Board of Directors

Current Board Members

   PRESIDENT: Kristine Bridges
   Thompson Coburn LLP
   One US Bank Plaza
   St. Louis, MO 63101
   Phone: (314)552-6559
   Fax: (314)552-7559
   E-mail:kbridges@thompsoncoburn.com

Ms Bridges is an associate at the law firm of Thompson Coburn, LLP, where she concentrates her practice in railroad litigation - representing Union Pacific Railroad Company.  She sits on the Women's Retention Action Group at Thompson Coburn. She is also a member of the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel where she sits on the Technology Committee and the Fall Meeting Planning Committee.  Kristine is a native of St. Louis.  She earned her B.A. in Paralegal Studies from Webster University as a night student and continued her night education earning her J.D. from St. Louis University School of Law.  Kristine is admitted to the Missouri and Illinois Bars as well as the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.  Kristine has served the Women Lawyers' Association as a member, Board Member-at-Large, Secretary, President-Elect and now President.  She is an active participant on the Holiday Party Committee and Newsletter/Public Relations Committee.  Kristine is married to Larry Bridges and has a set of boy/girl twins, Corey (a paramedic in St. Louis) and Nicole (a 3L law student - following her mother's example).  Kristine is proud to serve as the 36th President of the Women Lawyers' Association.

   PRESIDENT-ELECT: Jamie Boyer
   Stinson Morrison Hecker
   168 North Meramec Ave., Suite 400
   St. Louis, Missouri 63105
   Phone: (314) 259-4546
   Fax: (314) 259-4499
   E-mail: JBoyer@stinson.com

Ms Boyer is a partner with Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP and practices in a wide variety of fields, including commercial, environmental, employee benefits and education litigation. She graduated from the University of Illinois in 2003, where she was named a Bell, Boyd & Lloyd Best Advocate and earned the Best Oralist and Best Overall Awards in the Frederick Green Moot Court Competition. Ms. Boyer has been a member of WLA since 2000 and has served as co-chair of the Scholarship Committee for the past 4 years and as Secretary since 2007. Ms. Boyer is also a participant in FOCUS St. Louis’ Leadership St. Louis Program, serves on the Board of Directors for CASA St. Louis County and is an attorney coach for the Lindbergh High School mock trial team. In 2008, Ms. Boyer was named one of the St. Louis Business Journal’s “30 Under 30” and she was recently selected by Missouri Lawyers Weekly as an “Up and Coming” attorney.

VICE-PRESIDENT: Jessica Kennedy
Berry & Maxson LLC
16150 Main Circle Drive, Suite 120
St. Louis, MO 63017
Phone: (314) 480-5881
Fax: (314) 480-5884
E-mail:jkennedy@berrymaxson.com

Ms. Kennedy practices in commercial litigation at Berry & Maxson, with more than thirteen years of trial experience, both civil and criminal.  Ms. Kennedy previously practiced in the area of general civil and commercial litigation with Carmody MacDonald P.C. in St. Louis (2005 - 2010), including employment and commercial cases and medical professional defense.  Ms. Kennedy began her legal career as a prosecutor, working for the Office of the Circuit Attorney for the City of St. Louis (1998 - 2005) and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for St. Charles County (1997 - 1998).  As a member of the felony trial staff at the Circuit Attorney's Office, she co-initiated and implemented the Circuit Attorney's Community Education Program, a 10-week education course for City residents.  In fall 2004, Ms. Kennedy served as the acting Chief Warrant Officer for the City of St. Louis.  Ms. Kennedy received her law degree from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis in 1997.  During law school, she interned with Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, the Missouri State Public Defender's Office in St. Louis County, the Office of the Circuit Attorney for the city of St. Louis and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for St. Charles County, Missouri.  Furthering her legal education, Ms. Kennedy attended trial programs focused on expert cross-examination of physicians and forensic scientists at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina in 2001.  Prior to attending law school, she worked as a VISTA volunteer for the San Antonio AIDS Foundation in San Antonio, Texas.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, with a minor in Spanish, from Newcomb College of Tulane University in 1992.  Ms. Kennedy is a member of the Missouri Bar and is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.  Ms. Kennedy is a member of the Missouri Bar and is admitted to practice to in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.  Ms. Kennedy is a member of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis and the Lawyers' Association of St. Louis. 

TREASURER: Bridget Hoy
Lewis, Rice & Fingersh, LC
500 North Broadway, Suite 2000
St. Louis, Missouri 63102-2147
Phone: ( 314) 444.7837 (direct)
Fax: (314) 612.7837 (fax)
E-mail: bhoy@lewisrice.com

Ms Hoy is a Litigation Partner at Lewis, Rice. She focuses her practice on trademark, patent and other intellectual property disputes. She also has significant experience in commercial litigation in both federal and state courts. Ms. Hoy is a member of the firm’s Recruiting Committee. A past chair of the Professionalism and Ethics Committee of BAMSL, Ms. Hoy has written several articles and given numerous presentations on ethics and professionalism issues. In 2006, Ms. Hoy was awarded the President’s Service Award by BAMSL for her work addressing substance abuse, depression, and other impairments that translate into ethics and professionalism violations. Ms. Hoy has taught both Criminal Law and Legal, Research and Writing courses at Webster University and Maryville University in St. Louis. She has volunteered with the Ready Readers program in St. Louis. She also volunteers with Legal Services of Eastern Missouri in its Volunteer Lawyers’ Program.

SECRETARY: Elizabeth Grana
Behr, McCarter & Potter PC
777 Bonhomme, Suite 1400
Clayton, MO 63105
Phone: (314) 862-3800
Fax: (314) 862-3953

Ms Grana recently joined Behr, McCarter, and Potter, PC in August 2009. She gained experience at the firm by interning during the Summer of 2008. Ms. Grana previously served as a legal intern for the Hon. E. Richard Webber of the United States District Court, Eastern District of Missouri. Ms. Grana also completed an externship with the United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri, Violent Crimes Division. Ms. Grana graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law in 2009. While at Saint Louis University, she won the Judge Robert G. Dowd Sr. Award for Appellate Advocacy. Ms. Grana was also a member of Saint Louis University's National Moot Court Team which won First Place in its Regional Competition. She also was a member of Saint Louis University's Trial Advocacy Team. She served as a Teaching Assistant for Legal Research and Writing and Moot Court classes. She also served as a Faculty Fellow, which involved legal research and analysis for Prof. Jacqueline Kutnik-Bauder. Ms. Grana was a member of the Women Law Students' Association and was elected Co-President of the organization. Ms. Grana has been a member of the Women Lawyers' Association of Greater St. Louis since her graduation and has taken an active part in developing a mentorship program through the organization.

PAST PRESIDENT: Jessica Liss
Rabbitt, Pitzer & Snodgrass
100 South Fourth Street, Suite 400
St. Louis, MO 63102-1821
Phone: (314) 335-1336
Fax: (314) 421-3144
E-mail: Liss@rpslaw.com

Ms Liss is a principal at Rabbitt, Pitzer & Snodgrass, P.C. Ms. Liss concentrates her practice on the defense of municipalities and local government, civil rights and constitutional litigation, employment law, personal injury and general tort litigation. Ms. Liss is also the appointed City Attorney for the City of Bella Villa. She has served as Trustee of the Wilson School, where she was chairperson of the Tuition Assistance Committee (2002-2008). She currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Wilson School. Ms. Liss is a graduate of Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania where she earned her B.A. in Economics and English in 1995. She earned her J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1999. At Saint Louis University, she was Staff Editor for the St. Louis Warsaw Transatlantic Journal. Ms. Liss was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1999 and to the Kansas Bar in 2006. She is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Eastern and Western District of Missouri, the District Court of Kansas, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, the Missouri Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court. Prior to joining Rabbitt, Pitzer & Snodgrass, Jessica was an Assistant Public Defender in the City of St. Louis, Trial Division. Ms. Liss is a frequent speaker at seminars and CLE programs. She is a member of the Missouri Bar Association, the Bar Association of Kansas, the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, the Lawyer’s Association of St. Louis, the Defense Research Institute, the Harmonie Group, the International Association of Defense Counsel and the National Association of Insurance Women.

MEMBERS AT LARGE:

Amy Collignon Gunn
The Simon Law Firm, PC
701 Market St., Suite 1450
St. Louis, MO 63101
Phone: (314) 241-2929
Fax: (314) 241-2029
E-mail: AGunn@simonpassanante.com

Ms Collignon Gunn works with The Simon Law Firm, PC as well as being an adjunct professor with Washington University School of Law teaching pre-trial litigation. Her practice concentrates on personal injury and medical malpractice cases. She graduated from St. Louis University School of Law in 1996 cum laude, and while there served as Managing Editor of the St. Louis University Law Journal. In 2006 she received BAMSL's John C. Shepard Professionalism Award and in 2007 she received the Missouri Bar's Lon Hocker Award for her excellence as a young trial attorney. She is happily married and the mother of 2 sons, Connor & Nathan.

    Sheena Hamilton
    111 South Tenth Street, Suite 14.182
    St. Louis, MO 63102
    Phone: (314) 244-7525 (direct)
   E-mail: sheena_hamilton@moed.uscourts.gov
   
   

Ms. Hamilton is a law clerk for the chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.  She is licensed to practice law in the states of Missouri and Illinois  Prior to her clerkship, Ms. Hamilton worked as a paralegal in the Office of the Corporate Secretary at American Airlines.  Following her clerkship, she will join the law firm of Armstrong Teasdale, LLP, as an associate.  Ms. Hamilton earned her JD from St. Louis University School of Law where she was a member of the 2009 National Moot Court Team.  Her team placed first in the Regina and William Kniep Competition and second in the region at the New York Bar Association's Moot Court Competition.  For her moot court success, she received the Judge Robert G. Dowd Sr. Appellate Advocacy Award and the American College of Trial Lawyers' medal for Excellence in Appellate Advocacy.  She is currently an adjunct professor of moot court at SLU Law, where she instructs the reigning National Champion Black Law Student Association's moot court team .  Additionally, she was the inaugural student liaison to the WLA Board of Directors when she was a third year law student and a member of the planning committee for the 2011 Women's History Month CLE Symposium held this past fall.  As a result of her involvement, she was the 2009 recipient of the Missouri Lawyer's Weekly Women Justice Award titled Leader of Tomorrow and the 2011 recipient of the SLU BLSA Service Award.  With respect to her civic involvement, Sheena is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Gamma Omega Chapter) and a member of the St. Louis City Relay for Life Committee.

Christallyn E. McCloud
Bryan Cave LLP
211 N. Broadway, Suite 3600
St. Louis, MO 63102
Phone: (314) 259.2510 (direct)
Fax: (314) 552.8510
E-Mail: christallyn.mccloud@bryancave.com

Ms McCloud practices in the corporate area with Bryan Cave LLP. Her practice focuses on domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, securities, corporate governance and related matters. Christallyn is a member of the 2009-2010 Missouri Bar Leadership Academy. She serves on the Board of Directors of Wesley House Association and on the Steering Committee of the Regional Business Council’s Young Professionals Network. She also volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate with Voices for Children and as a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Since joining Bryan Cave in 2006, Ms. McCloud was recognized as a "Young Lawyer You Should Know" by The Missouri Bar Young Lawyer Newsletter and as "30 Under 30" outstanding St. Louis area business leaders by the St. Louis Business Journal. Christallyn is a proud Washington University School of Law graduate. She was named Public Service Law Student of the Year in 2006 and she is now an adjunct professor.

Maribeth McMahon
City of St. Louis
314 City Hall
St. Louis, MO 63103
Phone: (314) 657-1836
E-mail: mcmahonm@stlouiscity.com

Ms McMahon has worked in the St. Louis City Counselor's Office for 13 years, working with a variety of cases ranging from employment litigation to juvenile law. Prior to that she worked with the St. Louis County Public Defender. She holds a bachelor's degree in social work and her law degree both from St. Louis University. She served on the WLA Board as a Member at Large during 2003. She is currently on the Board of the Flora Conservancy. She loves living in Soulard, yoga and singing.

  Monica Patankar

Ms. Patankar is an associate attorney at Waltrip & Schmidt, LLC in Clayton.  She is actively involved in her community and serves on the Board of Directors of the Missouri Asian-American Bar Association (MAABA). Ms. Patankar is a member of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, the St. Louis County Bar Association, and the Notre Dame Alumni Club of St. Louis and the Notre Dame Women Connect organization.  Ms. Patankar is an active member of WLA, participates in WLA events and assisted with compiling information for the program book for the 2011 Legislative Luncheon.  Ms. Patankar received her B.B.A. from Loyola University in Chicago in 2004 and her J.D. from the University of Notre Dame in 2007. She has also served as a volunteer for the Housing Unit and the Family Court Project of Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Inc.

Melanie Schmickle
4385 Maryland Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63108
Phone: (314) 974-7288
E-mail: mel.knies@gmail.com

Ms Schmickle is the Development and Advocacy Associate at Doorways Interfaith Aids Housing and Services.  She has enjoyed being the treasurer of WLA for three years. Ms. Schmickle has practiced in the areas of insurance and family law.  She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri Columbia School of Law in 2002 and received her Bachelor of Arts from Truman State University in 1998.  Ms. Schmickle is licensed to practice law in Missouri.  She enjoys running, being outdoors, and she participated in her first sprint triathlon this year.  She also plays viola with the Town and Country Symphony Orchestra.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
Debbie Weaver
Midwest Litigation
711 N. 11th Street
St. Louis, MO 63101
Phone: (314) 644-2191
E-mail: dweaver@midwestlitigation.com

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR:
Kathy Porter
Midwest Litigation
711 N. 11th Street
St. Louis, MO 63101
Phone: (314) 644-2191
E-mail: kporter@midwestlitigation.com