Parson selects Husch Blackwell partner for judgeship

SBJ file

Ginger Gooch is joining the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District.

Gov. Mike Parson this morning announced his selection of a local Husch Blackwell LLP partner for a vacant judgeship.

Ginger Gooch was chosen to become a judge for the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District. She succeeds Judge Bill Francis, who retired this summer after 12 years in the position. Gooch was announced as a finalist for the role last month along with two others.

"I look forward to serving the people of Missouri in the capacity of judge and in doing so, honoring the many people who have mentored me and supported me from the time I started law school and throughout my career," Gooch said in a Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association news release.

Gooch clerked at the Supreme Court of Missouri before starting in private practice in 2001. She has been a partner at Husch Blackwell LLP since 2008 and practices business litigation, education, banking and appellate law, according to past reporting. She is a past president of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association, and she was a member of Springfield Business Journal's 2015 class of Most Influential Women.

With Gooch's appointment, the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District will be the first majority female appellate court division in Missouri history, according to the SMBA. It will be made up of four women – Gooch, Becky Borthwick, Jennifer Growcock and Mary Sheffield – and three men – Jeffrey Bates, Jack Goodman and Don Burrell.

After Francis’ retirement from the bench, he was hired by Carnahan Evans PC as senior counsel, according to past reporting.