Morgan Murphy, Esq., managing partner with the law firm of Zevan Murphy, has been elected to serve as president of the Saint Louis Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL). She will serve a two-year term.

Murphy has served on the Bar Foundation board since 2023. She has been a BAMSL member for more than a decade and served on multiple sections and committees.

“Morgan’s leadership ability, her experience working with and for nonprofit organizations, paired with her legal background, history with BAMSL and commitment to community service make her a great fit to lead the Bar Foundation,” said Susan McCourt Baltz, executive director of BAMSL.

Among the Bar Foundation’s many charitable activities throughout the year, Motion for Kids and the High School Mock Trial are two of the biggest events. A tradition dating back more than 30 years, Motion for Kids annually provides gifts for about 2,000 St. Louis area children in the foster care system or children whose lives have been impacted by the criminal justice system. The Missouri High School Mock Trial Competition annually serves over 600 students from more than 50 schools throughout Missouri and is supported by about 400 attorneys who volunteer as coaches, judges, and evaluators.

“As attorneys, we have an obligation to give back to the community, but it can be difficult to find the time or to make it a priority,” said Murphy. “The Bar Foundation helps to bridge that gap. The foundation represents the best of the St. Louis legal community and facilitates great community-facing events, allowing attorneys to give back in a way that many of us would not be able to do without the planning and infrastructure of the Bar Foundation.”

Another major event that Murphy will be involved with is the 2027 National High School Mock Trial Championship, which will be held in St. Louis.

“Although 2027 feels far away, this event is a huge undertaking and an important opportunity for us to showcase the amazing legal community that we have in St. Louis,” said Murphy. “So, I am looking forward to fundraising, planning, recruiting volunteers, and ensuring that the event goes off without a hitch.”

With more than a decade of membership in BAMSL, Murphy brings great experience to this leadership role. She has previously served as a member of the Solo and Small Practitioner Section, the Women in the Legal Profession Section and the Trial Section. Currently, she is a member of the Motion for Kids Committee.

“Immediate Bar Foundation past president Christie Lewis Abate recruited me to get involved because she was working on expanding the board and bringing in new potential leaders,” said Murphy. “Now that I am involved, I see that most of the charitable events associated with BAMSL are actually funded by and made possible through the Bar Foundation. I have been actively involved in the Bar Foundation for a couple of years and have a good understanding of the Foundation’s finances, projects, and grants. I am looking forward to the opportunity to serve.”

Murphy earned her J.D. degree from Washington University in St. Louis and B.A degree from DePauw University.

The Saint Louis Bar Foundation is the charitable arm of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL) and is a separate legal entity and a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. The Saint Louis Bar Foundation promotes the Rule of Law and the administration of justice in both our society and within the legal profession. The Foundation seeks to improve the administration of justice in our community through law-related education directed to citizens as well as through charitable undertakings. The Foundation is committed to strengthening the legal profession by encouraging attorneys to practice with the highest level of professionalism and civility and to engage in meaningful community service.