WJA 2023: Catherine Reade

Partner, Haden Cowherd & Bullock, Springfield

A native of Beaumont, Texas, Catherine Reade, 46, had an interest in law from an early age and it is an interest she loves nurturing in others.

“I’ve actually coached high school students that have now become lawyers,” she said. “That’s a huge thing.”

Indeed, Reade has been a mock trial coach at the high school and university levels. Once named Missouri Lawyers Media’s Second Winningest Defense Attorney and a recipient of its Rising Star Award, the Texas Tech School of Law graduate found a home in civil defense work from the beginning.

“I got sworn in and a week later, I was in a jury trial,” said Reade, a Lon O. Hocker Award honoree from the Missouri Bar Association.

She attained a full equity partnership a dozen years ago and still enjoys her area which includes medical malpractice, employment and real estate work, practices that she finds challenging and which allow her to work with small businesses and interesting clients.

She says that there is still room for improvement in the area of gender diversity and the law.

“I would say that, more often than not, I am the only female attorney in the case,” noted Reade. “I can say that, probably in the last five to ten years, that’s been a little bit better. In the type of litigation that I do, there are not a lot of females. I would like to see more, for sure.”

Reade’s nominator described her as prepared and tenacious but respectful.

“Catherine has repeatedly shown out-of-box thinking, ethical practice, strong leadership and decorum in the courtroom while still going above and beyond for her clients and her firm,” they wrote.

Reade said that her commitment to those she represents is vital and their thanks is what drives her to do her best.

“Usually, when your client looks at you in that moment and says, ‘thank you’ and how much they’ve appreciated all the work you do, that always makes it worth it,” she said.