Ozarks Profile

Partner, Carmichael, Gardner & Clark, 901 St. Louis St., Ste. 800, Springfield. Carmichael, Gardner & Clark is a law firm specializing in business law, real estate, bankruptcy and litigation related both to those issues and to family law matters. Turner has been associated with this firm and its predecessors since her move to Springfield from Kansas City in 1991. At that time, the law firm was named Carlson & Clark and comprised Tom Carlson, June Clark and Turner. In 1993, Joe Carmichael and Mark Gardner joined the firm, and the name was changed to Carmichael, Carlson, Gardner & Clark. In 1995, Carlson left the firm to practice on his own. The firm moved its offices from the McDaniel Building to its current location. Turner became a partner in January of 1995. Turner is a member of the American Bar Association, the Kansas Bar Association, the Missouri Bar Association, the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association and the American Bankruptcy Institute. She is licensed to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Age: 36.

No. of years in Springfield/area: Seven.

Education: Graduated from East Prairie High School in East Prairie in 1980 and attended college at Murray State University in Murray, Ky. Graduated from Murray State with a bachelor of science degree in political science in 1984 and from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law in 1988.

Early career: Turner's first job was working on her father's farm in the Missouri Bootheel. "We raised corn, cotton, soybeans, wheat and milo," Turner said. She performed many jobs on the farm (usually under protest, she said), and learned the value of hard work. After she graduated from college, Turner worked for the state of Missouri in Jefferson City for one year, then decided to attend law school. Following law school, she worked for two large firms in Kansas City: Niewald, Waldeck & Brown, and Morrison & Hecker. "My work at Morrison & Hecker significantly enhanced my understanding of the law of banking, bankruptcy and real estate," Turner said.

Current projects: "I represent various banks and other financial institutions on many cases, ranging from general banking law to loan closings, workouts and collections." She also represents "individuals and businesses with other commercial and corporate law issues," she said.

Management philosophy: "I view our law firm as a team,with each member serving a vital and equally important role. We try to motivate each member of the firm, including receptionists, secretaries, legal assistants and attorneys, to provide the best legal services possible," Turner said.

Spare-time pursuits: Gardening, cooking, traveling with her family.

Family data: Married to Joe Turner with two daughters: Claire, 4 1/2, and Anna, 2 1/2.

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