On July 9, 2019, Missouri Governor Michael Parson signed into law Senate Bill 203, making it easier for individuals and neighborhood organizations in the City of St. Louis and Kansas City to combat nuisance properties using the court system.

Many congratulations are in order for two great teams: The St. Louis Blues and the BAMSL Bench and Bar Planning Committee. And coincidentally, these two teams have more in common than one might expect.

When I walked into the Missouri Athletic Club on the morning of May 2 for the Law Day celebration, I was running late due to terrible traffic on Hwy. 40, and I was nervous. My nerves were likely due to anticipation of my remarks and the huge amount of responsibility I was about to take on as president of BAMSL.

As the extreme weather season begins, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and other natural disasters threaten to bring myriad civil legal problems for St. Louis area residents, from accessing critical disaster assistance to securing temporary housing to handling insurance claims.

We are pleased to announce that BAMSL Executive Director Zoe Linza will be presented with the National Association of Bar Executives (NABE) Bolton Award, NABE's highest honor recognizing Outstanding Bar Leadership. Linza will receive the award on Aug. 9, 2019, at the NCBP/NABE/NCBF Joint Luncheon in San Francisco.

The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL) kicked off its 2019-20 bar year with its annual Law Day celebration on Thursday, May 2 at the Missouri Athletic Club in Downtown St. Louis. The event featured a keynote address by Pulitzer-Prize winning author Jon Meacham, awards presentations, and the swearing-in of the new Board of Governors.

Over the next year, I plan to focus my columns on the features and benefits of BAMSL membership and involvement. BAMSL has a lot to offer, no matter the size of your firm, your practice area or the number of years you have been practicing. Today, I begin with my own experience.

BAMSL's Women in the Legal Profession (WILP) Section congratulates The Simon Law Firm; Stinson Leonard Street; and Tueth Keeney on being recognized as best workplaces for women in St. Louis by the Women's Foundation of Greater St. Louis.

NOW IS THE TIME! This is the phrase I want to shout to legal professionals in the St. Louis area who have been thinking of making an employment change in 2019.

Where did the past year go? Somehow, I am wrapping up an entire year serving as President of BAMSL. Over the course of this year, I have learned to appreciate, more than ever, how important BAMSL is to the entire St. Louis area. And it appears that my enthusiasm for all of the things BAMSL does has been contagious. Over these 12 months, we have seen BAMSL members grow to more than 6,750 legal professionals looking for ways to better serve their community.