Missouri Lawyers Media Missouri legal news and public notices

The individuals we honor through the 2022 Diversity & Inclusion awards do the right thing. They are part of the bedrock that supports a growing foundation of work throughout Missouri’s legal profession.

Between six chickens, three dogs, a ferret, a guinea pig, a lizard and a tortoise, Ashley Benoist’s household is a crowded one.

Grace Colato Martinez admits that hope does not always come naturally to her but she tries to stay inspired to keep “fighting the good fight.”

Willie Epps feels that trailblazers can sometimes be overlooked. That’s something he hopes to change.

Noah Garcia says that he’s most proud of his pro bono work, including some that helped develop case law in Kansas clarifying procedural service rules for those in the military.

Reginald Harris knows what it is like to have a hard time finding others who look like him in the workplace or in leadership positions.

Working in education, it is students that motivate Robin Jefferson Higgins.

Alexandra Johnson feels that DEI work is still just getting underway in her area of practice but she hopes her pro bono presentation “Breaking Down Systemic Inequities via Strategic Estate Planning” will help to advance the conversation.

Candace E. Johnson is inspired by the idea that the practice of law can be a more diverse field for the attorneys that will follow in her footsteps.

Arindam Kar feels that the legal community still sees diversity, equity and inclusion as a separate issue apart from the day-to-day operations of firms.

Raised in East St. Louis, Ill., in a family of community service leaders, Kayla Loveless finds that her diversity and inclusion work stems from her upbringing.