St. Louis Area
REEG LAWYERS, LLC, is pleased to announce that Kurtis B. Reeg, President and Managing Partner of the Finn, has been appointed to the Community Advisory Board (CAB), a committee of the Board of Directors of Missouri Baptist Medical Center (MBMC). The purpose of the CAB includes reviewing the MBMC financials and strategic plan and serving as a community focus group for educational programs and providing advice and counsel on issues of public policy.

The law firm of Danna McKitrick, P.C., is pleased to announce the election of Kevin E. Myers to the position of principal, effective February 1, 2013. Mr. Myers advises and represents clients in matters involving insurance coverage and disputes over policy analysis. He also represents individuals, insurers and businesses in tort and contract matters throughout Missouri and Illinois, with a concentration in insurance coverage, extra-contractual and bad faith litigation. Prior to joining Danna McKitrick, Mr. Myers practiced at a litigation firm in St. Louis. He is admitted to the bar in Missouri and Illinois, as well as the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Seventh and Eighth Circuits, and the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Missouri and the Northern and Southern Districts of Illinois. He is a member of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, the Missouri Bar, the St. Clair County Bar Association, and the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers. Mr. Myers earned his J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law, where he was the executive editor of the Saint Louis University Public Law Review. He graduated summa cum laude from Saint Louis University with a B.A. in Russian studies and political science.

Two attorneys in the St. Louis office of Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP and a third attorney in the firm’s Kansas City office have been honored by Missouri Lawyers Weekly Magazine for winning one of the largest defense verdicts in Missouri in 2012. Erik Solverud and Thomas Hayde, partners in the St. Louis office, and Mark Thornhill, a partner in Spencer Fane’s Kansas City office, were honored at the 2013 Missouri Lawyers Awards by Missouri Lawyers Weekly Magazine for their litigation defense expertise in Sheila Larkin v. Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Plaintiff Sheila Larkin sued Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, seeking several million dollars in a life insurance lapse and suitability lawsuit against Guardian. After years of litigation, and two weeks of trial, a jury in St. Louis City took fewer than 30 minutes to deliver a defense verdict in favor of Guardian. Mr. Solverud is co-chair of Spencer Fane’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group and concentrates on complex commercial litigation, including trade secrets cases, contract disputes, non-compete litigation, shareholder disputes, insurance coverage disputes and other business-related claims. Mr. Hayde is a litigator in the St. Louis office of Spencer Fane. His practice concentrates on complex commercial litigation, including insurance coverage disputes and shareholder disputes, as well as defense of product liability and toxic tort claims. He is admitted to practice law in Missouri and Illinois state courts, and also federal district courts in both Missouri and Illinois. Mr. Thornhill specializes in White Collar Criminal Defense and Governmental Investigations and leads that practice at Spencer Fane. His white collar defense and investigation clients include business executives, medical and legal professionals and Fortune 500 corporations. He also specializes in Business Litigation related to shareholder rights and securities. The 2013 Missouri Lawyers Awards recognize top accomplishments by attorneys in 2012. Missouri Lawyers Weekly is a unit of Missouri Lawyers Media, a division of The Dolan Company, a respected publisher of law and business publications in 20 markets across the nation.

Bill Corrigan, an Armstrong Teasdale partner, has received the “Special Old Newsboys Day Recognition Award” from the Suburban Journals of Greater St. Louis honoring his leadership in the Old Newsboys Day 2012 campaign and work advocating the program’s mission throughout the community. Old Newsboys Day, which is spearheaded by the Suburban Journals, is a charitable effort that serves hundreds of area children's charities. Its fundraising activities include the sale of special editions of the Suburban Journals at street corners. The project involves thousands of volunteers and contributors. Mr. Corrigan is a member of the Litigation practice group and serves as outside general counsel to national companies and many small and large privately-held businesses that are headquartered in St. Louis. He earned his J.D. from the University of Missouri School of Law and B.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame. Admitted to practice in Missouri and Illinois, Mr. Corrigan is a member of The Missouri Bar Board of Trustees, The Missouri Bar, The National Conference of Bar Presidents, the ABA House of Delegates, The University of Missouri School of Law Foundation and the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis.

W. Thomas Taylor has joined Cunningham, Vogel & Rost, P.C. as a Senior Associate Attorney. Tommy will represent local governments in governmental litigation, general municipal law, and condemnation.  Cunningham, Vogel & Rost, P.C. is a law firm dedicated solely to the representation of local government clients and interests throughout Missouri and Illinois.

Sheena Hamilton, a lawyer in Armstrong Teasdale’s Litigation practice group, was honored with an Outstanding Contribution Award in recognition of her efforts as a member of the American Cancer Society’s Corporate Heroes Class of 2012. Established in 2009, the ACS’ Corporate Heroes program raises funds and awareness in support of cancer research. In her legal practice, Hamilton defends public and private employers of all sizes. She is well-versed in all phases of discovery, trial preparation and negotiation of settlements and handles cases alleging race, sex, age, religion, national origin and disability discrimination. Ms. Hamilton earned her J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law and B.A. from Tennessee State University. She currently serves as vice chair of the Labor and Employment Committee of the Missouri Bar and assistant editor of the ABA’s The Young Lawyer. In addition, Ms. Hamilton is on the Women Lawyers Association of Greater St. Louis Board of Directors, Mound City Bar Association Executive Board and Saint Louis University Black Alumni Association Board of Directors.

The St. Louis office of Stinson Morrison Hecker hosted a daylong training session on Feb. 8 for the Latino Leadership Institute, a skills-based leadership training program focused on young Hispanic professionals. The Latino Leadership Institute was established in 2011 by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of St. Louis Foundation and is sponsored by Centene Corporation. The second class will graduate in June. Participants chosen for the program attend nine monthly seminars or experiences designed to help develop the next generation of Hispanic leaders for the St. Louis community. Charles “Chip” Misko, Stinson co-managing partner, delivered opening remarks for the session; Jane Dueker, a Stinson partner and member of the Government Solutions Group, presented a workshop on how to work effectively with government leaders. Other guest speakers included Kathleen Osborn, Regional Business Council executive director; Rick Oertli, chairman and chief executive officer of Guarantee Electrical; Rhonda Broussard, president and founder of St. Louis Language Immersion Schools; Anna Crosslin, president and chief executive officer of the International Institute of St. Louis; and Tim Nowak, executive director of World Trade Center St. Louis. Stinson Morrison Hecker proudly supports the Latino Leadership Institute. Stinson lawyer Castor J. Armesto helped to found the Institute as president of the Hispanic Chamber.

Springfield Area
Baird, Lightner, Millsap & Harpool P.C. is pleased to announce two new associates, Katherine A. O’Dell and Rachel A. Riso. Ms. O’Dell is a Springfield native who is returning to the area after previously working at the Cofman & Bolourtchi Law Firm in St. Louis, Missouri. Her areas of practice include business litigation, civil rights, immigration and employment law. She is a graduate of the St. Louis University School of Law and is fluent in Spanish. Rachel A. Riso is a skilled civil litigation attorney with experience in jury trials relating to automobile accidents and personal injury matters. She previously worked at Daniel, Powell & Brewer, LLC in Springfield. In 2011 Mrs. Riso was named a Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers Rising Star. In her free time Mrs. Riso volunteers and fundraises for local non-profit Convoy of Hope. Baird, Lightner, Millsap and Harpool welcomes both Ms. O’Dell and Mrs. Riso the firm. Baird, Lightner, Millsap & Harpool P.C. is a full-service firm practicing throughout the state of Missouri. 2013 marks the firm’s 30th anniversary, and during that time it has built a highly regarded, full-service law firm that offers legal representation in appeals, banking, commercial and general business litigation, civil rights, employment law, family law, insurance defense, municipal law, personal injury, professional liability and real estate law.

Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP was one of only 28 U.S. firms recognized for its finance and transactional work by Legal Media Group's Clean Technology and Renewable Energy 2013, according to rankings published on LMG's new websitelaunched this week. In addition, Jack Bowling, a partner in Stinson's Kansas City office, was named to the “CleanTech 100,” a prestigious list of the top 100 clean technology and renewable energy attorneys in the U.S. Stinson's selection is based on favorable comments made to LMG representatives by clients during interviews about their experience working with attorneys and firms, and their capabilities within the CleanTech and Renewable Energy marketplace. The selection committee also interviewed law firm practitioners who are active in the CleanTech space. Mr. Bowling's selection was based on LMG's surveys and interviews of attorneys and companies in the industries. Bowling is noted for his representation of strategic investors and private equity and venture capital firms in connection with finance, joint venture and M&A transactions.