Meet your 2025-2026 Leadership Academy class: Natalie Spangler

Meet Natalie Spangler, a member of the 2025-2026 Missouri Bar Leadership Academy class! A graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, Spangler is deputy chief counsel for the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel. Prior to that she was a Missouri assistant attorney general and law clerk for Hon. Zel Fischer, of the Supreme Court of Missouri.

Every year, The Missouri Bar brings together a select group of new and young lawyers to serve on Leadership Academy. Each class completes a service project, engages in leadership workshops, networks with leaders in Missouri’s legal profession, and attends bar meetings. Following graduation, members continue to serve The Missouri Bar in an active capacity for two years. 

Spangler recently chatted with The Missouri Bar about the class’s service project, her advice to new lawyers, and the fun of working with a two-year-old office mate.

What are you most looking forward to about serving on Leadership Academy?

“I am most looking forward to the people I will meet across the state. I believe that serving as the best attorney, and serving our community effectively, starts with a deep and genuine understanding of the people within our bar. That means listening to their life stories, struggles and triumphs, and learning from experiences that may be very different from my own. I am excited for the opportunity to broaden my perspective, build meaningful connections, and use those insights to better serve both the bar and our legal community as a whole.”

Why did you decide to apply for Leadership Academy?

“I was lucky enough to experience Leadership Academy second-hand through my husband, Cale Spangler, when he participated in the 2023-2024 class. I saw the connections he built as well as how much serving the bar impacted him and meant to him, and knew it was something I wanted to be a part of. Cale then went on to nominate me so I could share in that same experience he had.”

What do you value most about The Missouri Bar and its mission?

“What I value most about The Missouri Bar and its mission is its recognition that it serves a truly diverse legal community and its commitment to meeting the needs of all its members. That diversity extends beyond age, race, and gender to include differences in geographic location, practice areas, and professional paths. By acknowledging and embracing this breadth of perspectives and experiences, The Missouri Bar strives to strengthen the profession and ensure that attorneys from across the state are supported, connected, and equipped to serve their communities effectively.”

This year's class service project centers around learning about new lawyers’ needs, wants, and perceptions of The Missouri Bar. How do you see this work shaping the bar’s overall ability to continue helping lawyers even better serve their clients? 

“This project has the potential to play a meaningful role in strengthening The Missouri Bar's ability to support the legal profession long term. By intentionally engaging new attorneys early in their careers, the bar gains valuable insight into the needs, expectations, and challenges faced by newer lawyers, and perspectives that can sometimes be underrepresented. This deeper understanding allows The Missouri Bar to better serve all of its members by developing targeted programs, resources, and support systems that address issues unique to new lawyers.

“As these attorneys feel more connected and supported from the beginning of their careers, they are more likely to remain engaged with the bar, strengthening the profession as a whole and ultimately helping lawyers better serve their clients across Missouri.”

Why did you want to become a lawyer?

“I grew up in a fairly rural area of Illinois where legal services were often inaccessible to many people in the community. Seeing that lack of access made me aware of how important lawyers are in ensuring fairness and opportunity. I was also deeply interested in government and how it should function to serve its constituents, and I believed that rural communities deserved strong representation just as much as urban areas.”

What advice would you give to new/young lawyers?

“Making mistakes is inevitable, and it is something that will occur throughout your career. It is not a mistake that defines you, but how you react, the accountability you take, and your actions in fixing the mistake. While uncomfortable, mistakes are some of our best learning opportunities.”

What is one interesting/unique thing in your home/work office that brings you joy?

“We are expecting a baby soon, so I had to relocate my home office into my two-year-old daughter's playroom. Whenever I need to get a couple things done at home, she drags her chair over to my desk so she can ‘work’ with me. She also brings me toys that she thinks are ‘work-related,’ which usually includes a princess crown or her Mizzou foam tiger paw.”

Editor’s note: These answers have been edited for clarity and conciseness. Learn more about Leadership Academy here.