The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL) and Bring Me a Book St. Louis recently partnered to spread the love of reading to local elementary schools in the metropolitan St. Louis region during the annual Read Across America event. BAMSL participates annually in the nation's largest reading celebration, the National Education Association's (NEA) annual Read Across America Day. This year's celebration was held on Fri., March 1 to celebrate the birthday of one of America's beloved wordsmiths, Theodor "Ted" Seuss Geisel − or "Dr. Seuss" - who was born on March 2

What would it be like to have no meaningful access to the legal system, no remedies for many wrongs and a highly constricted version of justice?

More Than 72,500 Hours of Pro Bono Legal Work Provided to People in Need in Past Two Years

The Bar Association of St. Louis (BAMSL) announced the winners of its 2018 Hon. Richard B. Teitelman Memorial St. Louis Pro Bono Challenge Awards at a luncheon on Feb. 28 at the St. Louis Club. BAMSL members provided more than 40,503 hours of pro bono service to the community during 2018. The 2018 award winners are Ruth Schneider with RCJ Law, LLC, who reported providing 334.4 hours, and Dowd Bennett LLP, which reported an average of 69 hours per attorney.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri announced several initiatives today, all designed to provide better assistance and improved understanding of process to indigent and self-represented persons in civil cases. The initiatives include providing better compensation and improved training to attorneys appointed to cases involving self-represented indigent persons, as well as a new program to help self-represented indigent persons with initial case review and filing processes.

The Minorities in the Legal Profession (MILP) Section of the Bar Association of St. Louis (BAMSL) presents "Legislation & Diverse Communities: A Roundtable Review of Criminal Justice Reform, Public Safety and Economic Development." The program, which is a private event open only to members of the legal community, is scheduled for 11 a.m. — 2 p.m. on Friday, March 8 at the Missouri Athletic Club (405 Washington Ave., St. Louis, MO 63102). The sponsors are Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard P.C. and HeplerBroom LLC.

The Bar Association of St. Louis (BAMSL) will induct four new members into its Gallery of Legal Pioneers Wall of Fame. On Feb. 26, the BAMSL Minorities in the Legal Profession (MILP) Section will honor the new BAMSL Legal Pioneers with an installation ceremony and reception from 5 to 7 p.m. at the BAMSL Bar Center (555 Washington Ave., Suite 100, St. Louis, MO 63101). Honorees include Wesley Bell, Dana Tippin Cutler, Hon. Robin Ransom Vannoy, and Hon. Gloria Clark Reno.

Rule 6.01(o) is designed to allow attorneys in good standing who practice only pro bono to have their annual bar dues waived, as long as they are practicing under the auspices of "an approved legal assistance organization."

The John C. Shepherd Professionalism Award will be presented at the 2019 Law Day event on Thurs., May 2. Nominations are due by 5 p.m. on March 1, 2019. To nominate a deserving young lawyer for the award, please visit: www.bamsl.org/ShepherdAward2019.

The Bar Association of St. Louis (BAMSL) is pleased to announce that former St. Louis Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce is our special guest speaker for our annual Member Appreciation Reception on February 27, 2019. February is BAMSL Member Appreciation Month and in the tradition of the month of love, we show our love and appreciation for our members throughout the month with various activities and displays of gratitude.

Happy February! I would like to take a moment to say thank you for your continued membership in the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL). February is BAMSL Member Appreciation Month and we have some exciting news and events to share.