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T. Michael Ward, Brown & James

Staff Report//August 15, 2025//

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T. Michael Ward, Brown & James

Staff Report//August 15, 2025//

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Managing Principal, St. Louis

Michael Ward serves as managing principal of Brown & James, a prominent law firm with offices in St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, Missouri, and Belleville, Illinois. Ward has held the firm’s top leadership position since 2007, demonstrating exceptional longevity in legal management.

With 40 years of legal practice, Ward maintains a full-time legal practice while fulfilling his leadership responsibilities. He serves on the firm’s executive committee, where he acts as a bridge between the firm’s principals, associates, and administrative staff to guide organizational growth and success.

Ward explained that balancing his dual roles requires careful time management and planning, often involving long hours. He credits the invaluable contributions of other executive committee members and the firm’s chief operating officer, Kathy Johnson, for making this balance possible.

Under Ward’s leadership, Brown & James has maintained its reputation for excellence in trial advocacy. The firm currently operates a committee evaluating artificial intelligence integration and maintains what Ward described as an outstanding training program for developing young lawyers’ professional skills.

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