Missouri Lawyers Media recognizes retiring state public defender director as 2025 Woman of the Year

Missouri Lawyers Media has named Mary Fox, the outgoing Missouri State Public Defender Director, as its 2025 Woman of the Year.

Fox was appointed as director of the public defender’s system in 2020. Before this she worked as managing attorney of the St. Louis City Trial Office, according to the Missouri Bar. She obtained her law degree from Saint Louis University.

“Fox began her career as a public defender in 1981 as an Assistant Public Defender for MSPD and served in that position until 1987,” according to the Missouri Bar. “In the intervening twenty years between her service with MSPD Fox served as a hearing officer for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Internal Affairs Division, was a commissioner for the 21st Judicial Circuit in Missouri and practiced mainly in family and juvenile law.”

In addition to Fox, MLM is recognizing 51 other outstanding legal professionals in the following categories: corporate, general practitioners, innovation and technology, leaders of tomorrow, litigation practitioners, pro bono, public service, transactional practitioners, mentors and special services.

Special Services is a new category to MLM’s WJA awards that recognizes women who help the legal services outside of law firms.

The 2025 Women’s Justice Award winners are:

Woman of the Year

Mary Fox, Missouri State Public Defenders Office

Corporate

Rene Calabrese, Siegfried Bingham
Elizabeth Reid Dotson, AF Group
Katherine Frierdich, Curative
Caroline Paillou, Oracle
Katherine Thompson, City Utilities

General Practitioners

Stephanie Bell, Ellinger Bell
Jessica Burns, Burns Law Office
Bianca Eden, Wegmann Law Firm
Elizabeth Siemer, Spencer Fane

Innovation & Technology

Destiny Bounds, Bounds Law
Penny Speake, Healy Law Offices

Leaders of Tomorrow

Karen Crouch, Mizzou Law School
Katie Gunderson, Saint Louis University School of Law
Madeline Mann, UMKC
Nia Montoute, Washington University School of Law

Litigation Practitioner

Ashley Atwell-Soler, Holman Schiavone
Jackie Chun, Law Offices of Jackie Chun
Mara Cohara, Lathrop GPM
Jillian Dent, Stueve Siegel Hanson
Shevon Harris-Holyfield, Lewis Rice
Sarah Jane Hunt, Kennedy Hunt Law
Laura Jordan, Thompson Coburn
Jacqueline Kinder, Watters Wolf Bub Hansmann
Erika Lawler, The Lawler Firm
Niki Long, Franke Schultz Mullen
Kristin O’Neal, Spencer Fane
Sarah Ruane, Wagstaff & Cartmell
Tracy Spradlin, Spradlin Kennedy

Pro Bono

Katie Doherty, Armstrong Teasdale
Layla Husen, Thompson Coburn
LaRonna Saunders, My Better America
Teresa Woody, Kansas Appleseed

Public Service

Kathryn Banks, Saint Louis University School of Law
Amber Christ, Health Advocacy, Justice in Aging, KC, MO
Joy Hannel, Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District
Laura Johnson, 38th Judicial Circuit Court
Annie Legomsky, Mo State Public Defender Services
Erica Lietzan, University of Missouri School of Law
Katie Herbert Meyer, Washington University School of Law
Julia Neidhardt Rives, Missouri Attorney General Office
Megan Phillips, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
Emily Shook, Greene County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
Catherine “Katie” Wiehl, Jackson County CASA

Transactional Practitioner

Ruth Brackney, Lathrop GPM
Ellie Braun, Stock Legal
Margaret Hillman, Polsinelli
Nicole Lindsey, Stubblefield Law
Melanie Myears, Ozarks Elder Law

Mentor

Ann Bauer, The Center for Family Law
Meghan Litecky, Dysart Taylor McMonigle Brumitt & Wilcox
Rochelle Woodiest, St. Louis City Circuit Court
Jennifer Znosko, Littler Mendelson

Special Services

Leda Gipson, Lexitas