MoveMakers & NewsMakers for Aug. 2, 2022

St. Louis | Kansas City

St. Louis

United States Arbitration & Mediation (USA&M) announces that Thomas J. Magee and C.J. Larkin have joined their panels. 

Magee, a partner at Hepler Broom, has joined the Mediator Panel. Larkin has joined the Mediator and Senior Arbitrator Panels. 

The Association of Corporate Counsel, St. Louis Chapter (ACC STL) kicked off its 2022 Diversity and Inclusion Summer Internship Program last month with 10 law school students participating.

The ACC STL Diversity Internship Program, which started in 2012, provides participants with meaningful exposure to in-house practice. Law school students who participate in the program will learn about the various areas of legal advocacy and general corporate practice that in-house counsel handle, as well as the relationship between providing business and legal advice to clients in a variety of substantive areas. 

“The Diversity and Inclusion Summer Internship Program has been an initiative the ACC St. Louis chapter has been very dedicated to in the last several years. Diversity and inclusion efforts must be continuous and thoughtful to enact systemic change. This program allows for one immediate way for our chapter to make steps towards that change, as it gives us the opportunity to do the important work of mentoring and supporting law students who are typically underrepresented in the legal profession,” said Vikas M. Sunkari, ACC STL 2022 Diversity and Inclusion Summer Internship Program Chairperson, and senior managing counsel, SSM Health. 

The 2022 ACC STL summer interns include:

• Dorothy Alcinord, who attends Saint Louis University School of Law, is interning at Ameren.
• Kati Austin, who attends Saint Louis University School of Law, is interning at Charter Communications / Spectrum.
• Madison Beckham, who attends the University of Missouri School of Law, is interning at Emerson Electric.
• Harry Bell III, who attends the University of Missouri School of Law, is interning at Bunzl Distribution, USA, LLC.
• Alexandra Griffin, who attends the University of Missouri School of Law, is interning at Rabobank Diversified Services.
• Jeffrey Lin, who attends Saint Louis University School of Law, is interning at Bayer.
• Nandi Person, who attends Saint Louis University School of Law, is interning at Washington University’s Office of General Counsel.
• Dontay (Don) Phillips, who attends Washington University School of Law, is interning at Wells Fargo.
• LaTrese Robinson, who attends Saint Louis University School of Law, is interning at MiTek, Inc.
• Melanie Villarino, who attends Washington University School of Law, is interning at Ameren.

Each Diversity Summer Intern is also matched with an in-house attorney mentor, who is an ACC STL member. 

“Through the internship program, we hope to increase diversity and inclusion in the St. Louis legal community as these students continue forward in their careers and join law firms and corporate legal departments in the region. We seek to give these students meaningful and immersive experiences in their summer internships and to provide additional educational and networking opportunities throughout the summer and sometimes beyond,” added Sunkari.

Kansas City

Foulston Siefkin LLP is expanding its energy and public utilities practice with the addition of three attorneys from Smithyman & Zakoura, Chartered, effective Aug. 1, 2022. 

Founded in 1986, Smithyman & Zakoura has represented the business, medical, government, and faith communities throughout Kansas and metropolitan Kansas City. Lee M. Smithyman, James P. Zakoura, and Connor A. Thompson are known regionally for their energy and public utilities practice, with an emphasis on the critical and complex issues of natural gas and electric energy, acquisition, and pricing. 

“We are pleased to find a firm like Foulston whose commitment to top-notch legal counsel and client service matches our own philosophy. This allows us to ensure that we can serve our clients for many years in the future,” says partner Lee Smithyman. 

Joining with the Foulston energy and public utilities practice comes at a critical time for clients, says partner Jim Zakoura. “The energy and public utility sectors in Kansas are experiencing profound change in almost every area. To both lead and manage this magnitude of change will require continuing engagement on behalf of clients on the issues, and deep knowledge and experience in the industry. The energy and utilities practice of Foulston provides this for clients.” 

Foulston Kansas City partner-in-charge Tony Rupp notes that Smithyman & Zakoura’s practice complements Foulston’s well: “We have a number of clients already in common. Bringing on these experienced attorneys will assist our current clients in a unique practice area. Lee and Jim are well respected in the energy and public utilities arena.” 

Smithyman, a trial attorney, is a graduate of Washburn University School of Law. After completion of Airborne and Ranger school, he served as an Air Defense Military artillery officer in Wurzburg, Germany. He completed military service as a captain in 1970. Smithyman is a licensed arbitrator and mediator through the American Arbitration Association. He is a member and past president of the Kansas Bar Association and a former member of the Tenth Judicial District Nominating Commission. He was appointed by the Kansas Supreme Court to the Kansas Board of Discipline in 2010. 

Zakoura, whose practice focuses on energy, public utilities, and corporate and administrative law, is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law. He regularly appears before state and federal administrative boards on energy and public utility matters and represents consortiums and individual clients on various energy-related matters and in litigation. He is chairperson of the board of trustees of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS), serving as a KPERS trustee since 2018. 

Thompson practices in energy, environmental and natural resources law. He is a 2020 graduate of the University of Wyoming College of Law.