The committee held its first meeting on August 26, 2025, to review the Bylaws and define its charge. This initial meeting focused on outlining the process, emphasizing the importance of keeping all BAMSL members informed, and ensuring that the committee’s work remained open and accessible. Candidate interviews were conducted on October 28, 2025.

Throughout our work, the committee was guided by the principle that BAMSL’s Executive Board should be both highly qualified and reflective of the Association’s diverse membership — including, but not limited to, diversity in age, race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, geography, and areas of practice. We also prioritized candidates who demonstrate a strong commitment of time, energy, and talent to BAMSL. We believe the slate of candidates we recommend embodies these values.

BAMSL will celebrate Law Day 2026 on Friday, May 1, with its Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony. The event brings together members of the legal community to honor the rule of law, recognize outstanding service, and usher in a new chapter of leadership with the official swearing-in of BAMSL’s incoming president and board of governors. 

The Saint Louis Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL), is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 Spirit of Justice Awards.

The Spirit of Justice Award recognizes lawyers, non-lawyers and organizations/programs that have demonstrated accomplishment, leadership and integrity in fostering and maintaining the rule of law, and in facilitating and promoting improvement of the administration of justice.

“The Spirit of Justice Award honors individuals and organizations that represent the best of our legal system and our shared commitment to fairness,” said Morgan Murphy, Esq., president of the Saint Louis Bar Foundation. “We are proud to recognize these four honorees who lead with integrity, strengthen the rule of law, and improve access to justice for their communities.”  

There are four Spirit of Justice Award recipients in the 2026 class.

Registration Ends at 5:00 p.m. Today!

Please join us for the inaugural Illinois Region Legal Leaders Awards Luncheon. The five award recipients will be honored this Thursday, January 8, 2026, at The Regency in O'Fallon, Il. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this new event!

Now in its 31st year, Motion for Kids remains one of the region’s largest and most meaningful holiday outreach efforts. About 50 law firms and partner organizations participate, each “adopting” children to ensure they receive personalized gifts chosen just for them. Volunteers collectively contribute more than 1,500 service hours to prepare and run this massive community event.

The Saint Louis Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL), has awarded more than $25,000 in grants to 10 nonprofit organizations working to strengthen the St. Louis community through law-related initiatives.

In response to the urgent need for assistance due to the SNAP program (food stamps) being severely and negatively impacted by the government shutdown, BAMSL members and friends supported the food drive hosted by BAMSL’s Attorneys Against Hunger Committee and the Law Library Association of St. Louis.

A Message from BAMSL President: A Critical Call for Help

Dear BAMSL Members and Friends, 

As many of you know, due to the ongoing government shutdown, assistance through the SNAP program (food stamps) has been severely and negatively impacted. This has left so many of our neighbors in Missouri and Illinois, who rely on these vital benefits to make ends meet, in a time of crisis.  

In response to this urgent need, we are asking members and friends to consider an urgent donation to the food drive hosted by BAMSL’s Attorneys Against Hunger Committee and the Law Library Association of St. Louis. The food drive has been receiving donations since September to benefit Operation Food Search. Food banks have been crucial in helping families put food on the table, but with the recent cuts to SNAP, the demand has never been greater. 

The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL) announces the addition of Heather Esselborn as the director of accounting. She has experience in accounting as well as auditing and budgeting with several organizations including Stereotaxis, the Internal Revenue Service and Charter Communications.

Thank you to KSDK-TV for their wonderful story this morning about BAMSL’s Motion for Kids annual holiday party. Over the past 30 years, Motion for Kids has brought the St. Louis legal community together to make the holidays brighter for more than 60,000 children.