Meet #MOLawyers: Hon. Rebeca Navarro-McKelvey

Hon. Rebeca Navarro-McKelvey is a judge on the Missouri Court of Appeals-Eastern District. Originally from Jefferson City, Navarro-McKelvey graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 2000.

During a recent conversation with the 2023-2024 Leadership Academy class, you highlighted mentorship. Why is mentorship important for both new and experienced lawyers? 

I strongly believe in mentorship because I would not be where I am without it. Mentors are those folks who can see something in you that you can’t even see in yourself. Mentors provide solid advice, they motivate, and they provide real-world opportunities for self-improvement. I encourage everyone to walk alongside someone else and help another realize their potential. 

What advice would you give to new lawyers? 

Success is not always linear, so work hard but be patient with yourself. It’s great to set goals and go after them, but don’t forget to bloom where you are planted at the present time. Professional achievement and merit can be achieved at any and at every stage of a career. 

How has immigrating to the U.S. shaped your professional journey? 

My journey as a child immigrant and naturalized citizen has shaped every aspect of my personal and professional life. My parents and I sought refuge in the United States after feeling a communist regime in Nicaragua. That experience has enabled me to approach my profession with a deep sense of gratitude and a desire to safeguard the privileges we all share as free citizens in a democratic society. 

What personal item in your judge’s chamber best represents your personality, and why? 

My family Bible. My faith is an essential part of who I am. This Bible is particularly special to me as it represents an important part of my family’s history. It is over 60 years old, and it was one of the few personal items that my parents were able to take with them when we fled Nicaragua. It was also the Bible I used to take my judicial oath. 

If you could visit any fictional place, where would you pick and why? 

Camelot. I like the implausible – dragons, wizards, magical swords. 

Answers have been edited for clarity and brevity. Know a lawyer who you think should be featured in “Meet #MOLawyers”? Email Editor Nicole Roberts-Hillen at nhillen@mobar.org.