A Conversation With ... Cynthia MacPherson

Company: MacPherson Law Center LLC

Education: Bachelor’s degree in social work and psychology, University of Central Missouri; law degree, University of Missouri School of Law

Nonpartisan: MacPherson has been elected prosecuting attorney on the Republican, Democrat and Independent tickets

Contact: (417) 926-3138

Tell us about Mountain Grove-based MacPherson Law Center.

We limit our practice to Social Security – which is what I really love – workers’ compensation and personal injury-auto accidents. My son Jason is a prosecuting attorney in Wright County, but he’s employed by MacPherson Law Center, as is Ashleigh MacPherson (who is married to Cynthia’s son David). There are seven employees, and we opened a location in Nixa in June.

How did you choose law as a career?

It was my work as a juvenile officer. I couldn’t be a juvenile officer because I was a woman (but) I could do all the work. Of course, no one ever said that, but that’s the way it was back (in the early 1970s). When I got to law school as a freshman – there are three years involved – the class ahead of me had three women in it. My class had 12 to 15, less than 10 percent. By the time I was the third year student, I had gone to the dean to ask why we didn’t have more women. I created the Women’s Law Caucus … and learned that the dean made the decision and that women’s applications were getting tossed aside. When it became clear that I was going to make an issue of that publicly, the very next year, 50 percent of the class was female.

What led you to open your own practice?

I started practicing law in 1976 as the first woman elected prosecutor in this state, in Audrain County. … I served two terms up in Audrain County, before coming to southern Missouri (when) my (ex-)husband got a job as city manager in Mountain Grove. I opened my practice in March 1980 in an old barber shop. … (People) came to me and wanted me to run for prosecutor (in Wright County) and I did, so my total years as prosecutor wound up being 13.

What’s something memorable that happened during your years as prosecutor?

I was prosecuting (brothers) in Norwood for significant and substantial chop shops and drug operations. At the time, I was separated with three children at home, and an investigator … with the Missouri State Highway Patrol come to my house one night … and played (a recording). It’s very chilling to hear a tape where someone’s talking about having you killed. The father (of the brothers) involved was in a bar talking to people and they (got it on tape). It was hard, but … we tried them and convicted them. I’m glad I’m out of (prosecuting). I loved it when I did it, but I’ve found … satisfaction without all the stress.

Tell us about a specific hurdle you faced as a female lawyer.

In a rape case that I tried (while) pregnant, the appeal to the … was that (the jury) was prejudiced because I was pregnant and represented apple pie, motherhood and Chevrolet. The appellate court, … where you can make any argument you want, threw it out. They said that the day we start attacking women because they’re pregnant, what’s going to be next? That they’re too sexy? (The court) held that we can’t get into personalities or personal appearance, and they refused to even acknowledge (my pregnancy) as a point of appeal, as a prejudice in a rape case.

Tell us about the your family and hobbies.

Jason is married to Dr. Lori MacPherson with CoxHealth here in Mountain Grove. They have two sons. My second son, Kenneth, is a financial planner with Edward Jones, married to Jill, a teacher at Rogersville elementary schools, and they have three little girls. David is married to Ashleigh, and they have baby Jack. David is with Sysco Foods. I call myself a grandma-gardener-marathoner. I have seven acres of flowerbeds and lawn that I maintain. I’ve run 14 marathons and qualified for the Boston Marathon five times.

Pet Project

MacPherson’s key goal right now is to change Missouri’s family exclusion practice in terms of auto insurance, which limits how much insurance companies will pay when a driver has an accident and injures family members. MacPherson has brought suits against several insurance companies and says, “If I could change that law for this state, I will be doing untold good for millions of people.”

Interview by Features Editor Maria Hoover.