Newsmakers in Law

Joseph Reid, an attorney in Lathrop & Gage LLP’s Springfield office, was among six attorneys promoted to partner with the firm. Reid, a University of Mississippi School of Law graduate, who has practiced civil litigation since 1995, concentrates his defense practice in business/commercial, personal injury, product and premises liability, medical negligence, wrongful death, insurance and contract matters.

Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southwest Missouri elected seven new members to its board of directors: Julie Cummings, director of human resources, BKD LLP; Reggie McElhannon, director of public information, Alternative Opportunities Inc.; Sydney Croxdale, partner, Bohrer, Croxdale & McAdoo Inc.; Mandy Athes, assistant vice president/commercial loan officer, The Bank of Missouri; Jennifer Growcock, litigation attorney, Polsinelli Shughart PC; and Greg Weaver, attorney/owner, Weaver Law LLW.

Missouri State Auditor Tom Schweich appointed former Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Darrell Moore as chief litigation counsel, serving as a senior staff member in the auditor’s office. Moore served the state of Missouri for more than 26 years as a prosecutor in Greene County, including 12 years as prosecuting attorney. Moore’s experience includes investigating fraud in governmental and commercial entities. He earned his undergraduate degree from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, and his law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Moore was named the 2010 Prosecutor of the Year by the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt named eight people to his senior staff: Glen Chambers, chief of staff; Burson Taylor Snyder, deputy chief of staff in D.C.; Brian Klippenstein, deputy chief of staff in Missouri; Brian Diffell, legislature director; Amber Marchand, communications director; Derek Coats, state director; Richard Eddings, director of scheduling; and Amy Field Poe, staff director.

M. Douglas Harpool, a partner, with Baird, Lightner Millsap & Harpool PC, was appointed to the Federal Practice Committee for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. He is one of 13 committee members appointed by the court’s judges for a three-year term. The committee advises the court on local rules and procedures and undertakes special projects as requested by the chief judge. Harpool has practiced law for 25 years and is a former five-term Missouri state representative.

Andy Dalton was appointed by Gov. Jay Nixon to the State Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority, which is charged with protecting Missouri’s environment, develop energy alternatives and promote economic development via financing, technical assistance and research. Dalton, who is of counsel with the law firm of Haden, Cowherd and Bullock LLC, spent 34 years in private practice at Daniel, Clampett, Lilley, Dalton, Powell and Cunningham LLC, before serving 1996–2007 as general counsel for City Utilities.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon was named chairman of the National Governors Association’s Education, Early Childhood and Workforce Committee for 2011. The committee is charged with issues related to early childhood, elementary, secondary and higher education, work force development and labor. The committee is one of four standing National Governors Association committees whose members develop policies and provide a forum for governors to address key issues.[[In-content Ad]]