2024 Missouri Bar Senior Counselors offer advice

Each year, The Missouri Bar designates a group of lawyers as "Senior Counselors." To become a Senior Counselor, a lawyer must reach the age of 75 or have been admitted to The Missouri Bar for 50 years. We also asked this year's class to share some words of wisdom with their fellow Missouri lawyers -- specifically those recently admitted to the bar. Here's what some of them said:

Senior Counselor Name:	Advice:
Phillip J. Barkett Jr.	Be prepared.
James D. Boggs	Practicing law is a lifetime of learning.
Hon. Michael J. Bullerdieck	Be ethical in all things you do.
Hon. Anne-Marie Clarke	The privilege should never be taken lightly. We should always be civil and respectful toward each other, toward clients, and toward judges. The privilege brings with it the opportunity to mentor and help others; we should mentor others in the profession and help others in our community.
John M. Carnahan III	Courtesy to fellow attorneys is the foundation of helping your client and your level of practice enjoyment.
Steven John Clausen	It is a profession you never master. It requires constant education and hard work.
Thomas Crocco	The practice of law is about relationships. Build relationships on a foundation of integrity.
Albert A. Crump Jr.	Make sure your clients understand what actions you are taking for them. Explain it in non-lawyer terms.
Edward J. Deghroony	In the long run, it certainly pays off to treat opposing counsel, witnesses, and court personnel with courtesy, respect, and dignity.
Ray Dickhaner	Get in a good firm or find a mentor.
Robert H. Dierker Jr.	Read the rules!
David S. Durbin	In a somewhat humorous sense, I used to tell young lawyers “to be careful what you start doing early in your practice, you may end up doing the same thing your whole career!” (Not that that is a bad thing.) On a more serious note, I would say that practicing law is both a privilege and an opportunity to help people. Always remember a lawyer’s reputation is only as good as keeping your word. Once you have compromised honesty with your client, with your opponent, or with court, it will be difficult to restore faith in your commitments.
John Brand Eskew	Always deal with the Courts, other lawyers, and clients honestly and ethically. Be courteous. Allow for a good work-life balance.
Frank M. Evans III	To do it well requires consistent focus and effort. Seek out the best lawyers and support staff you can find to associate with.
Martin M. Gorin	Promise yourself each day to devote 100% of your efforts to each client. Each client’s case is very important to him/her.
Donald Martin Henry	Find a mentor.
Kenneth A. Herring	Take care of your paralegals and support staff and treat them well.
Hon. Michael Todd Jamison	Be true to the profession and understand it is an honor and a privilege to be an attorney. Find your passion in the law and never deter from that love.
Max Jevinsky	The best advice was given in 1190 by Moses Maimonides, the great scholar, physician, and philosopher: “Measure your words, for by multiplying words you increase error.”
Philip Alan Kaiser	Be careful about emailing and texting until you are absolutely certain there is nothing in either that would be harmful to your client or to you. When in doubt, put everything between your client and you in writing. Treat every client as if they were your only client and make them think so.
Marc S. Kramer	It is important to be courteous to clients, to other attorneys, judges, and court personnel. If you have an area of expertise, you should be willing to help other attorneys in need of assistance.
George W. Lange Jr.	Listen and understand before offering advise!
Richard Mersman III	Be responsive, never stop learning, and treat everyone with respect.
Ron Mitchell	Respect everyone, not just those you perceive to be above you. Know and practice the difference between confidence and arrogance. Research and be prepared. Learn to listen – God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. Be grateful and happy. This is your only opportunity. Don’t worry about what others think of you, it is none of your business.
Stephen Charles Moore	Be honest in dealing with courts, lawyers, and clients.
Raymond J. Moulis	In your decisions as an attorney, never compromise, always choose to uphold the law, and respect your colleagues, judges, and court staff.
Mark H. Neill	Know your limits, know the facts, know the law. Associate professionally and socially with other lawyers. You may be surprised by how much you learn from them and what fine people they are.
Jeffrey O. Parshall	Don’t be afraid to ask for advice from someone who has been there before.
Rod Richardson	“Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity. If any man [or woman] seeks for greatness, let him forget greatness and ask for truth, and he will find both.” Horace Mann
Rosetta B. Robins	Don’t rely on TV legal shows to make your decision to enroll in law school or influence how you practice law.
Andrew See	Treat others as you would be treated.
John William Simon	Read Roberto Michels, Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy (trams. Edith & Cedar Paul) (1962); and Joseph Heller, Catch-22 (1961).
Daniel John Strausbaugh	Put the client first. It is all about the client. Be absolutely honest in your dealing with the court and other lawyers.
Gregory Roland Wilsey	You have many options, don’t settle for a practice you don’t love.
John Kent Thomas	Practing law is always difficult but sometimes very rewarding with a client.
Louis A. Vlasaty	Treat all attorneys with respect and integrity.
Patrick E. White	Every case is a problem to be solved. Solve the problem.
Alif A. Williams	Develop expertise in a chosen area or areas of the law.

See the full list of 2024 Senior Counselors here.