Steven “Mik” Ebert reflects on experience in 2025-2026 Leadership Academy class
Meet Steven “Mik” Ebert, a member of the 2025-2026 Missouri Bar Leadership Academy class! A graduate of the Washington University School of Law, Ebert is a prosecuting attorney for the Special Victims Unit with the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
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.
Ebert recently chatted with The Missouri Bar about the relationships he has formed and the lessons he has learned while in Leadership Academy, as well as why there is a rusted hockey trophy in his office.
What has been your favorite part about being on Leadership Academy so far?
“We’ve had the opportunity to speak with multiple titans of the Missouri legal system — Supreme Court of Missouri judge, attorneys at the pinnacle of their professions, truly the type of people who end up with buildings and awards named after them. We’ve learned tips and tricks from them, they’ve told stories and talked about exciting cases, but my favorite thing from each of them has been the why — why they do it, why they’re lawyers, why they’re involved with The Missouri Bar, and what the practice of law truly means to them. As someone who is still finding my path both in life and in my career, hearing this why from the types of attorneys and people that I look up to … has not only inspired me, but it has also humanized some of the most successful attorneys in our state.”
Why did you decide to apply for Leadership Academy?
“I was nominated by a former member of the academy, Portia Britt, [and] a few other attorneys in my office … Knowing that they thought I was a good candidate for this honor and that I would be someone who would be able to affect positive change for the legal community of Missouri was the driving factor for me taking the next steps and applying. I am very glad that I did.”
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?
“The world is in a constant state of change and progress ... and these changes apply to the legal system as well … This year’s Leadership Academy service project is aimed at understanding and reacting to those changes to ensure The Missouri Bar can continue to provide for the new attorneys in our midst. I think the project will lay the foundation for continued support to the current attorneys in our community, as well as create the groundwork to adapt to the needs of future generations of Missouri’s lawyers.”
Why should new/young lawyers consider applying for Leadership Academy?
“… You would receive a thorough understanding of The Missouri Bar and the legal community of Missouri as a whole, you will get to meet some of the most accomplished professionals in our field, [and] you become friends with some of the future leaders of our profession in your own class. Hearing the stories and learning from so many different attorneys is not only educational, but inspiring.”
Why did you want to become a lawyer?
“…When I took a trial advocacy class [in law school] … [and] we started doing practice directs, closings, cross examinations, and the other aspects of trial, I was hooked. When I interned with a state prosecutor’s office, I fell in love with state court — the pace of dockets, the back-and-forth between other attorneys and judges, and especially the trials … That’s when I truly knew that I wanted to be a lawyer and exactly what kind of lawyer I wanted to be.”
What advice would you give to new/young lawyers?
“Put yourself out there and try new or intimidating things … Whether it was losing my first trial to a pro se litigant, drafting a last-minute writ of mandamus for a more senior attorney, or even getting the opportunity to brief and argue in front of the Supreme Court of Missouri, I learned so much from stepping outside of my comfort zone and just doing my best.”
What is one interesting/unique thing in your home/work office that brings you joy?
“The rusted hockey trophy on top of my file cabinet in my office. I picked up ice hockey as an adult during COVID-19 … I bought a cheap set of skates, took lessons, and never looked back. I’m currently the captain of my beer league team, and last year we won our league championship. It’s not so much that we won, but it’s a symbol of me trying something new and exciting. Starting from scratch and getting to the point where I am enjoying the hobby every chance I get is a fantastic feeling, and the little rusted, $20 trophy serves as a reminder to myself that I need to keep trying new things and continue to push myself in all areas of my life.”
Editor’s note: These answers have been edited for clarity and conciseness. Learn more about Leadership Academy here.