St. Louis Area
Ronda F. Williams, Senior Corporate Counsel at SAVVIS Communications Corporation and President of the Mound City Bar Association, has been selected as 2009 Spirit of Justice Award Winner by the St. Louis Bar Foundation. Award winners are honored for their professionalism and dedication to the community.

The Simon Law Firm is pleased to announce that three of its lawyers have been named to the 2010 edition of Best Lawyers. The three lawyers recognized by Best Lawyers are John G. Simon, for his work in the areas of personal injury and product liability litigation; Amy Collignon Gunn, for her work in the area of personal injury litigation; and Anthony G. Simon, for his work in the area of commercial litigation and intellectual property law.

Schlichter, Bogard & Denton congratulates the following former summer associates who have completed their bar requirements and joined the firm as new associate attorneys: Kurt Struckhoff, Megan McBride and Patrick Bader.

Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP announced that Grant J. Ankrom and Luke G. Maher recently joined the firm’s St. Louis office as associates in the litigation practice.  Mr. Ankrom earned his J.D. in May from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law and his B.S., cum laude, from Missouri State University in December 2005. Mr. Maher earned his J.D. in May from Saint Louis University School of Law, and his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame in 2006.

The National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) is pleased to announce that the 2009 recipient of the Reginald Heber Smith Award is Ann B. Lever, former director of Litigation at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri in St. Louis. The Reginald Heber Smith Award recognizes the dedicated service and outstanding achievements of a civil legal aid attorney or indigent defense attorney while employed by an organization supporting such services.  

Kansas City Area
The 2010 edition of Benchmark Litigation ranked Husch Blackwell Sanders as a "highly recommended" firm in both Missouri and Nebraska. In addition, Husch Blackwell Sanders attorneys Joseph P. Conran, James D. Griffin, Jeffrey J. Kalinowski, John R. Phillips, Christine F. Miller and Douglas J. Schmidt are listed as "local litigation stars" and Greg G. Gutzler, Patrick A. McInerney and Stephen J. Torline as "future stars" in Missouri. Benchmark Litigation, the definitive guide to America's leading litigation firms and attorneys, conducts research on the U.S. litigation market and administers year-round interviews to determine the nation's top firms and individuals in each market category.

Mid-Missouri Area
The Mizzou Alumni Association (MAA) honored 19 outstanding faculty and alumni Friday, Oct. 2, at its 42nd Annual Faculty-Alumni Awards Ceremony. The Distinguished Service Award, the Distinguished Faculty Award and 17 Faculty-Alumni Awards were presented. W. Dudley McCarter, who received a juris doctorate from MU in 1975, will receive the 54th Annual Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor awarded to an MU alumnus. Established in 1956, the award recognizes outstanding service by an individual whose efforts have added to MU’s excellence. Mr. McCarter is a principal of Behr, McCarter & Potter, P.C. in St. Louis. He is a former president of both The Missouri Bar and the St. Louis County Bar Association. Melodie A. Powell and Lyle W. Brizendine received the MAA Faculty-Alumni Awards which recognizes the achievement of faculty and alumni. Assistant, associate and full professors are considered for their work as teachers and researchers and their relationship with students. Alumni are considered for both their accomplishments in professional life and service to their community and alma mater.