The position of Term Law Clerk is a full-time position. This position duration is subject to a term time limit and the term begins late August or early September 2026. It involves working for both Chief United States Magistrate Judge Shirley P. Mensah and United States Magistrate Judge Noelle C. Collins (a 50% workload for each). The position is in St. Louis, Missouri.

Happy Women’s History Month! In these uncertain times, it is comforting to know women are still celebrated, encouraged, and empowered by those who support us. Women have made significant contributions to society, whether those contributions were in the courtroom, the classroom, or the family room. The first woman in America admitted to law school – Lemma Barkaloo – studied right here in St. Louis and was the first woman admitted to the Missouri bar. In her 2014 book Redemption Songs: Suing for Freedom Before Dred Scott, Lea VanderVelde observed that most St. Louis freedom suits were initiated by women, who aimed to keep their families together. In her 1915 crusade to get women in the Missouri judiciary, St. Louis lawyer Adelaide O’Brien – one half of the only women law partnership practicing in the west at that time – quipped, “[T]here is nothing in the statutes requiring that a Supreme Court Judge be a ‘legal male voter.’ But no woman has presumed to take advantage of that oversight as yet.” In 1988, the Honorable Ann Covington was the first female judge appointed to Supreme Court of Missouri, which now maintains a female majority. Barely 2 months ago, St. Louis County swore in its first female Prosecuting Attorney, Melissa Price Smith. The battle for women to be in the courtroom has been fought in the U.S. for hundreds of years. 

As a Hispanic first-generation law student, the journey to pursuing a legal career can be an uphill battle that can significantly impact mental health and overall well-being. The law school experience is already known to be incredibly challenging, but for first-generation students from underrepresented backgrounds, these challenges can be even more daunting.

Danny Barnett-Foster, assistant executive director of operations for The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL), has been appointed Vice-Chair of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity (SOGI) Committee for the term of Sept. 1, 2022, through Aug. 31, 2023.

If you are reading this article, you are already aware of one of BAMSL's core communications tools — the St. Louis Lawyer magazine. BAMSL communicates with its members through publications, such as this and the St. Louis Bar Journal, social media, the Web site (for the general public and the members-only section), the weekly LegalPulseSTL e-newsletter, the weekly CLE Bulletin email, customized emails and even through media relations. So how do these forms of communications assist the average BAMSL member and help to Build Better Lawyers?

As a member of BAMSL, I have been inspired by the focus on service to others as a way of making us better lawyers. BAMSL encourages its members to provide service through using their legal skills to help those who are in need.

What does BAMSL do for me? That is the question, right? I am a lawyer, you are a lawyer, or other professional working in the legal field. Or you are a lawyer like me, working as a professional but not as a lawyer. So what have you got for ME, BAMSL?

BAMSL provides many opportunities throughout the year to develop your network.

I started off my day at my local YMCA (50 percent off the joining fee and 50 percent off the first full month of membership) for my regular morning workout. I felt great. I showered and dressed in my new Brooks Brothers suit (15 percent off) and headed downtown.

Did you ever see the BAMSL slogan, “Building Better Lawyers,” and wonder what that really means? Well, we are going to let you in on the secret.