Lois Zerrer to leave SMBA for private practice

The search is on for a new executive director for the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association. Lois Zerrer, who's served as SMBA's executive director since 1989, will leave the organization Oct. 19 and return to private practice.

"It's time to make a change," she said.

She said her practice will be concentrated in three areas elder law, nonprofit organizations and appellate practice and she'll continue to be involved with SMBA.

Qualified applicants

Richard Owensby, attorney with Neale & Newman LLP and vice president/president elect with SMBA, is leading the committee responsible for finding Zerrer's replacement.

He said the committee is comprised of himself, SMBA officers and several past presidents.

Owensby said about 45 applicants, including some lawyers, have applied for the job.

"We're in the process of trying to narrow the list, and hope to have someone designated soon," he said, noting that ideally, a new executive director will named prior to Zerrer's departure.

While being a lawyer would be helpful for the SMBA's new executive director, Owensby said it's not a requirement for the job.

"There would be some advantage to being a lawyer because the executive director does attend lots of lawyer-committee meetings," he said.

Generally, other skills needed for the job include good organization.

"There are lots of deadlines to meet, lots of functions to organize," he said, such as the monthly membership meetings and the monthly board of directors and officers meetings, Law Day and an installation banquet.

History and growth

Prior to 1989, the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association had about 420 members and shared office space with Legal Aid of Southwest Missouri (now Legal Services of South-ern Missouri), had a volunteer director, a part-time secretary and a budget of $51,606.

The SMBA now has 630 members, two full-time em-ployees including Zerrer, and a part-time employee. Its budget is $169,434.

"It's obviously been a great period of growth for the bar association. When I was hired, I was the first full-time, paid staff," Zerrer said. She noted that SMBA's main goal is educating lawyers, but it operates with what she calls a "two-pronged approach."

"We provide services for our members, and we provide services for the public," she said.

Aside from the growth in membership and funds, Zerrer's proud of other accomplishments during her tenure.

"We've certainly improved the quality and number of our continuing legal education programs. We've improved the lawyer referral service, making that more effective for the members and the public," she said.

A source of pride, too, is the event that took place in Springfield on Flag Day 2000. "We had a naturalization ceremony here for the first time, really, since basically anybody could remember," Zerrer said.

SMBA's scholarship fund has in-creased, and the association now awards two scholarships instead of one.

Springfield also has hosted the annual meeting of the Missouri Bar three times in 1992, 1995 and earlier this month. Zerrer said the meeting is held at locations throughout Missouri on a rotating schedule.

Moving forward

Zerrer said SMBA has two major projects in the works now.

"We're going to be setting up a foundation. The income from that can be used for educational programs for schools or the public in general. It's more of an educational or charitable purpose," she said.

SMBA also is in the process of designing its Web site, which Zerrer said will have sections for SMBA members and for the public.

As for the legal-profession climate in the Springfield area, Zerrer said it's important for the community to realize that they don't have to go to a larger city like St. Louis or Kansas City to find good legal counsel.

"The lawyers in Springfield are just as talented, as well-educated, and as quality people that you're going to find anywhere in the United States. I don't think there's a topic or a legal issue to be addressed that couldn't be handled by a Springfield lawyer," she said.