Nominating petitions for vacancies on Board of Governors, YLS due June 20

Lawyers interested in serving on The Missouri Bar Board of Governors or Young Lawyers’ Section Council have until June 20 to submit a nomination petition. Below are frequently asked questions and answers about the nomination and election process.

What do the Board of Governors and YLS Council do?

Serving on the Board of Governors and YLS Council are unique ways to get directly involved in the policy-making decisions of The Missouri Bar.

The Board of Governors is a 45-member elected group of lawyers who represent the members in their districts. The board helps shape strategies to fulfill the bar’s goals of improving the profession, the law, and the administration of justice on behalf of all Missourians. 

The YLS Council is composed of approximately 35 young lawyers elected to serve their respective districts. Council members help enhance the professional growth and public service of lawyers 35 years old and younger and/or who have been practicing for five years or less. 

What are the vacancies?

There are 19 upcoming vacancies on the Board of Governors. Vacancies include districts 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, as well as the Eastern District. Find your board district here. 

There are also upcoming vacancies on the YLS Council. Vacancies include districts 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13 and 14, as well as the diversity seats for the Eastern appellate district. Click here to find your YLS district.

How do I complete a petition? 

Nomination petitions for Board of Governors and YLS Council vacancies are due by June 20.

Click here to download a nomination petition for Board of Governors and review the instructions for gathering signatures and submitting a completed petition.

For YLS Council, click here to download a nomination petition and review the instructions for gathering signatures and submitting a completed petition.

How do I vote? 

Missouri lawyers will receive an email from the Office of the State Courts Administrator containing an electronic ballot to vote in the board of Governors election. Missouri Bar members are eligible to vote in the election based upon the current Board of Governors voting district that is on file for a member. The voting district is where the lawyer is employed or maintains their principal office.

YLS members will receive an email on July 20 from The Missouri Bar containing an electronic ballot to vote in the contested elections for YLS Council.