Executive Summary: Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 

No, that is not a typo. Annual Meeting culminates a Missouri Bar year and launches another anew. During this gathering, we celebrate colleagues, collaborate with peers, and transition leadership. Special thanks to the attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, volunteers, and staff who made the 2023 Missouri Judicial Conference and The Missouri Bar Annual Meeting a success. Be sure to flip through the list of award recipients recognized during Annual Meeting by the bar, foundation, and Young Lawyers’ Section. These lawyers uphold some of the highest standards in our profession and have been recognized accordingly. If someone in your circle is doing great work, I implore you to nominate them for consideration next year.  

I want to take a moment to thank Lauren Tucker McCubbin, 2022-23 Missouri Bar president, for her service to the profession during her term.  I also want to welcome Megan Phillips to the role as 2023-24 president of The Missouri Bar. Please take a few minutes to read her first President’s Page and profile piece in this issue. 

At The Missouri Bar, leadership takes place at all levels. A new bar year ushers in new committee appointments and board members, selected to represent you –Missouri lawyers. We are  fortunate  to have an impressive slate of volunteer leaders. Some are new to the profession; others are seasoned in their careers. Some operate solo or in small firms; others work in-house or at large firms. Some represent large cities; still others come from rural areas of our state. All are valuable and appreciated. And they make an impact. 

As we welcome our newest lawyers during the Fall Enrollment ceremonies, we pause to consider how we can best help them better serve their clients and communities. The lawyers and judges who graciously contribute their time and expertise as leaders are guiding figures for these incoming cohorts, serving as the very embodiment of The Missouri Bar and its myriad benefits. They set a tremendous example. I also hope that those transitioning into their well-deserved retirements feel proud when they cross paths with our current leaders, knowing they are passing on the baton of the profession into capable hands. 

If you’re ready to dive in and be more involved this bar year, a possible first step is to sign up for one or more of The Missouri Bar’s 40+ committees and sections. Many of them will be meeting this November, offering the perfect opportunity to participate and connect. Committees are the life blood behind the work and activities of The Missouri Bar, from developing legal education offerings, keeping pace with issues impacting the practice,  to advocating for relevant legislative matters. You’ve probably noticed the recent work of the Standing Committee on Well-being in the Profession, which has created a range of resources and events in observation of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. No matter which groups you choose to join or where you provide volunteer service in bar efforts, I’m confident you’ll build professional relationships and grow even more excited about law as your chosen career.  

Please join us in this new year, as we work together across the state to improve the quality of legal services available to our fellow Missourians.   

Best regards, 

Mischa