31
March
2021
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12:15 PM
America/Chicago

MoveMakers & NewsMakers for Mar. 31, 2021

Summary

See who is making news and moving where in the weekly Missouri Bar update "MoveMakers & NewsMakers."

St. Louis | Other States

St. Louis

Lashly & Baer, PC announces Judge Jimmie M. Edwards will join the firm. “We are honored that Judge Edwards will be joining us,” President Lisa O. Stump said in a statement. “Judge Edwards has many years of experience handling complex cases and legal issues which will make him a tremendous asset to the firm. We could not be happier. Judge Edwards is a St. Louisan and public servant at heart, his career has been spent making this community a better place. He is guided by the principle of understanding the value of people and caring for them. We feel that his mission and our firm’s align closely.” Judge Edwards will join the firm’s litigation, and government and education practice groups. He expects to spend a great deal of time mentoring attorneys at the firm, as well as assisting with the firm’s recruiting and diversity committees.

“I have been so honored to have Judge Jimmie Edwards as part of my administration over the past four years. As public safety director, he led our largest departments with his constant professionalism, intellect, and vast legal experience. I am grateful for his service to the people of the City of St. Louis and thankful for his wise counsel and partnership during my time as mayor. I know Judge Edwards will continue to be successful as he embarks on the next chapter of his professional career,” said Mayor Lyda Krewson.

“My enthusiasm for the opportunity to join Lashly & Baer, PC and to work with its highly qualified attorneys can barely be contained. I am looking forward to getting to work wherever the firm needs me,” said Judge Edwards.

Judge Edwards has served St. Louis as the Director of Public Safety since 2017, when he was appointed by Mayor Lyda Krewson. Prior to this position, Edwards was appointed to the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court and served there from 1992 to 2017. He spent most of his time on the bench as an administrative judge of the family court and chief judge for the juvenile court. Judge Edwards spent 15 years hearing adult cases before being appointed to the juvenile court in hopes of making a difference in the lives of children before they became criminals.

Judge Edwards is the founder of the Innovative Concept Academy, a groundbreaking school in St. Louis that acts as a last resort for at-risk teens. The program garnered national attention from CBS Early Show, the Today Show, The Wall Street Journal, and a visit from the U.S. Secretary of Education. The program also earned Edwards the "Hero Among Us" recognition by People magazine. Ebony magazine selected him to its 2013 Power 100 most influential in America list, and Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts presented Judge Edwards with the William Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence – one of our nation’s highest judicial awards. In 2014, Judge Edwards received honorary Doctor of Laws Degrees from Saint Louis University and Eden Theological Seminary.

Edwards graduated with a B.A. from Saint Louis University in 1978, and again in 1982, where he earned his J.D. Judge Edwards began the private practice of law in a small law firm in St. Louis in 1981; in 1984 he served as general counsel at Sabreliner Corporation, an aircraft manufacturer. After serving in that capacity for six years, he joined the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company legal staff until 1992, when he was appointed circuit judge. Edwards resides in St. Louis with his wife Stacy Maria and their three children.


Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, PC is pleased to announce that Kathy H. Butler, an officer and leader of the firm’s health care practice and industry groups, has been named to the leadership group for a new women’s initiative launched by Meritas, a global law firms network.

“I am thrilled to help lead the new women’s initiative for promoting diversity and inclusion among the leadership at Meritas member firms throughout the world,” Butler said.

Greensfelder President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin T. McLaughlin said, “We congratulate Kathy on her new leadership role and her continued support of the mission of Meritas and its commitment to diverse representation in the legal community.”

Butler is one of 10 members of the Meritas Women’s Leadership Congress whose mission is to create a path to leadership for the women of Meritas by providing more visibility and engagement opportunities through knowledge-sharing, mentoring and skills-building. The group will boost interactions among member firms to promote diversity and inclusion as an important part of recruiting and retention, business development, and the elevation of women leaders.

Butler has been an active leader within Meritas for many years, most recently serving as chair of the organization’s U.S. Leadership Committee. She also has served on the network’s board of directors and the board’s executive committee.

Butler is one of Greensfelder’s primary liaisons to Meritas, of which the firm is a longtime member and the exclusive Meritas law firm in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Greensfelder’s membership offers the firm’s clients access to the experience and legal knowledge of the nearly 200 business law firms in 90 countries worldwide that belong to Meritas.


Lathrop GPM is proud to announce it has been named an honoree as a top-ranked employer on the fourth annual Women in the Workplace Employment Scorecard sponsored by the Women’s Foundation of Greater St. Louis. Lathrop GPM is recognized as one of 21 employers in St. Louis demonstrating excellence in four areas of workplace gender equity – leadership, compensation, flexible work policies, and recruitment and retention. Nearly 60% of the firm's employees identify as women.

“Lathrop GPM is proud to be recognized for initiatives that champion women’s equality. Our firm is committed to retaining and promoting female employees. Our leadership understands the importance of career-forward and family-friendly programs and policies for all employees and is dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion at the firm,” said Jodi Schmidt, chief human resources officer. “We are committed to promoting an anti-racism, anti-harassment and anti-gender discrimination culture.”

To address new issues arising due to the pandemic, Lathrop GPM created a Resource Spotlight Program, which provides educational, health and wellness, and family activity resources to all employees striving to navigate the workplace in this challenging period. The firm’s Caregiver Network also provides internal connections and resources for women and all caregivers of children and elderly dependents.

“The Women in the Workplace Employment Scorecard is renowned in the St. Louis business community. It establishes a clear yardstick for evaluating employer policies using objective criteria and outcomes through a blind data review process. Being recognized for the advancement of gender equity, especially when Lathrop GPM has met the challenges of the pandemic by expanding its policies to support employees working from home, makes being named an honoree even sweeter,” added Schmidt.
 

Other States

Justin L. Sullivan was named a member attorney at Whitfield & Eddy Law in Des Moines, Iowa effective Jan. 1, 2021. He is licensed to practice in Iowa and Missouri.

Sullivan joined the firm in 2019 and is a member of the firm’s construction practice group representing individuals and businesses in a wide range of construction, roofing and real estate-related issues. He works with large-scale agribusiness and family farm owners and managers on business, transactional, and management issues. He is a frequent speaker on construction topics to professional and industry associations.

Sullivan is executive secretary for the Iowa Roofing Contractors Association which represents over seventy companies involved in the Iowa residential and commercial roofing industry. He is a member of the firm’s business development committee and Knights of Columbus.

Sullivan received his B.A. from Wartburg College in 2004 and his J.D. from the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law in 2012.

 

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