Top takeaways: September/October 2025 Journal of The Missouri Bar

In the latest issue of the Journal, meet Kansas City lawyer Athena Dickson, who was recently sworn in as 2025-2026 president of The Missouri Bar. Dickson plans to lead with a strong focus on educating lawyers and the public about the role of the judiciary and Missouri’s Non-Partisan Court Plan; enhancing mentorship opportunities; and promoting well-being initiatives for the legal community. Learn more about Dickson in this article.  

A 2023 bill in Missouri that dramatically changed the redaction procedures in Missouri state courts was ruled unconstitutional December 2024. Read more about why the bill was ruled unconstitutional and what the ruling means for Missouri lawyers.  

In her first President’s Page column, Dickson discusses the importance the independence of the judiciary and her plan to educate across the state during her time as Missouri Bar president. Read her column here. 

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently held that the Mayo Clinic is an “educational organization” exempt from unrelated business income tax with respect to certain indebtedness. Learn how the 8th Circuit’s decision in Mayo Clinic provides lawyers with important guidance for tax-exempt organizations with multiple integrated purposes. 

Missouri lawyer Katie Doherty sees pro bono work as not just important, but as an ethical duty for lawyers. Read what pro bono work means to her and how a “shake” of old milk, crickets, and mealworms demonstrates her dedication to her clients in this article.