Judges Carter, White Hardwick awarded for judicial excellence

Hon. R. Craig Carter and Hon. Lisa White Hardwick will receive The Missouri Bar’s 2024 Theodore McMillian Judicial Excellence Awards.

Established by The Missouri Bar Board of Governors in 2004, the awards recognize judges who have inspired others of the judiciary through their integrity and leadership to help advance the administration of justice and provide outstanding public and community services to Missouri residents.  

Carter and White Hardwick will receive their awards in St. Louis during the Annual Meeting of The Missouri Bar and Judicial Conference, Sept. 18-20.

Carter

Carter is the presiding circuit judge of the 44th Judicial Circuit, a position he has held since 2013. A graduate of the University of Arkansas School of Law, he previously served as an associate circuit judge from 2005-2012 and as a lawyer.

“Treat every person as if they have a soul, and that soul has unimaginable value,” Carter said when asked what advice he would give to lawyers and judges.

White Hardwick

White Hardwick has been a judge on the Missouri Court of Appeals-Western District since 2001 and was the first Black woman to serve on any appellate court in Missouri. Prior to that, she was the first Black woman to serve as a trial judge for the Jackson County Circuit Court. She was also the first Black lawyer and partner at Shook, Hardy & Bacon, where she practiced from 1985-2000.

White Hardwick said her proudest moments have come from watching more Black women enter the legal profession and serve on the bench.

“Given the chance to break barriers, I have worked with others to develop a pipeline of diverse legal talent by recruiting and mentoring law students and young lawyers,” she said. “The progress over four decades has been gratifying, with women of color now in leadership at major law firms, bar associations, corporate counsel offices, prosecutorial roles, and almost every level of the judiciary in our federal and state courts.”

A graduate of Harvard Law School, White Hardwick co-chaired the Supreme Court of Missouri’s Commission on Racial and Ethnic Fairness, helping implement a multi-phase study of racial disparities in the state court system.

“My goal is to lead a data-based study of systemic racism in our state courts and develop an action plan to address the implicit and explicit biases that deny equal justice under the law,” she said.

Click here to learn more about annual awards presented by The Missouri Bar, the Missouri Bar Foundation, and other entities. Read about other 2024 award winners here.