2024 In-House Counsel Awards

Missouri Lawyers Media has been honoring excellence in law for decades. Seven years ago, we expanded our range of honor events to recognize and celebrate top in-house lawyering throughout our state.

That first event in 2017 over-delivered on its promise to spotlight those who consistently excel in the legal departments of some of Missouri’s most significant businesses and organizations. And while it might be natural to worry that subsequent performances would never reach the same high, we weren’t.  We knew we had only scratched the surface of remarkable depth of legal talent serving these businesses.

As predicted, our 2024 group of honorees stands just as tall.

On these pages, you find the stories of 20 men and women who partner and lead with CEOs across a spectrum of businesses and organizations — public to private, large to small, 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. They are often courageous in their recommendation 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 current 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 In-House Counsel Awards, we look not only at expertise in the legal profession, but the commitment and impact these attorneys have made within their companies. They understand and demonstrate a unique blend as counselor and business strategist as they help to guide their companies’ vision.

Please take the time to read the profiles of all of our 2024 honorees. While their companies and work may vary, they share a common excellence in their profession.

For that, we salute them.

Susan A. Bocamazo, Esq.

Sr. Group Publisher

2024 digital edition | Past honorees

Lifetime Achievement Award

Nancy Inman, co-general counsel, ARCO

Health care organization

Andrea Long, deputy general counsel, Cox Health

Elena Parker, associate general counsel, BJC Health

Cathi Ponciroli, vice president, general counsel of specialty generics, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals

Dillon Strohm, senior general counsel, Blue Cross Blue Shield

Vikas Sunkari, assistant General Counsel, SSM Health

Private company with annual revenues over $500M

Rodney Fourez, general counsel, ICL Group

Brad Zaffiri, claims attorney, SECURA Insurance Company

Private company with annual revenues up to $500M

Michael Miller, chief operating officer and general counsel, Mid-Missouri Bank

Melvin Sims, legal counsel, BlueScope Buildings North America

Mike Whittle, general counsel, St. Louis Cardinals

Public company

Douglas V. Brown, chief counsel, American Outdoor Brands

Julia Farrell, associate general counsel, Centene

Pamela Howlett, VP & associate general counsel, Bayer

Lisa Savoy, legal counsel, Experian

Joseph Schneider, Vice President & General Counsel, Aerospace & Defense, TTM Technologies

Janelle L. Williams, corporate counsel, Jack Henry