Breckenridge named Woman of the Year

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The 2017 Women’s Justice Awards selection committee has named Chief Justice Patricia Breckenridge of the Missouri Supreme Court as Missouri Lawyers Weekly’s Woman of the Year.

Breckenridge, who began her two-year term as chief justice in July 2015, has been both a defender of the integrity of the justice system and a reformer of its shortcomings. She has pushed for training for judges to help overcome implicit biases, created a commission on racial and ethnic fairness to respond to issues in the state’s municipal and juvenile courts, and started a task force to examine pretrial incarceration practices.

A native of Nevada, Missouri, Breckenridge began her judicial career as an associate circuit judge and was appointed to the Court of Appeals Western District in 1990, where she served as chief judge from 1998 to 2000. She joined the Supreme Court in 2007, becoming just the fourth woman to sit on the high court.

Breckenridge leads this year’s list of 51 honorees, which includes judges, in-house counsel, legal scholars and private practitioners from around the state, as well as three non-lawyers recognized for their citizenship.

The 19^th annual Women’s Justice Awards event takes place April 27 at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown St. Louis. The winners will be profiled in a special section of Missouri Lawyers Weekly on April 24.

The winners are:

Woman of the Year

Recognizing that woman who truly stands out in making an extraordinary difference in improving the quality of justice or exemplifying the highest ideals of the legal profession.

Patricia Breckenridge, Missouri Supreme Court, Jefferson City

Public Service Practitioner Award

Awarded to female government and nonprofit lawyers who improve the quality of the justice system or contribute to the betterment of the legal profession.

Cynthia Hyde, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Springfield

Cyndy Short, The McCallister Law Firm, Kansas City

Holly Yoakum, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, St. Louis

Public Official Award

Awarded to female judges and other public service officials whose service has contributed to improving the quality of the justice system or to the betterment of the legal profession.

Kathleen Hart, Administrative Law Judge, St. Louis

Calea Stovall-Reid, St. Louis Associate Circuit Judge

Carol Aiken, Commissioner, Greene County Circuit Court

Terry Daley Schwartze, Maries County Prosecuting Attorney

Karen Krauser, Clay County Associate Circuit Judge

Beth Phillips, U.S. District Judge, Kansas City

Business Practitioner Award

Awarded to female business practitioners who fulfill the ideals of leadership, professionalism and a passion for improving the quality of the justice system or contributing to the betterment of the legal profession.

Andrea Bough, Lewis Rice, Kansas City

Evan Goldfarb, Thompson Coburn, St. Louis

Hayley Hanson, Husch Blackwell, Kansas City

Stephanie Hosler, Bryan Cave, St. Louis

Emily Kembell, Kirkland Woods & Martinsen, Springfield

Ashley Norgard, Husch Blackwell, Springfield

Tamee V. Reese, AT&T, St. Louis

Litigation Practitioner Award

Awarded to female litigators who demonstrate leadership, professionalism and a passion for improving the quality of the justice system or contributing to the betterment of the profession.

Jamie Boyer, Stinson Leonard Street, St. Louis

Marie Gockel, Bratcher Gockel Law, Kansas City

Sheena Hamilton, Dowd Bennett, St. Louis

Bridget Hoy, Lewis Rice, St. Louis

Kimberly Jones, Seyferth Blumenthal & Harris, Kansas City

Andrea McNairy, Brown & Crouppen, St. Louis

Lisa Moore, Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal, St. Louis

Erica Mynarich, Carver, Cantin & Mynarich, Springfield

Laurel Stevenson, Haden, Cowherd & Bullock, Springfield

Enterprise Award

Awarded to women in a business setting, be they entrepreneurs, executives, corporate counsel, or other business professionals, for their contributions to improving the quality of the justice system or to the betterment of the legal profession.

Danielle Carr, Polsinelli, St. Louis

Nancy Mellard, CBIZ Inc., Kansas City

Debbie Shantz Hart, Housing Plus LLC, Springfield

Citizenship Award

Generally, though not necessarily, awarded to female non-lawyers who have made significant contributions to improving the quality of justice in the community.

Joyce Blades, The Kitchen Inc., Springfield

Pat Simons, Ready Readers, St. Louis

Latricia Scott Adams, Volunteer Attorney Project, Legal Aid of Western Missouri, Kansas City

Legal Scholar Award

Awarded to women faculty members or administrators at Missouri schools for work on behalf of the justice system, through their research or scholarship or through teaching and inspiring others.

Jessica Kennedy, Washington University, Title IX Coordinator

Mary Kay Kisthardt, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law

Antonia Miceli, Saint Louis University School of Law

Rigel Christine Oliveri, University of Missouri School of Law

Trina Scott, Missouri Southern State University

Rising Star Award

Awarded to female lawyers 40 years old and younger or within the first 10 years of practice who have already made a difference in the justice system or the profession and who appear on a path toward even greater accomplishment.

Laura Bentele, Armstrong Teasdale, St. Louis

Jennifer Bukowsky, Bukowsky Law Firm, Columbia

Luz Henriquez, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, St. Louis

Amanda Ketchum, Dysart Taylor Cotter McMonigle & Montemore, Kansas City

Ami Miller, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Springfield

Sarah Mullen, Lewis Rice, St. Louis

Lori Rook, Ozarks Elder Law, Springfield

Erica Slater, The Simon Law Firm, St. Louis

Ashley Twibell, Greene County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Springfield

Stacey Wullschleger, Fisher Law, Kansas City

Leaders of Tomorrow Award

Awarded to women law students who demonstrate leadership, professionalism and a passion for making a difference in the justice system or the legal profession.

Maikieta Antoinette Brantley, University of Missouri School of Law

Nicole Gudmens, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law

Kaitlyn Parker, Saint Louis University School of Law

Sarah Carthen Watson, Washington University School of Law

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