Missouri Bar open enrollment committees provide education, connection, support to lawyers

Nicole Roberts-Hillen is editorial manager at The Missouri Bar.

Access to Justice Committee 
Estate Planning and Probate Administration Law Committee  
Women in the Profession Committee 
List of committees

Collaborating with fellow lawyers who practice in the same areas of law and have the same passions as you is an invaluable opportunity – one any lawyer can achieve at no cost through The Missouri Bar’s open enrollment committees. 

Committees and sections represent the driving forces behind the work and activities of The Missouri Bar, from educating the profession and establishing a network of passionate lawyers to reviewing legislation that can help improve the administration of justice on behalf of the public. 

With nearly 40 committees and sections to choose from, all Missouri lawyers can find one that fits their area of practice and professional interests. Visit MoBar.org/Committees-Sections to view a list of current committees and join one. 

“Being involved in an open enrollment committee is a great opportunity for members to connect not only with colleagues in the same practice area but also with those who have different backgrounds and expertise,” says Krista Lepper, Missouri Bar director of committees and meetings. 

The Missouri Bar chatted with chairs from three committees about the education, connection, and professional support participating on committees can bring. 

EDUCATE 

Access to Justice Committee helps Missouri citizens have their voices heard in court 

Did you know some fonts are more accessible than others, or that Missouri courts use local court ADA coordinators to help those with disabilities access the courts? These are just two ways the Access to Justice Committee is educating the profession and helping ensure everyone has the chance to be heard in court.

The Access to Justice Committee covers topics like availability of accommodations, free or low-cost legal services, and guaranteed fair treatment of litigants regardless of gender, race, disability, income, or other factors. It also spreads the word about pro bono legal services, firms that specialize in representing underrepresented litigants, and other organizations and opportunities to help promote access to justice. 

“Without an attorney, many of my clients would never have the opportunity to have their concerns addressed, or even be heard to begin with,” says committee chair Will Hack, a disability rights lawyer. “I want to do all that I can to ensure everyone gets their day in court, and they aren’t held back by disability or any other type of discrimination.”

The committee recently drafted sample forms and documents to help lawyers. This includes forms to request a change of judge, request accommodations for disability, and motion for an interpreter. Lawyers can access these forms through the Forms Bank in connect.MOBAR, regardless of whether they are a member of the Access to Justice Committee.

The Access to Justice Committee hosts several no-cost CLEs, the most recent one in May regarding name change requests. The committee is already planning a CLE for the 2025 Spring Committee Meetings about serving as court-appointed counsel. 

Hack encourages lawyers who want to “promote positive change and awareness” to join committees. There are “zero expectations and demands to join a committee,” he adds, so lawyers can ease into committees at their own pace and comfort level. 

“Wherever you are in your career, we all can benefit from participating in committees,” he says. 

CONNECT 

Estate Planning and Probate Administration Law Committee builds connections between lawyers 

Last time you worked on a case and ran into an issue you weren’t familiar with, who did you turn to? The Estate Planning and Probate Administration Law Committee prides itself on connecting lawyers with resources and other lawyers so they can even better serve their clients and communities. 

Boasting over 1,400 members, the committee is the second-largest open enrollment committee, translating to a vibrant community of legal professionals with a shared focus on estate planning and probate matters. 

A cornerstone of the committee’s activity is its online forum, a listserv hosted on connect.MOBAR. This platform fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing among members, allowing lawyers to ask questions and seek referrals or assistance with projects. 

“A colleague encouraged me to join the listservs for various committees (on connect.MOBAR) in my first year of practice and that was one of the best pieces of advice I received that year,” says Rebecca Dyan Zimmerman, chair of the Estate Planning and Probate Administration Law Committee. “The listservs have proven to be a wonderful resource … Whether it leads to education, mentorship, referral relationships, and/or friendships, (listserv) participation can be a significant benefit to us all.” 

The committee isn’t solely focused on individual casework. Through active subcommittees, members have the chance to directly influence the practice of estate planning and probate law in Missouri to improve the administration of justice on behalf of Missourians. Recent initiatives include drafting legislation related to the Qualified Spousal Trust statute, the Missouri Uniform Fiduciary Income and Principal Act, and the authorization of electronic wills. 

“The opportunity to be a part of a group of attorneys seeking to better our practice area (and the lives of Missourians) is incredibly rewarding,” says Zimmerman, with Oswald Rew LLC. “I also appreciate belonging to a community where attorneys take the time to assist and encourage one another.” 

SUPPORT 

Women in the Profession Committee shatters records and glass ceilings 

Breaking attendance records with its CLEs, the Women in the Profession Committee champions women lawyers, tackling everything from the gender gap in partnerships to the unique challenges faced by women in rural practice. 

The Women in the Profession Committee, working closely with the Joint Commission on Women in the Profession, helps “promote women in the profession, serve the needs of women in the profession, and be a voice for women in the profession,” co-chair Amy Bender-Levy says. This includes hosting relevant CLE programs, connecting with women lawyer associations at Missouri’s law schools, helping draft policies and guidelines to help women lawyers and judges, and more. 

While there have been significant strides in gender equality in the profession, Bender-Levy says it’s important the committee continues addressing issues women lawyers face, whether they are solo practitioners versus large-firm lawyers or located in rural counties versus big cities. Conversations may include disparity between the number of women partners compared to men, maternity leave benefits, and more. 

“There are still a lot of challenges and if we become complacent, we’re going to fall back and undo the hard work the leaders ahead of us did,” Bender-Levy says. 

The Women in the Profession Committee’s CLEs generally see high attendance, which speaks to their relevance to the profession. The committee recently broke the attendance record for an individual meeting during committee meetings, with over 550 people attending its April 30 meeting and CLE, “United WE Appointments Project – Improving Gender Diversity on Boards and Commissions,” during The Missouri Bar 2024 Spring Committee Meetings. 

“It makes me realize that people really care about what we’re doing. We’re really impacting, affecting, and touching hundreds – literally hundreds – of people,” Bender-Levy says.

This fall, the committee plans to host a CLE featuring the women judges on the Supreme Court of Missouri and their paths to the bench. 

While serving on a committee may seem like a significant time commitment, committee co-chair Stephanie Wan says the professional network you develop and the topics you learn about make it worthwhile. 

“Being able to meet other people I wouldn’t have otherwise met, being able to help each other, and being educated about problems I wouldn’t have known existed has helped me be more mindful in how I practice,” she says.

Committee areas of law

Access to justice 

Administrative law 

Alternative dispute resolution 

Animal law 

Antitrust, mergers, and acquisitions 

Appellate practice 

Civil practice and procedure 

Construction law 

Criminal practice and procedure 

Diversity

Education law 

Elder law 

Eminent domain 

Environmental and energy law 

Estate planning and probate administration law 

Family law 

Fiduciary litigation 

Financial services and insolvency law 

Government attorneys 

Health and hospital administration law

Immigration law 

In-house counsel 

Insurance law 

Intellectual property and biotech law 

Judicial administration 

Juvenile courts and laws 

Labor and employment law 

Lawyers’ assistance

Local government law

Media law 

Real estate practice and procedure 

Senior lawyer 

Solo and small firm practice 

Taxation law 

Technology and innovation law 

Tort and transportation law 

Veterans and military law 

Women in the profession 

Workers’ compensation law