, Texas


 

Litigation

All About Litigation

Silver Sponsor for All Track Sessions: James W. Tippin & Associates
 

Sept. 20, 2021 @ 11:00 AM

Judicial Panel: Lessons Learned and Use of Technology for Virtual Hearings Post COVID-19

Moderator: Derek SpencerMissouri Attorney General's Office, Kansas City
Panelists: Judge Brian May, 21st Judicial Circuit Court, Clayton; Judge Heather Cunningham, 21st Judicial Circuit Court, Clayton; Judge Joseph Whyte, 22nd Judicial Circuit Court, St. Louis; Judge Nicole Colbert-Botchway, 22nd Judicial Circuit Court, St. Louis; Judge Christopher McGraugh, 22nd Judicial Circuit Court, St. Louis

The panelists will discuss:

  • What judges expect during video hearings and what might "grind the gears" of a judge.
  • Tips for ensuring their technology is up to snuff and allows them and their clients to participate in remote hearings.
  • Suggestions for things to remember while trying to make a record during a remote hearing. 

Sept. 20, 2021 @ 12:00 PM 

Implicit Bias and Jury Trials - MAI-Criminal and MAI-Civil

(Qualifies for 1.0 Ethics & 1.0 Bias hour)

Presenters: Joan Lockwood, Gray, Ritter & Graham, St. Louis; Judge Deborah Daniels, 13th Judicial Circuit Court (retired), Columbia

With the adoption of new Missouri jury instructions addressing implicit bias, it’s increasingly clear that important decisions – by jurors, attorneys, even judges – can be impacted by bias.  

How do biases affect decision-making and how can we recognize and manage bias to increase focus on issues of diversity and equality?

This CLE segment will define and address common implicit biases and provide tools on how to manage their impact.

  • Understand what implicit bias means and how it may influence our decisions.
  • Discuss the rationale behind the adoption of and learn how to use Missouri’s implicit bias instructions contained in MAI Civil and Criminal. 
  • Identify Missouri’s rules of civil procedure, court operating rules and ethical rules that have long recognized that bias has no place in our courts and our system of justice.
  • Discuss the issue of implicit (and explicit) bias in the context of jury selection and in the use of Batson and peremptory challenges. 
  • Learn some techniques that help debias perceptions and improve interactions.

Sept. 21, 2021 @ 11:00 AM

New Rules: Supreme Court Rule on Discovery

Presenters: Deborah Dodge, Hall & Ansley PC, Springfield; Keith Cutler, James W. Tippin & Associates, Kansas City        


Sept. 21, 2021 @ 12:00 PM

Establishing the Client Relationship Virtually

(Qualifies for 1.0 Ethics hour)

Moderator: Kate Noland, Noland Law Firm LLC, Liberty

Presenters: Whittney Dunn, The Bar Plan, St. Louis; Judge Deborah Daniels, 13th Judicial Circuit Court (retired), Columbia

Although the courts are opening, it is anticipated that some business will continue to be done over interactive video: Zoom, Webex, Team meetings. This session will present scenarios that implicate the professional rules and discuss possible tension between virtual meetings and the rules. The questions to be addressed are:

1)  Who is the client?  The attorney believes the Zoom is with one person and three people appear on the Zoom. How is this handled?

2)  When does the attorney-client privilege attach?  How is it formalized?  How are is the status of participants on Zoom formalized? How are conflicts identified?

3)  How are facts developed on  interactive video without losing privilege?

4)  How do you establish proper etiquette for Zoom?  Don't sign into Zoom while driving?  Don't let unidentified persons participate in the Zoom?  

Attend the CLE and get the questions with citations to the Rules. 


Sept. 22, 2021 @ 11:00 AM

Best Practices to Get Digital Communications Admitted at Trial

Presenter: Sarah BardolArmstrong Teasdale LLP, St. Louis

Probate, Trust & Elder

Probate, Trust & Elder

Gold Sponsor for All Track Sessions: The Missouri Bar Insurance Marketplace


Sept. 20, 2021 @ 11:00 AM

Civil & Criminal Remedies in Financial Exploitation Cases

Presenters: Debra K. Schuster, Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal, PC, St. Louis; Catherine Vannier, Missouri Office of Prosecution Services, Jefferson City


Sept. 20, 2021 @ 12:00 PM (CDT)

Judicial Insights: Views From Across the State

Moderator: Judge Jerri Zhang, 16th Judicial Circuit Court, Kansas City

Panelists: Commissioner Misty Watson, 21st. Judicial Circuit Court, St. Louis; Commissioner Carol Aiken, 31st Judicial Circuit Court, Springfield 


Sept. 21, 2021 @ 11:00 AM (CDT)     

Practical and Ethical Considerations in Expanding a Probate/Elder Law Practice to a Regional or Statewide Practice

(Qualifies for 1.0 Ethics credit)

Presenters: Jessica Rooks, Rooks Law Firm, Kirksville; Daniel P. Wheeler, Kirkland Woods & Martinsen LLP, Kansas City

The availability and acceptance of audio/visual technology creates opportunities for Missouri attorneys to geographically expand their probate and elder law practice to a regional or statewide practice. The learning objective is to have all attendees understand the practical and ethical considerations in expanding their practice in this manner and to be able to apply the appropriate procedures.  

Issues to be discussed include: 1) Marketing to a broader audience; 2) Retaining client confidentiality and attorney-client privilege for non-in-person communications; 3) Ethical rules regarding what state you are practicing law in; 4) Conflict rules; 5) Local court rules and appearing in Court remotely; 6) Presentations by remote technology; 7) Remote execution of documents and document retention; and 8) Cloud-based client portals.


Sept. 21, 2021 @ 12:00 PM

Modern Technology in Estate Planning Practice - Developments Based on Uniform Laws Including UEWA and RUFADAA

Moderator: Prof. David English, University of Missouri School of Law, Columbia

Presenters: Prof. Patricia Fry, University of Missouri School of Law, Columbia; Suzanne Brown Walsh, Murtha Cullina Attorneys at Law, Hartford, Connecticut

Our world and our lives, whether we like it or not, have become digital. Now we are moving from the pandemic and executive orders authorizing the use of electronic technologies in estate planning to legislation permanently authorizing electronic wills and remote notarization.  Missouri has enacted the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, as well as statutes governing remote online notarization. The Uniform Law Commission’s Electronic Wills Act [2019] offers a coherent model for the use of electronic technologies for the execution of wills. This program will explain how these statutes present opportunities to estate planners.  This program will provide an introduction to assist you as you evaluate the potential of each development for you and for your clients.  You will:

•    Learn how an electronic will may be executed
•    Learn how RUFADAA helps fiduciaries access digital assets
•    Learn what remote online notarization is and how it works
 


Sept. 22, 2021 @ 11:00 AM

The Do's and Don'ts of Expert Witness Testimony in Probate Cases

Presenters: Aaron Kirkland, Kirkland Woods & Martinsen LLP, Kansas City; Probate Commissioner Patrick Connaghan, 22nd Judicial Circuit Court, St. Louis; Judge Deborah Daniels, 13th Judicial Circuit Court (retired), Columbia 

ASTAR (Advanced Science and Technology Adjudication Resource), from 2006-2013, recognized judges who received 120 hours of continuing education to better educate judges about the science behind expert opinions. Commissioner Connaghan received this award in 2009.

NCSI (National Courts and Science Institute), from 2014 to the present, became the not-for-profit to continue the ASTAR mission. NCSI works "to enhance the capacity of courts to resolve complex cases involving novel scientific and technical evidence, and, thereby, to contribute to the independence of, and public confidence in, the Judicial Branch of government." Judge Daniels was certified as an ASTAR resource judge in 2009 and participated in science and adjudication clinics in health care outcomes in 2020 and 2021 in addition to past participation in training opportunities in genetics, addiction, and forensic science.

Encore Sessions

Encore Sessions: Week of Sept. 27 - Oct. 1


Sept. 27, 2021 @ 6:00 PM 

Roundtable on the Business of Practicing Law

Panelists: Bhavik Patel, Sandberg Phoenix, St. Louis; Mira Mdivani, Mdivani Corporate Law Firm, Kansas City; Alex Lee, TKC Holdings, Inc., St. Louis

Forum Moderator: Garnett Matthews, The Missouri Bar, Jefferson City


Sept. 28, 2021 @ 6:00 PM (CDT)

Practical and Ethical Considerations in Expanding a Probate/Elder Law Practice to a Regional or Statewide Practice

(Qualifies for 1.0 Ethics hour)

Presenters: Jessica Rooks, Rooks Law Firm, Kirksville; Daniel P. Wheeler, Kirkland Woods & Martinsen LLP, Kansas City

Forum Moderator: John Challis, Kirkland Woods & Martinsen, LLP, St. Louis

The availability and acceptance of audio/visual technology creates opportunities for Missouri attorneys to geographically expand their probate and elder law practice to a regional or statewide practice. The learning objective is to have all attendees understand the practical and ethical considerations in expanding their practice in this manner and to be able to apply the appropriate procedures.  

Issues to be discussed include: 1) Marketing to a broader audience; 2) Retaining client confidentiality and attorney-client privilege for non-in-person communications; 3) Ethical rules regarding what state you are practicing law in; 4) Conflict rules; 5) Local court rules and appearing in Court remotely; 6) Presentations by remote technology; 7) Remote execution of documents and document retention; and 8) Cloud-based client portals. 


Sept. 29, 2021 @ 6:00 PM

What Lawyers Should Know About Depression and Suicide

(Qualifies for 1.0 Ethics hour)

Presenter: Chris Ritter, Texas Lawyers Assistance Program, Austin, Texas

Forum Moderator: Anne Chambers, Missouri Lawyers' Assistance Program, Jefferson City


Sept. 30, 2021 @ 6:00 PM (CDT)     

Transgender Issues for Missouri Practitioners and Related Legislative Action

(Qualifies for 1.0 Ethics & 1.0 Bias hour)

Presenters: Brandon BoulwareBoulware Law LLC, Kansas City; Mary OlsonShook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP, Kansas City

Forum Moderator: Garnett Matthews, The Missouri Bar, Jefferson City

The following topics will be discussed:

  • Treating transgender people with respect means treating them according to their gender identity, not the sex they were assigned at birth.
  • Language matters: Using a person’s chosen name and pronouns.
  • Changing names and amending gender markers on government-issued identification documents: the basics.
  • Legislative action impacting trans Missourians.

Oct. 1, 2021 @ 6:00 PM

Implicit Bias and Jury Trials - MAI-Criminal and MAI-Civil

(Qualifies for 1.0 Ethics & 1.0 Bias hour)

Silver Sponsor: James W. Tippin & Associates, Kansas City

Presenters: Joan LockwoodGray, Ritter & Graham, St. Louis; Judge Deborah Daniels13th Judicial Circuit Court (retired), Columbia

With the adoption of new Missouri jury instructions addressing implicit bias, it’s increasingly clear that important decisions – by jurors, attorneys, even judges – can be impacted by bias.  

How do biases affect decision-making and how can we recognize and manage bias to increase focus on issues of diversity and equality?

This CLE segment will define and address common implicit biases and provide tools on how to manage their impact.

  • Understand what implicit bias means and how it may influence our decisions.
  • Discuss the rationale behind the adoption of and learn how to use Missouri’s implicit bias instructions contained in MAI Civil and Criminal. 
  • Identify Missouri’s rules of civil procedure, court operating rules and ethical rules that have long recognized that bias has no place in our courts and our system of justice.
  • Discuss the issue of implicit (and explicit) bias in the context of jury selection and in the use of Batson and peremptory challenges. 
  • Learn some techniques that help debias perceptions and improve interactions.

 

Planning Committee

Thank You to the 2021 Annual Meeting Planning Committee


John Gunn, President, St. Louis
John Grimm, Vice President, Cape Girardeau
Judge George Draper, III, Jefferson City
Chief Justice Paul C. Wilson, Jefferson City
Thomas Bender, Immediate Past President, Kansas City
Mischa Buford Epps, Executive Director, Jefferson City
Sara G. Neill, Chair, St. Louis
Betsy AuBuchon, Clerk of the Supreme Court of Missouri, Jefferson City
Seth Albin, St. Louis
Teri Appelbaum, St. Louis
Dean Jon Baris, St. Louis
Barbara Birkicht, St. Louis
Judge Michael Burton, Clayton
John Challis, Clayton
Lauren Collins, St. Louis
Chad Courtney, Springfield
Judge Deborah Daniels, Columbia
Katharyn Davis, St. Louis
Athena Dickson, Kansas City
Whittney Dunn, St. Louis
Judge Katherine Fowler, St. Louis
Kevin Gunn, St. Louis
Steve Harmon, St. Louis
Ed Hershewe, Joplin
Tamar Hodges, St. Louis
Eric Johnson, Kansas City
Daniel Kertz, St. Charles
Amanda Pennington Ketchum, Kansas City
Christie Lewis Abate, St. Louis
Nalini Mahadevan, St. Louis
Jennifer Matthew, St. Louis
Mira Mdivani, Kansas City
Kate Noland, Liberty
Nathan Orr, Kansas City
Erin Pfirrman, St. Louis
Megan Phillips, St. Louis
Matthew Radefeld, St. Louis
Judge Robin Ransom, St. Louis
Scott Robbins, Poplar Bluff
Susan Ford Robertson, Kansas City
Judge Jason Sengheiser, St. Louis
Dean Nancy Staudt, St. Louis
Judge Michael Stelzer, St. Louis
Shae Stone, St. Louis
Prof. & Dean Emerita Ellen Suni, Kansas City
Judge William Syler, Cape Girardeau
Robert Tomaso, St. Louis
Lauren Tucker McCubbin, Kansas City
Ryan Turnage, St. Louis
Daniel Wheeler, Liberty
Dorothy White-Coleman, St. Louis
Casey Wong, St. Louis
Judge Jerri Zhang, Kansas City
Maria Zschoche, St. Louis

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations received on or before September 1, 2021 will receive a full refund. No refunds will be given for cancellations received after September 1, 2021. You will have access to the programs' self-study materials located in your online account. 

Cancellations must be received in writing and sent via email to klepper@mobar.org.