Lee’s expertise and commitment to his clients has earned him an excellent reputation in the local legal community.
Total Credits: 14.4 MCLE, 10.9 Ethics, 2.0 Elimination of Bias, 14.0 Kansas Credit, 10.5 Kansas Ethics, 1.0 Kansas LPM
Plenary sessions livestream webcast | Sept. 14
Plenary sessions have been broadcast and will be available for self-study credit only.
CLE tracks, YLS New Lawyer Series, Ethics Series, “Lunch & Learn” sessions | Sept. 26-29
Live credit for virtual now available: 11.4 MCLE | 9.4 ethics | 2.0 elimination of bias
While there can be many reasons someone may not be able to attend the Annual Meeting in person, our virtual option means taking advantage of the high-value, low-cost CLE programming of the Annual Meeting IS NOT an either/or proposition.
Our virtual alternative mirrors the highly successful virtual “Lunch and Learn” format that collectively more than 3,000 attended and enjoyed in 2020, 2021, and 2022. It features an approach that does not tether you to a computer screen for long hours over multiple days. Instead, you will be able to attend in convenient midday time blocks while still having time to attend to your practice each day and all sessions qualify for live MCLE credit. Your virtual experience looks like this:
Use the Tabs above to explore the details of the Virtual Annual Meeting option.
Ayyoub Ajmi champions innovation and transformation at the intersection of law and technology. Ayyoub currently serves as the Director of Legal Innovation and Technology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law (UMKC). During his tenure at UMKC, Ayyoub has helped build and deploy innovative and award-winning solutions such as the library’s Virtual Self-Help Clinic and the Kansas Protection Order Portal. Currently, Ayyoub is leading the growth of the Legal Technology Laboratory (LTL), a UMKC Law School initiative aimed to connect law school faculty and students with other networks of innovators to address social, civic, and economic development challenges through the design and implementation of technology-assisted solutions and data-driven policy development. Ayyoub teaches Legal Technology Competency Skills, Law Practice Systems and Document Automation courses. He holds a JD, an MLIS, and a BA in communication technologies.
Judge Bates was appointed to the Court of Appeals, Southern District, beginning Dec. 1, 2003, and he was retained in 2006 and 2018. He has long served on the State Judicial Records Committee and Court Management of Technology Committee.
Judge Bates was engaged in private practice in Springfield from 1984 - 2003, trying complex personal injury and wrongful death cases.
Judge Bates earned his Juris Doctor in 1984 from the University of Missouri–Columbia where he served as associate editor-in-chief of the Missouri Law Review. He graduated in 1979 from Southwest Missouri State University with a B.S. in speech.
Tom Bender has been a trial lawyer in Kansas City for over 40 years, practicing in large, mid-size and small firms, and has handled all shapes and sizes of cases in state and federal courts, including class actions. He has been a mediator for over 20 years.
Tom received his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law and his B.S., with honors, from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Melinda J. Bentley 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. She began serving in that position in 2012. Prior to that she worked for the Illinois State Bar Association as Assistant Counsel from 2001-03, First Assistant Counsel from 2003-11, and Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs from 2009-11. She is a frequent speaker and author on professional responsibility matters. Ms. Bentley currently serves as a member of the Planning Committee for the American Bar Association (ABA) Center for Professional Responsibility’s National Conference on Professional Responsibility, the Planning Committee for The Missouri Bar Solo and Small Firm Conference, The Missouri Bar’s Special Committee on Remote Public Access to Case.net, and the National Organization of Bar Counsel’s Committees on Amicus, Website, Program, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 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 formerly served on the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility (2020-2023), 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). She is licensed in both Missouri and Illinois, and 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, Cole County Bar Association, and Mid-Missouri Women Lawyers’ Association.
Dan is a speaker on legal topics including association law, ethics and values in the workplace, negotiating employment contracts, negotiating severance agreements, bad faith insurance, wrongful death issues, and federal civil procedure. He also authors codes of ethics for professional associations and boards of directors.
Dan earned his Juris Doctor from Washburn University School of Law, and his B.S. from the University of Kansas.
Amy has a track record of national leadership on employment law issues, and she developed a wide range of experience on the defense and insurance side of business and personal injury matters while working for 15 years at a prominent Kansas City law firm representing individuals, businesses and insurance companies in complex litigation throughout the United States. Amy’s training and background also makes her well-suited to mediate challenging education and nonprofit philanthropy disputes.
“Understanding both sides” is a skill that Amy applies throughout the mediation process. She has an innate ability to get to the heart of a dispute. Amy uses various tools to manage difficult emotions, knows how to listen well, asks the right questions, and stays focused on helping the parties find a way to reach a deal and resolve their dispute.
Amy is firmly committed to guiding the parties to a successful resolution. Her words and actions show respect for all parties, representatives and attorneys involved in the mediation. They trust her, and as a result, trust themselves to achieve favorable outcomes, even when the stakes are high, the matter is complex, and the parties appear unyielding.
Amy serves on the boards of the following organizations: The M.R. & Evelyn Hudson Foundation, The Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation, the Association of Missouri Mediators and The University of Kansas Honors Program Advisory Board.
Amy received her Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law and her B.A. from the University of Kansas.
Ryan Copus joined the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 2020. His research focuses on technically and ethically responsible ways to apply the power of machine learning/AI to the study and regulation of legal decision-making, with a particular focus on civil and appellate procedure and judicial administration. He teaches Civil Procedure as well as Law, Technology, and Public Policy. Prior to joining the faculty, Professor Copus taught Legal Research and Writing as a Climenko Fellow at Harvard Law School.
Professor Copus graduated from Harvard Law School in 2007. After clerking for the Honorable David C. Godbey of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas and practicing as litigation associate for Goodwin Procter LLP., he completed his Ph.D. at Berkeley Law School’s Jurisprudence and Social Policy Program in 2017, with specialization in law and economics. His dissertation, “Machine Learning and the Reliability of Adjudication,” developed predictive models of decision-making in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Court and the California Board of Parole Hearings, using them to investigate the promises and limitations of algorithm-assisted justice.
Joe Dandurand served 21 years as Circuit Judge in Cass and Johnson Counties, 15 years as Presiding Judge. He was then elevated by gubernatorial appointment to a judgeship on the Missouri Court of Appeals-Western District. Joe retired from the bench to accept an appointment as Missouri’s Chief Deputy Attorney General from Attorney General Chris Koster, serving in that position for 8 years. Throughout his legal career with the Courts and the State of Missouri he engaged in several practice areas including civil litigation defense work, domestic disputes, employment law, personal injury litigation, consumer protection law, medical malpractice, and criminal trials.
Joe has twice sat by invitation of the Chief Justice as a replacement judge on the Missouri Supreme Court.
His wide-ranging judicial experience as well as his diverse work in the Attorney General’s office and his years as a general practitioner, have brought a wealth of knowledge to his mediation practice. Joe is a member of the American Arbitration Association’s Consumer Panel and received training from the University of Missouri School of Law Center for Dispute Resolution.
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.
Allen recently was promoted to chief information officer for Spencer Fane LLP. A seasoned technology executive, Allen merges technical acumen and business strategy, specializing in organizational development, cybersecurity, and technology risk management. His understanding of technology's interplay with the legal sphere sets him apart as an expert in the field.
During college, Allen ran a technology consultancy before a pivot to healthcare, where he worked in IT operations and internal audit for a decade at a prominent hospital group and laboratory. In 2015, Allen stepped into the role of IT director at Spencer Fane LLP, one of the nation's fastest-growing law firms, where he is now chief information officer.
A lifelong learner, Allen was originally a philosophy and pre-law student before obtaining a B.S. in business administration, emphasizing economics. In 2020, he bolstered his leadership credentials by graduating from Columbia University in the City of New York's prestigious Executive Technology Management Program with a M.S. in technology management and a focus in technology risk. Allen is a Qualified Technology Expert (QTE) and serves on the board of advisors for executive technology groups. He is a member of the CIO Executive Council and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's InfraGard.
Allen has presented at the International Legal Technology Association on "How to Build a Cyber Program from Scratch" and contributed to the Wall Street Journal's CIO Journal and CSO Magazine's Future of Cybersecurity Conference.
Allen now teaches future technology executives a technology and the law course at Columbia. Allen was recently accepted to the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business Executive Development Program for 2024.
Adrienne helps clients understand the complexities of estate and wealth planning. Her practice is a full-service practice for estate and wealth planning, ranging from helping young families to document their wishes through the creation and amendment of wills, trusts, and powers of attorney in a basic start-up estate plan, assisting with post-death estate and trust administration, to leading a complex planning effort involving estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax planning, asset protection, prenuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements, vacation property coownership agreements, and creative ways to use applicable trust law to modify Irrevocable Trusts. She strives to bring creativity and personable, effective communication to her work with clients and their team of advisors.
Prior to working at her current firm, Adrienne spent eleven years, three of them as a partner, working with a large St. Louis-based law firm with a significant estate-planning department, assisting high-net-worth clients with strategies to ensure their wealth would be passed on to future generations and their philanthropic wishes would be achieved. She also spent over five years as Senior Trust Counsel at The Commerce Trust Company advising the Trust Company on estate, trust, and tax matters. She assisted Commerce Family Office clients on estate-planning strategies and family wealth education.
Adrienne is an adjunct law professor at Saint Louis University School of Law where she teaches Wills, Trusts, and Estates and Estate Planning.
Adrienne is an active member of STEP, the Society of Trusts and Estates Professionals, a worldwide professional association advising families on international estate-planning issues; the Steering Committee for the Probate and Trust Section of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis; Missouri Bar Probate and Trust Division Subcommittee to Study the Uniform Electronic Wills Act; the Estate Planning Council of St. Louis; and the Trainer’s Network for 21/64, a body of professional advisors serving high-net-worth families with multi-generational engagement in philanthropy and family enterprise.
Danielle obtained her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in May 2020. She was admitted to The Missouri Bar in September 2020 and proudly holds membership in the 26th Judicial Circuit Bar Association. Born and raised in the beautiful and distinctive Lake of the Ozarks, Danielle felt honored to return to her roots and practice law in her hometown and is now partner at the law firm of Parks & Drake, LLC in Lake Ozark.
Danielle's primary focus encompasses civil litigation, business planning, landlord/tenant law, property disputes, family law, and contract disputes. During her time in law school, Danielle's exceptional advocacy skills were evident as she served as a captain of the UMKC School of Law Mock Trial Team. Her courtroom prowess earned her the prestigious Order of the Barristers award, recognizing her as one of the top 10 courtroom advocates in her graduating class. Improving the legal field and embracing new technology within practice is a cornerstone of Danielle's business and legal work.
Outside of her legal endeavors, Danielle embraces the vast array of activities that the Lake of the Ozarks offers. Whether she's boating, or enjoying quality time with her friends, family, and two cherished labs, Danielle finds solace in the natural beauty and recreational opportunities that the lake area provides.
Jane Drummond is the general counsel and senior vice president of governmental relations for the Missouri Hospital Association. Jane joined MHA in 2014 as the general counsel and vice president of legal affairs. She was promoted to also lead its advocacy services in 2022. She provides a full range of legal support to MHA and related organizations and boards in the areas of healthcare compliance, corporate advice, and judicial advocacy. Jane also lobbies state and federal officials for policies that support hospitals and their missions and helps members navigate the complex legal and regulatory framework of the health care system.
Jane graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law in 2001. Since then, she has worked largely in the public policy arena, while gaining additional experience in private practice. She has worked as the general counsel for the Department of Health and Senior Services under Gov. Matt Blunt, and in that same capacity in the governor’s office. In 2007, Gov. Blunt appointed her to serve as the director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, a cabinet-level position which she held through the end of the Blunt administration.
In addition to her Juris Doctor, Jane earned a master in strategic leadership from Stephens College in 2014.
Emily was recently promoted to Director of Strategic Priorities for Citi's Global Legal Department. She will also function as Chief of Staff to Citi's Legal CAO/COO and Head of Global Legal Solutions. In her new role, Elam will focus on the execution of key departmental initiatives, expense management, and operational excellence.
A passionate advocate for community engagement and pro bono, Emily co-leads the Citi St. Louis Pro Bono Program and holds leadership roles in a variety of other workplace diversity and engagement groups.
Outside of work, Emily serves on several non-profit boards, including Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, and she enjoys volunteering in the community whenever she can.
Laura is Missouri’s chief disciplinary counsel, appointed by the Supreme Court of Missouri in the fall of 2022. Upon graduating from law school, she worked as an assistant attorney general for the state of Missouri for nearly 10 years. After leaving the Attorney General’s Office, and before joining the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel, she spent more than three years at the Missouri Ethics Commission as its general counsel.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Laura spent 25 years working for Commerce Bank in Columbia.
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.
Courtney L. Fletcher is an attorney in the Estate Planning Practice Group of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C. She concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning and administration, probate, trusts and elder law, including Medicaid Planning, Special Needs Trusts, Digital Asset Planning and Veterans Benefits.
Ms. Fletcher has experience in the preparation of Trust Agreements, Wills, Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives. Additionally, she handles probate estates, including guardianships and conservatorships.
Ms. Fletcher received her undergraduate degree from William Jewell College where she graduated with honors. Ms. Fletcher received her law degree from University of Missouri at Kansas City, Missouri.
Ms. Fletcher is a member of The Missouri Bar, past President of the Greene County Estate Planning Council, a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, a junior member of the Special Needs Alliance and a V.A. accredited attorney. She is a past director of the Missouri Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and a past chairman of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association Probate and Trust Committee. She currently serves on the Elder Law Committee of the Missouri Bar and is also a member of the Estate, Trust and Elder Law Institute Planning Committee.
Ms. Fletcher is a former member of the Junior League of Springfield, serving in various capacities including Chair of Teen Court. She is a volunteer at Greenwood Laboratory School and is currently the chair of Greenwood Music Boosters Organization.
Barbara Glesner Fines is the Rubey M. Hulen Professor of Law and Dean Emerita of the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law, where she has been a member of the faculty since 1986. She served as Executive Associate Dean from 2008 to 2016 and as Dean from 2017 to 2023. Glesner Fines received her master of law degree from Yale University and her J.D. (cum laude) from the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Professor Glesner Fines is an expert on professional ethics, legal education and the professional identity formation of law students. She has authored numerous articles and books on these subjects and is a fellow in the Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership. She has created several innovative programs at the School of Law. She helped to found the UMKC School of Law Child and Family Law Program, which is currently ranked as one of the top four programs of its kind in the United States. She is also one of the founding faculty members of the School of Law’s Center for Law, Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Glesner Fines currently teaches Professional Responsibility, Client Interviewing, and Family Violence. She also directs the Self-Help Legal Clinic. Students in the clinic provide instruction, referral, brief advice, and limited scope representation to self-represented litigants in a variety of subject areas. Students learn technology skills to build self-help resources and community education skills in pro se classes.
Steve is the founding member of Gorny Dandurand. Throughout his career, his trial work has brought about unprecedented results. In 2002, Steve’s client was awarded the largest medical negligence verdict in Cole County, Missouri. In 2006, Steve and a former partner obtained the seventh largest trial verdict in the United States, and the largest non-punitive wrongful death verdict in Missouri history. In 2018, he obtained the largest, and perhaps only, plaintiff’s verdict in Ford County, Kansas. In 2021.
For ten years, Steve served on the executive committee of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys and was its president in 2018-2019. He is a member of AAJ’s Interstate Trucking Litigation Group and served on the advisory board of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. He continues to be active in both organizations.
Steve has been selected to the prestigious Best Lawyers in America every year since 2009. He has been selected as a Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyer every year since 2006. The National Trial Lawyers Association has designated Steve a Top 100 Trial Lawyer as well as a Top 25 Medical Malpractice Trial Lawyer. He has been selected to the Nation’s Top One Percent by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum of which fewer than 1% of U.S. lawyers are members. In 2023, the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys bestowed upon Steve its highest honor, The Thomas G. Strong Trial Attorney Award.
Steve is a former executive committee member and former president of the Mid-America Chapter of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. A life-long runner, Steve ran numerous marathons and ultra-marathons in support of charitable causes. Throughout 2006, he ran one 26.2-mile marathon each month to raise more than $35,000 for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
In 2009, he completed a 100-mile ultra-marathon to benefit The LLS in honor of a family friend battling the disease. In 2012, he ran across the State of Kansas, a total of 234.7 miles, to raise more than $85,000 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in honor of his father who suffered from the disease.
He graduated magna cum laude from the Washburn University School of Law in 1994, where he served as an editor for the Washburn Law Journal. Prior to attending law school, he earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and sociology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
James is the director and managing attorney of Legal Services of Eastern Missouri’s Volunteer Lawyers Program. He has served in this role since 2019 and manages the pro bono efforts of Legal Services of Eastern Missouri.
James earned his Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University School of Law and is a graduate of Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa.
With 30 years of legal experience, Angela Gupta serves as a Mediator, Arbitrator, and Special Master in complex civil litigation and employment-related matters with Associates in Dispute Resolution, LLC. Angela previously practiced law in two Kansas City law firms and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where she handled cases involving commercial, employment and bankruptcy law, and she also served as chambers counsel to Judge Kathryn H. Vratil in the District of Kansas federal court. Angela is an Approved Mediator in the State of Kansas and in the District of Kansas and Western District of Missouri federal courts. Angela also serves as an Arbitrator on the commercial, employment, and consumer panels for the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and has been appointed as a Special Master in litigation pending in the District of Columbia federal court.
Connie S. Haden practices in the areas of estate and business planning, trust and probate administration, elder law, and tax-exempt and non-profit organizations. Prior to starting the firm, she practiced with Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP, specializing in complex estate, business, gift, and tax planning issues. She then served as independent counsel for Graves Bartle Marcus & Garrett LLC in Kansas City where she continued her practice in estate planning and trust and estate administration and expanded her practice into the areas of non-profit organizations and elder law. Her passion is to assist clients in developing and implementing the best possible plan to achieve their goals, while encouraging the participation of family members and other family advisors, minimizing taxes, and offering candid and affordable legal advice.
Connie is licensed to practice in Missouri and Kansas and is a member of the Mid-Missouri Estate Planning Counsel, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the Missouri Chapter of NAELA, and the Boone County Bar Association.
Connie received her Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the UMKC Law Review and was a member of the Christian Legal Society, the Federalist Society, the Student Bar Association, and the Order of the Bench and Robe.
Connie graduated summa cum laude from the University of Missouri with degrees in Agriculture Business Management and Business Economics. During her time at The University of Missouri, she was active with the Homecoming Steering Committee, the Baptist Student Union, the Ag Week Steering Committee, and the Mortarboard Honor Society. She was a Sam Walton Business Scholar and received her American FFA Degree.
Josh Harrel is the chief assistant prosecuting attorney with the Greene County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Prior to joining the GCPA in 2016, Josh worked as an assistant attorney general with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office for 10 years. During his time at the AGO, Josh worked in both the Consumer Protection Division, handling both civil and criminal consumer protection enforcement cases, and the Public Safety Division, working primarily as a special prosecutor on felony cases throughout the southern half of Missouri. In addition to his supervision and administrative duties, Josh currently focuses primarily on complex property/fraud cases and violent crime prosecutions.
Reggie is a partner in the firm’s St. Louis office. His practice focuses on internal investigations, corporate compliance, white collar criminal matters and civil trial litigation.
Among his representative matters since joining BCLP, Reggie has conducted multiple internal investigations into alleged improper sales practices and alleged regulatory violations for a Fortune 500 financial services company, has represented a bank employee in a federal mortgage fraud investigation which ended in no charges being filed, and has represented a physician in a federal criminal probe of drub prescribing practices which ended in no charges being filed. Reggie also represents corporate and individual clients in corruption investigations.
From 2002 to 2019, Reggie served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, where he investigated and prosecuted corporate embezzlement, Ponzi-type schemes, investment fraud, financial institution fraud, false billing schemes, tax fraud and evasion, identity theft, public corruption, child exploitation, and violent crime. Reggie served as White Collar Chief from 2012 to 2017.
In his most recent role as Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney, Reggie developed and implemented strategies related to the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods and heroin and opioid initiatives in the Eastern District of Missouri. He built and nurtured coalitions within federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to create and execute plans to combat violent crime and reduce opioid abuse and overdoses in St. Louis, MO. He also led the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights program, including supervision, investigation, and prosecution of criminal civil rights matters and serving as the lead counsel on major civil rights prosecutions.
Reggie’s work as a federal prosecutor has earned him accolades within the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Trial of the Year in 2016 and 2015, and special achievement awards in 2005 and 2006. In his 17 years at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Reggie garnered significant courtroom experience, including 20 federal criminal trials and numerous appearances before the 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Reggie served as a business and civil litigation associate at another law firm in St. Louis.
David Heinemann represents individuals and business both as plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts throughout the United States. He has significant experience in a wide range of litigation matters, including product liability defense, insurance coverage litigation, appellate practice, business litigation, consumer class actions, and employment claims. He is a founding member of Shank & Heinemann.
Mr. Heinemann graduated magna cum laude from the Duke University School of Law in 1987, where he was selected to the Order of the Coif. He was also elected to the staff of the Duke Law Journal and served on its editorial board. Following law school, he served as a judicial law clerk to Judge James K. Logan of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit from 1987 to 1988. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) in 1984.
Judge Hess was appointed to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, in November 2013. He served as chief judge in 2016-2017. He served as a special judge on the Supreme Court of Missouri in November 2016.
Judge Hess served on The Missouri Bar Task Force on the Future of the Profession in 2015-2017 and on the Joint Commission on Women in the Profession from 2017-2019.
Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Hess was a principal in the law firm of Larsen & Hess PC. He was inducted a fellow in the College of Workers' Compensation Lawyers in 2009. He represented employees for 30 years.
Judge Hess is past president of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys.
Judge Hess earned his Juris Doctor from University of Missouri–Columbia, and he received his undergraduate degree in economics and philosophy at Rockhurst University .
Practicing law is Anika's second career. Before law school she was a licensed professional counselor. She worked in managed care and also did mental health assessments in a local hospital's emergency department. Her mental health background is extremely helpful in her GAL work.
Anika is also very interested in wellness and has served on the KCMBA's Wellness Committee for the past three years. She also started the wellness program at her current employer, Jackson County CASA. She has been a full-time GAL since 2017.
Vic Howard formerly served as Circuit Judge in Clay County and as President of the Clay County Bar Association. He retired from the Missouri Court of Appeals after serving as a Missouri Judge for over 25 years. He served as Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeals from 2008 to 2010.
As a trial judge in Clay County, Vic presided over more than 100 jury trials. In his work on the Court of Appeals, he conducted numerous appellate mediations and authored over 1,200 opinions.
As a Mediator, Judge Howard has mediated hundreds of cases and has used his extensive experience in a fair and impartial manner to facilitate the resolution of difficult legal problems.
Dr. Peter H. Huang is a former professor with the University of Colorado Law School in Boulder, Colorado.
Peter graduated at the age of 17 in three years from Princeton University and was a university scholar. He earned a Ph.D. in applied mathematics from Harvard University. His principal thesis advisor was 1972 economics Nobel Laureate Kenneth J. Arrow.
Peter has a Juris Doctor with distinction from Stanford, where he was a Stanford Center on Conflict and Negotiation Fellow and a John M. Olin Fellow in Law and Economics. He was a member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton during its economics and psychology theme year. He has published almost 70 economics journal articles, book chapters, and law review articles, most recently on topics related to anti-discrimination, leadership, stakeholder capitalism, and social justice.
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.
Nancy Kenner has decades of experience in personal injury, medical malpractice, and products liability issues. In 1993, she founded a law firm with Sly James which evolved into KNDK Law, now The Kenner Law Firm. Nancy is also with the firm, Jay Daugherty Mediation.
Nancy is a former president of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA) and the Association of Women Lawyers. Since 1993, Nancy has been a member of the Missouri Association of Trial Lawyers.
Judge Koester was appointed associate circuit judge for the 32nd Judicial Circuit Court in 2020, and her term expires Dec. 31, 2026.
Judge Koester served as assistant prosecuting attorney in Cape Girardeau County from 2007 – 2020. She is a member of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, Cape Chamber of Commerce, the Cape West Rotary, and St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Cape Girardeau.
Judge Koester received her Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University School of Law in 2007 and her B.S.B.A., in finance from Creighton University in 2003.
Judge Koester is married and has three children.
Abraham is a frequent presenter on a variety of family law issues, and he is an active member of the Family and the Law Section of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA). Having served two terms as chair of the Domestic Relations Committee, Abraham has been elected as president of the Family and the Law Section and now serves on the KCMBA Board of Directors.
Additionally, Abraham serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law. He also volunteers his time with the Volunteer Attorney Project, is a member of the Association for Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City, serves as an officer on the Eastern Jackson County Bar Association, and has also been on the board of directors for M.A.R.C.H. Inc. (Mediation Achieving Results for Children).
Abraham has dedicated his practice to family law and represents people in dissolution of marriage actions, modification of custody and child support actions, establishment of child support actions, adoption matters, paternity actions, and guardianship proceedings.
Abraham serves as a guardian ad litem in multiple counties, including Jackson, Cass, and Clay. In addition, he serves as a mediator as well as a special master.
Professor Levit teaches Defamation & Privacy, Employment Discrimination, Gender & Justice, Jurisprudence, and Torts, and is a faculty advisor to the UMKC Law Review. She is also a member of UMKC’s Women’s and Gender Studies faculty. She has previously taught courses in Criminal Law and Constitutional Law.
The students have voted Professor Levit the Law School’s Outstanding Professor of the Year five times (most recently in 2013 and 2015). She has received the Daniel L. Brenner Faculty Publishing Award (three times), the Elmer P. Pierson Faculty Teaching Award (three times), and the campus N.T. Veatch Award for Distinguished Research and Creative Activity. In 1998 she was named the Law School’s first Daniel L. Brenner Scholar. In 2000 she was awarded a UKC Trustees Faculty Fellowship. In 2001, she received the title of Edward D. Ellison Professor of Law. In 2004 she was the UMKC campus nominee for the University of Missouri’s Presidential Teaching Award. In 2012, she received the Missouri Governor’s Award for Teaching Excellence. The University of Missouri awarded her a Curators’ Professorship in 2005. She is one of 26 law professors in the country who is profiled in the book by Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz et al., What the Best Law Teachers Do, published by Harvard University Press.
Professor Levit’s scholarship is principally in the areas of employment discrimination, legal pedagogy, constitutional law, jurisprudence, torts, and feminist legal theory. Her book with Doug Linder, The Happy Lawyer: Making a Good Life in the Law, was published by Oxford University Press in 2010. Their sequel, The Good Lawyer: Seeking Quality in the Practice of Law, was published by Oxford in 2015. She has also written books about feminist legal theory, Feminist Legal Theory: A Primer (NYU Press 2d ed. 2016) (co-authored with Rob Verchick, with an introduction by Martha Minow), jurisprudence, Jurisprudence—Classical and Contemporary: From Natural Law to Postmodernism (West Group 2002) (co-authored with Robert L. Hayman, Jr., and Richard Delgado), and sex segregation, feminism, and masculinity, The Gender Line: Men, Women, and the Law (NYU Press 1998). She was the editor of the Kansas Criminal Defense Manual and is presently the editorial associate of the Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Her articles have appeared in the California Law Review, the Fordham Law Review, the George Washington University Law Review, the Georgetown Law Journal, the Hofstra Law Review, the Notre Dame Law Review, the Ohio State Law Journal, the UCLA Law Review, the University of Colorado Law Review, and the Wisconsin Law Review, among other places.
A former Chair of the AALS Section on Women in Legal Education, in 2016, she was elected President of the Southeastern Association of Law Schools. She served as Interim Associate Dean for Faculty at UMKC Law School in 2015-17 and was appointed Associate Dean for Faculty in 2018.
She received her B.A. with highest honors from Bates College, and her J.D. from the University of Kansas, where she was an editor on the Law Review. She was the recipient of a number of academic honors, including Order of the Coif, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and the West Award for Scholarship. After graduation, Professor Levit clerked for federal district judge Frank Theis, and worked on the Dalkon Shield multidistrict litigation. During this time, she volunteered at the Sedgwick County Public Defender Office. Prior to joining the UMKC faculty, she was a trial attorney with Stinson, Mag & Fizzell. She has been a member of the American Civil Liberties Union Legal Panel and an Assistant Special Master for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, and has engaged in pro bono criminal and death penalty representation.
Professor Levit enjoys distance running and sprint triathlons. She and her late husband Tim Geary have three children, Jon, Aaron, and Dylan Elizabeth, and a blue weimaraner named Niko.
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.
Molly has practiced with the firm since 1999.
She graduated from Vanderbilt University with a bachelor's degree and received her law degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia. Molly is a member of the Missouri Bar, the Kansas Bar, the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, the Greater Kansas City Estate Planning Society, and the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys.
She is active in the legal community, having served on the Trust & Probate Committee of The Missouri Bar and has been an adjunct professor at Avila University in the Paralegal Studies Program. When she is not spending time with her husband and their two boys, Molly gives back to the community by serving as a member of the Truman Medical Center Charitable Foundation Board, the UMKC Dental School’s Rinehart Foundation Board, the ReDiscover Foundation Board, and as a past president of the Lee's Summit Rotary Club. She is also a sucker for dogs, live music and sporting events. She is responsible for the family’s latest unplanned Wayside Waifs adoption and has visited over half of the MLB ballparks.
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.
Ellen Ostrow, Ph.D., PCC, CMC is a psychologist, certified coach, strategic talent advisor, and Founding Principal of Lawyers Life Coach LLC who brings particular expertise in coaching, training and advising lawyers and the law firms and corporations that employ them. Since starting her firm in 1998, Ellen has coached hundreds of attorneys throughout the world at all levels of experience and seniority in law firms of all sizes, corporate legal departments, government, not-for-profits and the judiciary.
The executive coaching Ellen provides to attorneys includes leadership development and effectiveness, communication and emotional intelligence, career planning and advancement, business development and work life integration. She assists lawyers in developing resilience and psychological flexibility, i.e., the capacity to be fully present and aware, in any given context, and to flexibly choose to act in a manner that will be optimally effective, authentic and aligned with values.
Ellen is particularly interested in assisting attorneys at transition points in their careers: from a time-keeper role to a leadership role, either as a law firm partner or an in-house leader; a service provider to a client manager and business generator; or a team player to a team or organizational leader.
Ellen consults with practice groups, law firms and corporate legal departments on strategic talent management, retention, promotion and inclusion. She has advised law firms and the legal departments of Fortune 500 companies regarding leadership development, optimizing attorney-client communication and collaboration, diversity and inclusion, effective management, delegation and supervision, developing mentoring and sponsorship programs and retaining and developing diverse talent. She works with law firms to design and implement effective strategies to better recruit, develop, retain and advance the lawyers and staff within the firm.
Ellen brings a unique understanding of the complexities of human behavior, motivation, emotion and learning, derived from her extensive training in psychological science, 30+ years of experience working with individuals and organizations to facilitate change, and 20+ years of working exclusively with attorneys and their employers. She approaches all of her work from an interdisciplinary and evidence-based model of change that includes behavioral science and positive psychology.
Ellen is particularly sought after as a diversity, equity and inclusion consultant because her evidence-based work, derived from the science of social connection, focuses on observable behavior rather than unconscious processes that are not subject to conscious influence efforts. Instead, Ellen’s work with law firms seeking to become more inclusive focuses on developing mindful awareness and enabling lawyers to create authentic connections across differences. Her humanizing approach avoids the common triggers of defensiveness that hamper the effectiveness of typical implicit-bias focused interventions.
Since founding Lawyers Life Coach, Ellen has become known for her expertise in the challenges faced by women and diverse attorneys in the profession and has been invited to address numerous audiences – including the Department of Justice Canada, the Center for Legal Inclusiveness, Harvard Law School’s Women’s Leadership Summit, the Center for Women in the Law, the Latina Executive Leadership Academy, the National Bar Association, the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law’s Women Leadership & Equality Program and bar and women attorney’s groups on the national and local level throughout the US and Europe – on strategies for advancing women and diverse attorneys.
Her consultation with a law firm to become a more diverse and inclusive workplace resulted in that firm becoming one of the most honored firms for its diversity accomplishments. In addition, Ellen worked with a consulting team engaged by a judicial system to develop “A Great Place to Work.” In this capacity she conducted leadership development training, team building and provided leadership development coaching to court leaders including judges.
Ellen has also been selected as the exclusive Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF)-endorsed leadership development coach. She serves as a facilitator and coach for Diversity Lab’s On-Ramp Fellowship and OnTrack Sponsorship programs. She has been the Co-Chair of the Board of the ThirdPath Institute since its founding and has served on the District of Columbia Bar Association’s Lawyers’ Assistance Program Advisory Board as well as the DC Bar’s Board of Governors. She uses her expertise in the social and neurosciences to inform her efforts to increase resilience, satisfaction and effectiveness among legal professionals.
A frequent contributing writer for print and electronic legal media, Ellen’s articles have been published in the New York Law Journal Magazine, Perspectives, The Woman Advocate, NAWL’s The Women Lawyers’ Journal, GP Small/Solo, Trial Magazine, Lawyers Weekly USA, the Talent Think Tank Blog and many other prominent legal publications. The New York Times, the Washington Post, US News & World Report, the Legal Times, Of Counsel, Law 360 and the Careerist have quoted Ellen and her email newsletter, Beyond the Billable Hour, has been reprinted by more than 30 print and electronic publications and translated into multiple languages.
Ellen received her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Rochester and her coach training from the MentorCoach ™ program, for which she has also taught, and her Professional Certified Coach certification from the International Coach Federation. She served on the faculties of three universities before starting her independent practice. She lives in suburban Washington, DC. with her husband and two cats, remotely parents her adult children in Las Vegas and Bel Air and adores her two grandchildren.
Dawn has extensive trial and litigation experience. She has tried over 100 jury trials in State and Federal Court. Dawn represents health care providers in medical malpractice claims, individuals and companies facing criminal investigations and accusations, and police officers facing claims of excessive use of force. Dawn joined Shaffer Lombardo Shurin in 2015 after serving as the Chief Trial Assistant for the Jackson County Prosecutor where she managed the Street Crimes Unit, prosecuted major crimes and trained new attorneys and police officers.
Dawn received her Juris Doctor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and her B.A. from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Robb Preston is a real estate attorney with 15+ years of experience who enjoys helping individuals, entrepreneurs, and businesses by providing creative, economical, and practical solutions to complex real estate problems. He regularly negotiates and drafts complex legal documents, such as purchase and sale agreements, development agreements, leases, easements, restrictive covenants, and condominium declarations.
In addition, Robb helps developers and municipalities form public-private partnerships in order to finance impactful development projects. Such partnerships often include tax increment financing (TIF) and other forms of public financing, such as property tax abatement, sales tax exemptions, and the creation of special taxing districts.
Bud went to Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri, and graduated with honors in 1992 with a B.S.B.A. in Finance and Economics. Next, he attended law school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and graduated in 1995 with his Juris Doctor. He began practicing law in the fall of 1995 in Missouri. He was admitted to practice law in Kansas in the summer of 1996.
After graduation from law school, I worked for a small law firm doing a wide variety of legal matters for approximately two years. In 1998, he founded The Reynolds Law Firm, LLC to provide trusted guidance and advice in matters ranging from multi-million dollar cases in multiple areas of the law, such as divorce, personal injury, and breach of contract cases, to relatively simple versions of the same types of matters.
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 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.
Pamela was a staff attorney with Legal Aid of Western Missouri (LAWMO) for 14 years. In 2015, she became the managing attorney of the Joplin office, managing a staff of five attorneys, three paralegals and one support staff.
As a staff attorney, Pamela was a member of the domestic unit in the Kansas City office of LAWMO from 2001 to 2007, focusing on the representation of victims of abuse in divorce, paternity, custody, and orders of protection. She also served as Guardian ad Litem in child orders of protection. In 2007, she joined the Joplin office of LAWMO as their VAWA-STOP grant attorney representing victims of abuse in orders of protection. She continues to represent victims of abuse in family law matters and represents many clients in housing, consumer, probate, and income maintenance cases.
Pamela is the current chair of the Family Law Section of The Missouri Bar. She is licensed in Missouri and Kansas.
Pamela received her Juris Doctor in 2001 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She received a B.A. in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1998.
Supreme Court of Missouri Chief Justice Mary Russell is the third woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Missouri since statehood in 1821. She is a member of many legal and civic organizations, including Rotary, Episcopal Church, P.E.O., and CASA, and she is a past member of the ABA’s Council on Accreditation and Legal Education. Chief Justice Russell is the recipient of many honors and awards, including being awarded the Honorable Theodore McMillian Judicial Excellence award.
Chief Justice Russell, a seventh generation Missourian, graduated from Truman State University and the University of Missouri‐Columbia School of Law. After graduation, she was a law clerk at the Supreme Court of Missouri. She practiced law in Hannibal for 12 years until her appointment to the Court of Appeals where she served for nine years, including one year as the chief judge. Chief Justice Russell is a mentor to numerous young people and a strong supporter of civics education. She speaks frequently to students as well as community groups, helping to demystify the courts.
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.
Kendall is a lawyer dedicated to reforming the legal system to ensure foster children are given a fighting chance and the loving family they deserve. He spearheads the creation and development of research, reforms, and public policies to protect foster children at both the state and federal levels. Additionally, Kendall is an adjunct law professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City where he teaches on human trafficking and the law.
Before joining the Center for the Rights of Abused Children, Kendall worked for nearly 15 years as a litigator, a lobbyist, and a public policy executive.
Judge Sheffield was appointed to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, in 2012 and served as chief judge. She served as a trial judge from 1983 - 2012, handling criminal, civil, juvenile, and family court cases. She is the former president of the National College of Probate Judges and past president of the Blue Ridge Institute for Juvenile and Family Law Judges. She has received the Chief Justice Award for Public Service.
Judge Sheffield was appointed in 2003 to serve as one of three U.S. international liaison network judges for the Hague Convention on Child Abduction. She has presented papers and conducted trainings on Hague matters in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, England, Ecuador, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jamaica, Korea, Malta, Singapore, Switzerland, Slovakia, Tanzania, and Trinidad-Tobago.
Judge Sheffield participated in the Washington, D.C. National Convening on Trafficking and Child Welfare held at the White House, and the New York National Summit on Human Trafficking and State Courts. She currently serves on the Supreme Court Combatting Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence Commission. She has chaired the Supreme Court Family Court Committee and served on numerous committees and commissions.
Judge Sheffield received her Juris Doctor from the University of Miami Law School and her B.A. from North Carolina State University.
Kristen T. Southworth is an associate in the Firm’s Estate Planning and Probate Department. She has extensive experience drafting various estate planning documents including wills, revocable trusts, irrevocable trusts, prenuptial agreements, durable powers of attorney, and medical directives, as well as experience in the preparation of gift and estate tax returns. She counsels clients on estate and wealth planning, estate and trust administration, business succession planning, and she can help her clients implement various wealth transfer techniques including the formation of business entities, installment sales, buy-sell agreements, life insurance trusts, various gifting techniques and more.
The most important and enjoyable part of Kristen’s practice is her relationship with her clients. Estate planning is deeply personal and Kristen takes pride in the trust her clients place in her ability to empathize with their family circumstances while implementing sophisticated business and estate planning strategies. She takes the time to listen, educate, and explain the various options related to personal, tax, and business planning.
Before becoming a lawyer, Kristen lived on a large grain and cattle farm in Southern Illinois. She carved out a few acres from the farmstead to raise fruits and vegetables and to run a small-livestock and fowl operation while also raising her daughter. Her business quickly grew from a few chickens, to biweekly deliveries to multiple restaurants, grocery stores, and families in St. Louis. As a former small business owner and entrepreneur, Kristen knows the challenges in owning and operating a business. This experience as a business owner, entrepreneur, and mother gives Kristen a unique perspective when managing clients’ needs.
Kristen serves on the Firm's Recruiting Committee. She also is a member of the Estate Planning Council of St. Louis, the St. Louis Metropolitan Bar Association, the Missouri Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. She is conversational in German.
Sharon is a shareholder and leader of Sandberg Phoenix’s bankruptcy and creditor rights group. She brings more than 25 years of experience in business law and business and commercial litigation. Her legal practice focuses on bankruptcy, Chapter 11 debtor and creditor issues, as well as Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 debtor matters.
Sharon has represented creditors in all aspects of creditor rights litigation, claim objection litigation, collateral realization, mechanic liens, collections, foreclosures, and replevin litigation. Sharon has also assisted financial institutions, lenders, and large suppliers with consumer and commercial restructuring of troubled credits and other business matters. In addition to representing clients before both state and federal courts, she has served as national counsel for several Kansas City-based construction industry firms. As a result of the breadth of her practice and her years of experience, Sharon is well-known and highly-regarded in the Kansas City legal community.
Sharon is licensed to practice in the Kansas Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, and the Missouri Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. She also appears before the U.S. District and Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, the U.S. District and Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Missouri, and the U.S. District and Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas. Sharon is authorized to electronically file in most federal bankruptcy courts in the United States.
Sharon received her Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law.
TJ is an author of multiple books being sold worldwide, hosts a podcast with thousands of listeners, and is a keynote speaker, thought leader, and mindset coach. He has been a people leader in health care for almost two decades.
TJ has been a speaker and coach for almost a decade and has impacted thousands of lives by inspiring people to live with intention and purpose. Using his background in science, he teaches how human behavior, neuroscience, and the power of reshaping mindsets can and will transform lives.
Erwin (Erv) is a co-chair of the appellate practice group at Greensfelder. He has argued or briefed dozens of appeals in state and federal court. He has written numerous articles and presented or moderated appellate practice seminars for The Missouri Bar and other organizations. In addition to his appellate practice, Erv has deep knowledge of areas of law including consumer protection, governmental regulatory affairs, and data security. He is a co-editor of the treatise State Consumer Protection Law, recently published by the American Bar Association.
For 11 years, Erv served as chief counsel in the Office of the Missouri Attorney General, where he led litigation on matters including the Merchandising Practices Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, civil rights, First Amendment law, and taxation in state and federal trial and appellate courts throughout Missouri. He has been involved in dozens of high-profile matters, including the relocation of the Rams to St. Louis, representation of the Missouri Commissioner of Securities and Secretary of State, and litigation resulting in a ban against the sale of ephedra products in Missouri. Recently he represented the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority (the governmental body responsible for the Dome at America’s Center) in negotiations with St. Louis City and St. Louis County regarding the allocation of a $500 million settlement with the NFL and the Rams.
Erv has significant community and leadership experience, including serving as president or chair of the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners, the St. Louis Housing Authority, and the St. Louis Public Library. He also served on the St. Louis Police Board, the Missouri Technology Corporation Board, the Governor’s Council on Disability, and the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life. Missouri Lawyers Media has recognized Erv with an ICON award, a Mentorship award, and attorney Power List designations. He has been included in Best Lawyers in Appellate Practice and was named Lawyer of the Year in Government Relations Law.
Hon. William L Syler is a senior judge residing in Cape Girardeau. He served as a Circuit Judge for 22 years. While actively on the bench he was a member of the Circuit Court Budget Committee and the Court Automation Committee. He has acted as the presiding judge of the 32d Circuit. He has been a Special Judge for the Eastern District Court of Appeals and the Missouri Supreme Court. He has presided on over 300 jury trials.
Lisa Tesar is a vice president and business development officer based in Cumberland Trust’s St. Louis office. In this role, Lisa focuses on building relationships with external advisors (including financial advisors, attorneys, and accountants), individuals and families through personalized trust and estate services. A native of Missouri, Lisa works to expand Cumberland Trust’s presence in the Midwest region.
Lisa brings a wealth of experience to the Cumberland Trust team. Prior to joining Cumberland Trust in 2021, Lisa was a senior director and business manager with TIAA, working with their private asset management group. Her experience includes developing and leading an internal middle office team to support attorneys, wealth management advisors and clients with the onboarding and funding of new trust and estate accounts and relationships. Previously, she managed grantor and decedent trust administration teams with Edward Jones.
A Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA), Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Missouri.
Lisa has been recognized for her work and accomplishments in the trusts and estates industry. Some of these accomplishments include winning the TIAA Excellence Award, serving as a TIAA Emerging Leader, on the Diversity and Inclusion Council and as a corporate United Way liaison. Additionally, she serves as a member of the St. Louis Estate Planning Council.
Sam has served on the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, since 2012, serving as Chief Judge for two years ending in 2019, and Vice Chief Judge for two years before that. Before being appointed to the Court of Appeals, Sam served as a Judge on the Arizona Superior Court, Maricopa County, for nearly five years, presiding over criminal and juvenile matters (including nearly 250 trials) and serving as an elected member of the Judicial Executive Committee.
Nationally, Sam is a Uniform Law Commissioner, where he is a member of the Scope & Program Committee; chairs the Drafting Committee on Updating the Uniform Determination of Death Act and is a member of the International Legal Developments Committee and the Committee to Monitor Developments in Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution. Previously, he chaired the Drafting Committee for the Uniform Employee and Student Online Protection and Privacy Act (2016). He has been a member of the American Law Institute since 2003 and serves as an Adviser to the Restatement of the Law (Third) of Torts: Remedies. He Chairs the American Bar Association’s Judicial Division Appellate Judges Conference and is an officer on the Appellate Judges Education Institute, Inc., Board of Directors. Sam also serves as Judicial Division Liaison to the ABA Section of Litigation. By appointment of the National Center for State Courts, he serves on the Joint Technology Committee, a cooperative effort of the NCSC, the Conference of State Court Administrators, and the National Association for Court Management.
In Arizona, Sam chairs the Arizona Commission on Access to Justice; co-chairs the COVID-19 Continuity of Court Operations During a Health Emergency Workgroup (the Plan B Workgroup) and is a member of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Committee on Juvenile Courts. He was named the 2021 Judge of the Year by the Arizona Supreme Court. Previously, Sam served as co-chair of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Committee on the Rules of Evidence (2012-2019) and chair of the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee (2017-2019). Sam also chaired the State Bar of Arizona’s Civil Practice and Procedure and Fee Arbitration Committees and served on the State Bar’s Civil Recommended Arizona Jury Instructions and Rules of Professional Conduct Committees.
Sam has taught remedies as an adjunct professor at the University of Arizona and Arizona State University Colleges of Law and co-taught evidence to all new Arizona trial judges for many years. He is a frequent speaker, having presented at more than 400 seminars internationally, nationally and in Arizona. He is a frequent author, having published 13 law review articles and more than 50 other law-related articles. Before joining the bench, Sam was an AV peer review rated lawyer and a partner at Perkins Coie Brown & Bain, P.A., in Phoenix, and an associate at Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C. He served as a law clerk for Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Stanley G. Feldman and Judge David R. Hansen, United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. Sam received a Master of Laws from Duke University School of Law in 2020; graduated Order of the Coif from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1988, where he was a Note & Comment Editor on the Iowa Law Review, and graduated from Iowa State University in 1984, where he was a Harry S. Truman Memorial Scholar.
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.
Judge Mary F. Weir was appointed as an Associate Circuit Judge by Governor Jay Nixon on May 10, 2013. Prior to her appointment , she began working in 2001 as a contract attorney with Hope House, Inc., and provided legal representation to victims of domestic violence and their children. She also represented juveniles and their parents in cases heard before the Jackson County Family Court through her work as "of counsel" with the Raith Law Firm. Judge Weir served as an Assistant Missouri Public Defender from 1998 until 2001. She was also a law clerk to the Honorable Christine Sill-Rogers of Division 31 from 1995 until 1998. She has taught at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School as an Adjunct Professor since 2004. She is the current chair of the Missouri Supreme Court's Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence Commission. She is a member of the Independence Coordinated Community Council, the Lee's Summit Coordinated Community Council and Lawyers Encouraging Academic Performance (LEAP).
Judge Weir received a J.D. degree from Washburn University Law School in Topeka, Kansas in 1995. She obtained a B.A. degree in Political Science from UMKC in 1991.
After graduating from law school in 2020, Cody joined Seigfreid Bingham PC as a commercial litigator. Cody represents clients in a multitude of areas, including employment law, human resource management, contract disputes, regulatory compliance, commercial transactions, licensing, data privacy, intellectual property, and tax planning.
Cody has always had an interest in artificial intelligence and its seemingly unlimited possibilities. While in school, he authored "Scaling the Meta-Mountain: Deep Reinforcement Learning Algorithms and the Computer Authorship Debate" 87 UMKC L. Rev. 979 (2018-2019). There, he delves into how newer forms of artificial intelligence display signs of creativity deserving of copyright protection, explains why the current copyright framework is ill-equipped to afford such protection, and proposes a solution that not only incentivizes the continued use of artificial intelligence but also prepares for a future in which artificially intelligent beings have the same rights and protections as we do.
Cody attended the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law where he excelled at the top of his class, served on the UMKC Law Review Board of Directors, was a member of the National Moot Court Team, and was inducted into the National Order of the Barristers for excellence in oral advocacy and brief-writing skills.
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.
Hon. Gary Witt was appointed to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, in 2010. He was elected as chief judge for a two year term that began July 1, 2022. He received the Appellate Judicial Excellence Award in 2020. He was previously an associate circuit judge in Platte County from 1998 - 2010.
Before his judicial service, Judge Witt served as a state representative from 1991-1996. He was a shareholder with Witt, Hicklin & Witt, PC in Platte City.
Judge Witt earned his undergraduate degree from William Jewell College and his Juris Doctor from University of Missouri-Columbia.
Judge J. Dale Youngs was appointed in April 2009 by Governor Jay Nixon. Judge Youngs received his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia and his J.D. degree from the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law where he was a member of the school's national moot court team and a recipient of the American College of Trial Lawyers Medal for Excellence in Trial Advocacy.
Judge Youngs began his legal career in 1989 with the Kansas City law firm of Spradley & Riesmeyer. From 1996 to 2002, he served as an Assistant Missouri Attorney General, prosecuting civil and criminal consumer fraud cases as well as internet and other computer-related crimes. During that time, he served as the chief of the office's High Technology and Computer Crime Unit, and as Chief Counsel for the Western Region. In 2002 Judge Youngs joined what is now known as Husch Blackwell LLP where, until his appointment to the bench, he practiced in the fields of business and commercial litigation, white collar criminal defense and government affairs.
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.
9 - 10:15 a.m.
Plenary session - Creating a life of balance and satisfaction in a demanding legal profession
10:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Plenary session - Innovation and impact on the future of the profession
11 - 11:50 a.m.
All About Business - Post-pandemic: Wrapping up stimulus and lasting effects/impact of COVID-19 on businesses
Family Law - Preserving your professional reputation: Handling disciplinary complaints
All About Litigation - From facts to fiction: The art of storytelling in legal persuasion
Probate, Trust & Elder - Missouri version of the Electronic Wills Act
12 - 12:50 p.m.
All About Business - Cultural competency in critical law firm and in-house pro bono work
Family Law - Understanding the UCCJEA
All About Litigation - Ethics unveiled: Navigating social media in the legal realm
Probate, Trust & Elder - "What is your conservator doing in jail?"
1:20 - 2:10 p.m.
YLS New (and Not So New) Lawyer Series - Part I: Lawyers and AI technology – platforms lawyers can use in their practice, security and risk awareness
11 - 11:50 a.m.
All About Business - Deep dive into small businesses and the law
Family Law - Remote public access rule change, redacting requirements and update for the family lawyer
All About Litigation - Remote public access to Case.net: redaction updates, requirements, and standards
Probate, Trust & Elder - Intersection of probate and dissolution: How to pursue claims for someone who is now disabled or deceased
12 - 12:50 p.m.
All About Business - An overview of local economic development incentives
Family Law - Tools and training for family law attorneys: How to address intimate partner violence in their practice
All About Litigation - Ethics in mediation
Probate, Trust & Elder - Smooth transitions: Legal considerations and strategies for business succession planning
1:20 - 2:10 p.m.
YLS New (and Not So New) Lawyer Series - Part II: Lawyers and AI Technology – the ethical implication of AI use in practice
11 - 11:50 a.m.
All About Business - Cultural competency and inclusivity in the mediation process
Family Law - Legislative and case law update and analysis for the family law practitioner
All About Litigation - Insights and perspectives on best practices at trial and pitfalls to avoid in the courtroom
Probate, Trust & Elder - The business of probate administration: Managing your practice
12 - 12:50 p.m.
All About Business - Anatomy of a law firm breach
Family Law - Working effectively with guardian ad litems: Best practices in legal representation
All About Litigation - Appellate advocacy: Tips and strategies for effective brief writing and oral argument
Probate, Trust & Elder - Planning pitfalls and trust administration
1:20 - 2:10 p.m.
YLS New (and Not So New) Lawyer Series - Well-being as a career asset: Include mindset in your success blueprint
11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Ethics Series - A conversation with the chief disciplinary counsel: Avoiding common ethical problems
12:10 - 1:10 p.m.
Ethics Series - Ethics update from Missouri's legal ethics counsel: September 2023 edition
Tuesday, Sept. 26 | 11 - 11:50 a.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Jane C. Drummond, Missouri Hospital Association, Jefferson City
Tuesday, Sept. 26 | 12 - 12:50 p.m.
1.0 MCLE (Qualifies for 1.0 elimination of bias)
Presented by: Emily A. Elam, Citibank N.A., O’Fallon; James H. Guest, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, St. Louis; Reginald L. Harris, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, St. Louis
This program will include an overview presentation on pro bono clients and their unique needs along with a panel discussion featuring representatives from the legal aid, private practice, and in-house sectors.
Wednesday, Sept. 27 | 11 - 11:50 a.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Sharon L. Stolte, Sandberg Phonix & Von Gontard PC, Kansas City; Lee J. Viorel, Lowther Johnson Attorneys at Law LLC, Springfield
We will discuss: 1) options for small businesses facing financial challenges; 2) risks and liabilities for owners of small businesses; and 3) methods of reorganization and their benefits or drawbacks.
Wednesday, Sept. 27 | 12 - 12:50 p.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Robert B. Preston, Spencer Fane LLP, St. Louis
Some development projects are not economically feasible without local economic development incentives, including real property tax abatement, sales tax exemption, special taxing districts (e.g., CID/TDD), and tax increment financing (TIF). This is increasingly true in times of economic uncertainty. This program will cover the basic tools used by real estate practitioners and governmental entities to provide financial assistance to real estate development projects.
Thursday, Sept. 28 | 11 - 11:50 a.m.
1.0 MCLE (Qualifies for 1.0 elimination of bias)
Moderator: Camille L. Roe, Quarles & Brady LLP, Chicago, Illinois
Presented by: Angela D. Gupta, Associates in Dispute Resolution LLC, Topeka, Kansas; Thomas V. Bender, Horn Aylward & Bandy LLC, Kansas City; Amy L. Coopman, Bridge Mediation LLC, Kansas City
Thursday, Sept. 28 | 12 - 12:50 p.m.
1.0 MCLE (Qualifies for 1.0 ethics)
Presented by: Allen Darrah, Spencer Fane LLP, Kansas City; Eric L. Johnson, Spencer Fane LLP, Kansas City
This program delves into the dynamics of spearphishing and ransomware attacks, guided by Allen Darrah. Discover the stages of these threats from macro and micro perspectives, along with strategies used by cybercriminals. Learn about immediate defense tactics and gain insights into a defense-in-depth approach for law firm protection.
Key takeaways:
1. Grasp the mechanics of spearphishing and ransomware attacks.
2. Understand cybercriminals' strategies during lateral movement and extortion.
3. Learn actionable cyber defense techniques, emphasizing defense-in-depth.
Eric Johnson will dive into the professional conduct rules implicated by cybersecurity and technology, including Rules 4-1.1 (Competence) and 4-1.16 (Confidentiality).
Tuesday, Sept. 26 | 11 - 11:50 a.m.
1.0 MCLE (Qualifies for 1.0 ethics)
Presented by: Daniel F. Church, Morrow Willnauer Church LLC, Kansas City
Key takeaways for this program are:
1) Clearly communicate with client, in writing, any limitations in the scope of the representation;
2) Document, in writing, to client any objectives the client has that will impact the scope of representation and cost of
representation;
3) Decline to continue to represent a client if their objectives/expectations are unreasonable; and
4) When terminating your relationship with a client, do so in writing.
Tuesday, Sept. 26 | 12 - 12:50 p.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Cecilia J. Brown, Cecilia Nuby & Associates LLC, Kansas City; William H. Reynolds, The Reynolds Law Firm LLC, Kansas City
This program will cover the following:
1) For what types of cases can a Missouri court assume emergency jurisdiction under the UCCJEA?
2) What is the legal standard that a moving party would have to show for Court to assume emergency jurisdiction?
3) What are some defenses, if any, to prevent a Missouri court from assuming emergency jurisdiction?
Wednesday, Sept. 27 | 11 - 11:50 a.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Kate E. Noland, Noland Law Firm LLC, Liberty
Wednesday, Sept. 27 | 12 - 12:50 p.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Pamela Roychaudhury, Legal Aid of Western Missouri, Joplin; J. Kendall Seal, Center for the Rights of Abused Children, Kansas City
Thursday, Sept. 28 | 11 - 11:50 a.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Patricia M. Scaglia, Scaglia Law Firm LLC, Independence
The program will provide a summary of legislation passed in 2023 impacting family law lawyers, a summary of significant cases, and important resources for practitioners.
Thursday, Sept. 28 | 12 - 12:50 p.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Anika A. Hickman, Jackson County CASA, Kansas City; Abraham D. Kuhl, Law Office of Young, Kuhl & Frick LLC, Lee's Summit
From time-saving techniques to cost-saving measures, learn how to work effectively with the guardian ad litem to obtain the best possible resolution for your client. The program will also cover:
1) Basic tenets of practicing in family court;
2) The advantages of a collegial relationship with a GAL; and
3) Ethical considerations.
Tuesday, Sept. 26 | 11 - 11:50 a.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Stephen M. Gorny, Gorny Dandurand LC, Kansas City; Dawn M. Parsons, Shaffer Lombardo Shurin, Kansas City
Tuesday, Sept. 26 | 12 - 12:50 p.m.
1.0 MCLE (Qualifies for 1.0 ethics)
Presented by: Dean Emerita and Professor Barbara Glesner Fines, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, Kansas City
Attorneys have a duty of competence that includes the ability to identify key evidence in their clients' matters, including understanding the world of social media. At the same time, the social duties of fairness to third parties and compliance with substantive and procedural law limits the use of social media. This presentation will explore this tension.
Wednesday, Sept. 27 | 11 - 11:50 a.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Hon. Jeffrey W. Bates, Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, Springfield; Hon. Deborah Daniels, 13th Judicial Circuit Court (retired), Columbia
This presentation will address the who, what, and how of document redaction for attorneys. The three learning objectives for this program are: (1) identifying new Supreme Court rules that govern redaction; (2) reviewing the types of confidential information that must be redacted; and (3) explaining the process for submitting unredacted information for use by the court and opposing counsel.
Wednesday, Sept. 27 | 12 - 12:50 p.m.
1.0 MCLE (Qualifies for 1.0 ethics)
Presented by: Hon. Victor C. Howard, Nancy E. Kenner, and Hon. Joseph Dandurand, Jay Daugherty Mediation & Arbitration, Kansas City
Thursday, Sept. 28 | 11 - 11:50 a.m.
1.0 MCLE
Moderator: Hon. William L. Syler Jr., 32nd Judicial Circuit Court (retired), Cape Girardeau
Presented by: Hon. Julia M. Koester, 32nd Judicial Circuit Court, Jackson: Hon. Mary F. Weir, 16th Judicial Circuit Court, Kansas City; Hon. J. Dale Youngs, 16th Judicial Circuit Court, Kansas City; Hon. Jerri J. Zhang, 16th Judicial Circuit Court, Kansas City
This program will be a question and answer session for trial judges. Attendees will take away the following:
1. Specific ways they can ensure they will have the best chance of success in court, whether it is in trial, in motion practice, or in just interacting with the court and its staff;
2. Identification of common pitfalls that can compromise their chances of success in court and ways to avoid them; and
3. Understanding of practice tips that may be unique to the 16th Judicial Circuit Court.
Thursday, Sept. 28 | 12 - 12:50 p.m.
1.0 MCLE
Moderator: Erwin O. Switzer, Greensfelder, St. Louis
Presented by: Hon. Mary R. Russell, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri, Jefferson City; Hon. Mary W. Sheffield, Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, Springfield; Hon. Gary D. Witt, Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, Kansas City; Hon. Philip M. Hess, Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, St. Louis
Attendees participating in this session will:
1. Learn what judges want to see from lawyers in appeals;
2. Learn what judges don't want to see in briefs or at oral argument;
3. Learn how to write a better brief and effectively argue;
4. Learn about the inner workings of the Court of Appeals; and
5. Ask questions of judges from every state appellate court in Missouri.
Tuesday, Sept. 26 | 11 - 11:50 a.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Adrienne J. Davis, MGD Law LLC, St. Louis
Tuesday, Sept. 26 | 12 - 12:50 p.m.
1.0 MCLE
Moderator: Hon. Deborah Daniels, 13th Judicial Circuit Court (retired), Columbia
Presented by: Courtney L. Fletcher, Carnahan Evans PC, Springfield; Joshua D. Harrel, Greene County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, Springfield
This program will focus on real life scenarios, both from the probate/estate planning perspective and the prosecutor/criminal law perspective, in order to better understand the intersection of civil liability and criminal liability when funds are appropriated contrary to a fiduciary liability.
Wednesday, Sept. 27 | 11 - 11:50 a.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Molly Nail, Chinnery Evans & Nail PC, Lee's Summit; Daniel P. Wheeler, Kirkland Woods & Martinsen LLP, Liberty
The learning objective is to have all participants understand and be able to apply the appropriate procedural and substantive rules in: 1) Rights of spouses and children in conservatorship and decedent estates; 2) Pursuing or defending a dissolution action for an incapacitated or disabled person; and 3) Pursuing or defending claims relating to obligations under a divorce decree or property settlement agreement after one party is deceased.
Wednesday, Sept. 27 | 12 - 12:50 p.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Connie S. Haden, Haden & Colbert LLC, Columbia
Thursday, Sept. 28 | 11 - 11:50 a.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Jessica M. Rooks, The Rooks Law Firm LLC, Kirksville
This program will provide tips and strategies on how to manage a probate practice for solo or small firms. Areas to be examined including practicing in an electronic community, practicing in multiple counties, and streamlining the probate practice for maximum efficiency.
Thursday, Sept. 28 | 12 - 12:50 p.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Lisa Tesar, Cumberland Trust, St. Louis; Kristen T. Southworth, Lewis Rice LLC, St. Louis
Tuesday, Sept. 26 | 1:20 - 2:10 p.m.
1.0 MCLE
Presented by: Ayyoub Ajmi, director of legal innovation and technology, University of Missouri-Kanas City School of Law, Kansas City; Cody R. Weyhofen, Seigfreid Bingham PC, Kansas City
Wednesday, Sept. 27 | 1:20 - 2:10 p.m.
1.0 MCLE (Qualifies for 1.0 ethics)
Presented by: Danielle R. Drake, Parks & Drake LLC, Lake Ozark; Cody R. Weyhofen, Seigfreid Bingham PC, Kansas City
This session is about the usage of AI within practice and also some ethical considerations with its growth and usage in the field of law.
Thursday, Sept. 28 | 1:20 - 2:10 p.m.
1.0 MCLE (Qualifies for 1.0 ethics)
Presented by: David L. Heinemann, Shank & Heinemann LLC, Mission Woods, Kansas; TJ Sweet, Life and Mindset Coach, Lake Ozark
Attendees participating in this session will:
1. Understand the science and importance of self-care;
2. Understand how to implement healthy habits while living a busy life; and
3. Develop effective strategies to sustain a positive and healthy mindset.
Friday, Sept. 29 | 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
1.2 MCLE (Qualifies for 1.2 ethics)
Presented by: Chief Disciplinary Counsel Laura E. Elsbury, Jefferson City
The program will review some of the specific Rules of Professional Conduct that are frequently asserted in complaints received by the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel and will discuss the importance of avoiding these all-too-common ethical problems.
Friday, Sept. 29 | 12:10 - 1:10 p.m.
1.2 MCLE (Qualifies for 1.2 ethics)
Presented by: Legal Ethics Counsel Melinda J. Bentley, Jefferson City
Missouri's legal ethics counsel will provide an update including a discussion of recent changes to the Rules of Professional Conduct, opinions in disciplinary cases, published Informal Advisory Opinions, and more.
Thursday, Sept. 14 | 9 - 10:15 a.m.
1.5 MCLE (Qualifies for 1.5 ethics)
(Special thanks to our Platinum Sponsor: The Bar Plan, St. Louis)
Moderator/panelist: Prof. Nancy Levit, associate dean for faculty, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, Kansas City
Panel: Dr. Peter H. Huang, former professor, University of Colorado Law School, Boulder, Colorado; Dr. Ellen Ostrow, psychologist, professional certified coach, strategic talent advisor, and founding principal of Lawyers Life Coach LLC, Rockville, Maryland
This program will focus on the psychological and scientific research that lawyers can use to work toward life goals of fulfillment and happiness, as they balance the demands of a career in law. Our assembled experts will offer insights on strategies and tools that lawyers can put into practice at any career stage to find more satisfaction in their work and life.
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| Levit | Huang | Ostrow |
Thursday, Sept. 14 | 10:30 - 11:45 a.m.
1.5 MCLE
Moderator: Mira Mdivani, Mdivani Corporate Immigration Law Firm LLC, Kansas City
Panel: Ayyoub Ajmi, director of legal innovation and technology, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, Kansas City; Prof. Ryan W. Copus, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, Kansas City; Nicole M. Fisher, Fisher Law LLC and Drama-Free Divorce LLC, Kansas City; Hon. Samuel A. Thumma, Arizona Court of Appeals, Phoenix, Arizona
This program will explore how various kinds of innovation, including sustaining, low market and disruptive innovation, impact the future of lawyers, clients, and courts. The panelists will discuss using new ideas and technology to improve existing practices, creating more affordable segments of the legal market, and creating new consumption of legal services and access to justice through innovation.
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| Mdivani | Ajmi | Copus | Fisher | Thumma |
Cancellations received on or before Sep. 1, 2023, will receive a full refund. No refunds will be given for cancellations received after Sep. 1, 2023. You will have access to the programs' self-study materials located in your online account.
EXCLUSIVE/PLATINUM SPONSOR
Robb & Robb LLC
Gary C. Robb and Anita Porte Robb
Location: Kansas City
Sponsor for: Best of Missouri Reception
Website: www.robbrobb.com/
PLATINUM SPONSORS
Davis Bethune & Jones LLC
Location: Kansas City
Sponsor for: President's and Chief Justice's Opening Night Reception; Opening Luncheon and Chief Justice's Address
Website: dbjlaw.net/
Dowd Bennett LLP
Location: St. Louis
Sponsor for: President's and Chief Justice's Opening Night Reception
Website: www.dowdbennett.com/
Lear Werts LLP
Location: Columbia
Sponsor for: President's and Chief Justice's Opening Night Reception
Website: learwerts.com
The Bar Plan
Location: St. Louis
Sponsor for: Plenary - Creating a life of balance and satisfaction in a demanding legal profession
Website: thebarplan.com
GOLD SPONSOR
Thompson Coburn LLP
Location: St. Louis
Sponsor for: Opening Luncheon and Chief Justice's Address
Website: thompsoncoburn.com
DOUBLE SILVER SPONSOR
Polsinelli
Location: Kansas City and St. Louis
Sponsor for:Awards Luncheon Opening Luncheon and Chief Justice's Address
Website: polsinelli.com
SILVER SPONSOR
Strong Garner Bauer, PC
Location: Springfield
Sponsor for: Refreshment Breaks
Website: stronglaw.com
SUSTAINING SPONSORS
James W. Tippin & Associates
Newman, Comley & Ruth PC
Location: Jefferson City
Website: ncrpc.com
Turner, Reid, Duncan, Loomer & Patton, PC
Location: Springfield
Website: turnerreid.com
| Program Date/Time | Session Title | Presenters | Credits | Duration | Course Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 2023 @ 09:00 AM (CDT) |
PLENARY WEBCAST | Creating a life of balance and satisfaction in a demanding legal profession (qualifies for 1.5 ethics)
|
Dr. Peter Huang
Prof. Nancy Levit
Dr. Ellen Ostrow
|
Total Credits: 1.5 MCLE | 1 Hour 15 Minutes | More info » |
| Sep 14, 2023 @ 10:30 AM (CDT) |
PLENARY WEBCAST | Innovation and impact on the future of the profession
|
Total Credits: 1.5 MCLE | 1 Hour 15 Minutes | More info » | |
| Sep 26, 2023 @ 11:00 AM (CDT) |
ALL ABOUT BUSINESS TRACK | Post-pandemic: Wrapping up stimulus and lasting effects/impact of COVID-19 on businesses
|
Jane Drummond
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 26, 2023 @ 11:00 AM (CDT) |
FAMILY LAW TRACK | Preserving your professional reputation: Handling disciplinary complaints (qualifies for 1 ethics)
|
Daniel Church
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 26, 2023 @ 11:00 AM (CDT) |
ALL ABOUT LITIGATION TRACK | From facts to fiction: The art of storytelling in legal persuasion
|
Stephen Gorny
Dawn Parsons
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 26, 2023 @ 11:00 AM (CDT) |
PROBATE, TRUST & ELDER TRACK | Missouri version of the Electronic Wills Act
|
Adrienne Davis
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 26, 2023 @ 12:00 PM (CDT) |
ALL ABOUT BUSINESS TRACK | Cultural competency in critical law firm and in-house pro bono work (qualifies for 1 elimination of bias)
|
Emily Elam
James Guest
Reginald Harris
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 26, 2023 @ 12:00 PM (CDT) |
FAMILY LAW TRACK | Understanding the UCCJEA
|
Cecilia Brown
William Reynolds
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 26, 2023 @ 12:00 PM (CDT) |
ALL ABOUT LITIGATION TRACK | Ethics unveiled: Navigating social media in the legal realm (qualifies for 1 ethics)
|
Prof. Barbara Glesner Fines
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 26, 2023 @ 12:00 PM (CDT) |
PROBATE, TRUST & ELDER TRACK | "What is your conservator doing in jail?"
|
Hon. Deborah Daniels
Courtney Fletcher
Joshua Harrel
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 26, 2023 @ 01:20 PM (CDT) |
YLS NEW LAWYER SERIES | Part I: Lawyers and AI technology – platforms lawyers can use in their practice, security and risk awareness
|
Ayyoub Ajmi
Cody Weyhofen
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 27, 2023 @ 11:00 AM (CDT) |
ALL ABOUT BUSINESS TRACK | Deep dive into small businesses and the law
|
Sharon Stolte
Lee Viorel
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 27, 2023 @ 11:00 AM (CDT) |
FAMILY LAW TRACK | Remote public access rule change, redacting requirements and update for the family lawyer
|
Kate Noland
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 27, 2023 @ 11:00 AM (CDT) |
ALL ABOUT LITIGATION TRACK | Remote public access to Case.net: Redaction updates, requirements, and standards
|
Hon. Jeffrey Bates
Hon. Deborah Daniels
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 27, 2023 @ 11:00 AM (CDT) |
PROBATE, TRUST & ELDER TRACK | Intersection of probate and dissolution: How to pursue claims for someone who is now disabled or deceased
|
Molly Nail
Daniel Wheeler
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 27, 2023 @ 12:00 PM (CDT) |
ALL ABOUT BUSINESS TRACK | An overview of local economic development incentives
|
Robert Preston
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 27, 2023 @ 12:00 PM (CDT) |
FAMILY LAW TRACK | Tools and training for family law attorneys: How to address intimate partner violence in their practice
|
Pamela Roychaudhury
James Seal
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 27, 2023 @ 12:00 PM (CDT) |
ALL ABOUT LITIGATION TRACK | Ethics in mediation (qualifies for 1 ethics)
|
Hon. Joseph Dandurand
Hon. Victor Howard
Nancy Kenner
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 27, 2023 @ 12:00 PM (CDT) |
PROBATE, TRUST & ELDER TRACK | Smooth transitions: Legal considerations and strategies for business succession planning
|
Connie Haden
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 27, 2023 @ 01:20 PM (CDT) |
YLS NEW LAWYER SERIES | Part II: Lawyers and AI Technology – the ethical implication of AI use in practice (qualifies for 1 ethics)
|
Danielle Drake
Cody Weyhofen
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 28, 2023 @ 11:00 AM (CDT) |
ALL ABOUT BUSINESS TRACK | Cultural competency and inclusivity in the mediation process (qualifies for 1 elimination of bias)
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » | |
| Sep 28, 2023 @ 11:00 AM (CDT) |
FAMILY LAW TRACK | Legislative and case law update and analysis for the family law practitioner
|
Patricia Scaglia
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 28, 2023 @ 11:00 AM (CDT) |
ALL ABOUT LITIGATION TRACK | Insights and perspectives on best practices at trial and pitfalls to avoid in the courtroom
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » | |
| Sep 28, 2023 @ 11:00 AM (CDT) |
PROBATE, TRUST & ELDER TRACK | The business of probate administration: Managing your practice
|
Jessica Rooks
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 28, 2023 @ 12:00 PM (CDT) |
ALL ABOUT BUSINESS TRACK | Anatomy of a law firm breach (qualifies for 1 ethics)
|
Allen Darrah
Eric Johnson
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 28, 2023 @ 12:00 PM (CDT) |
FAMILY LAW TRACK | Working effectively with guardian ad litems: Best practices in legal representation
|
Anika Hickman
Abraham Kuhl
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 28, 2023 @ 12:00 PM (CDT) |
ALL ABOUT LITIGATION TRACK | Appellate advocacy: Tips and strategies for effective brief writing and oral argument
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » | |
| Sep 28, 2023 @ 12:00 PM (CDT) |
PROBATE, TRUST & ELDER TRACK | Planning pitfalls and trust administration
|
Kristen Southworth
Lisa Tesar
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 28, 2023 @ 01:20 PM (CDT) |
YLS NEW LAWYER SERIES | Well-being as a career asset: Include mindset in your success blueprint (qualifies for 1 ethics)
|
David Heinemann
TJ Sweet
|
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE | 50 | More info » |
| Sep 29, 2023 @ 11:00 AM (CDT) |
ETHICS SERIES | A conversation with the chief disciplinary counsel: Avoiding common ethical problems (qualifies for 1.2 ethics)
|
Laura Elsbury
|
Total Credits: 1.2 MCLE | 60 | More info » |
| Sep 29, 2023 @ 12:10 PM (CDT) |
ETHICS SERIES | Ethics update from Missouri's legal ethics counsel: September 2023 edition (qualifies for 1.2 ethics)
|
Melinda Bentley
|
Total Credits: 1.2 MCLE | 60 | More info » |