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Michael K. Mullen
Michael Kellan Mullen
Staff Report//June 15, 2026//
Director of ADR, Lexitas
St. Louis
Judge Michael Mullen spent years on the bench, and his proudest accomplishment is the atmosphere he worked to create in his courtrooms — one where lawyers, litigants and all who appeared before him knew they would be respected and genuinely heard. Even when he disagreed with a party’s position, he made a point of keeping an open mind and fully considering the perspective being presented.
His leadership approach is that of a collaborative servant leader: he trusted others to carry out their assigned duties in their own way, made himself available for guidance and led by example. A central lesson from his career is not to take outcomes personally — a bad result on a case does not mean the end, a lawyer is not his or her client and life is bigger than any single case.
He advises young attorneys to extend equal respect to everyone they encounter and said, “The receptionists, secretaries, and clerks are the heart of that place.”
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