Missouri Lawyers Media has been honoring excellence in law for decades. But for reasons that elude me, we didn’t launch an honor event devoted solely to the recognition of top in-house lawyering until two years ago.

That first event over-delivered on its promise to spotlight those who consistently excel in the legal departments of some of Missouri’s most significant businesses. And while it might be natural to worry that encore performances wouldn’t reach the same high, we knew we had only scratched the surface of the remarkable depth of legal talent serving our state’s businesses and organizations.

Once again, this group of honorees stands tall.

On these pages, you will find the stories of the men and women who partner and lead with CEOs across a spectrum of businesses — public to private, small to large, emerging to maturing.

They are strategists. Collaborators. Problem-solvers. Innovators. They are uncomfortable with ambiguity and navigate a company to excel in efficiency and execution. And they are often courageous in their recommendations and guidance during turbulent times.

Parsing the broad business of law into precise practice areas is an evolving need for firms. Legal specialists must become laser-focused in meeting the needs of their many clients. But it’s the generalist who best suits the in-house counsel role for the single client. That attorney has a seat at the boardroom with a stake in the overall and long-term success of the company.

So in selecting the honorees for the 2019 In-House Counsel Awards, we looked at not only their expertise in the legal profession, but their commitment to and impact within their companies. They exemplify a unique blend of counselor and business strategist as they help to guide their companies’ vision.

I hope you take the time to read the profiles of all of our 2019 honorees. While their companies and work may vary, they share a common quality: excellence in their profession.

And for that, we salute them.

Liz Irwin, Publisher

Missouri Lawyers Media

Missouri In House Counsel Legal news, updates and analysis

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