Committees

Much of the work of the Boone County Bar Association is performed by its committees.

Executive Committee members are listed on the Officers Page. Several standing committees are defined by the BCBA Bylaws, and a number of special committees also have been formed.

Bar members wishing to serve on a committee should contact either the committee chair or 2016-2017 BCBA President Marjorie Lewis. Click the button below to sign up for a committee.[aio_button align=”center” animation=”pulse” color=”black” size=”small” icon=”none” text=”Committee Signup Form” target=”_blank” relationship=”nofollow” url=”https://boonecountybar.org/committee-signup/”]

Information about 2017-2018 BCBA Committees appears below. Find contact information on the Member Directory Page.

ADR/Mediation Committee

Chair: Vote by Committee

Member: Paul Ladehoff, Finley Gibbs

Mission: The mediation committee seeks to promote dispute resolution processes and principles by organizing educational opportunities with local professionals, the Center for Dispute Resolution at the University of Missouri School of Law, statewide mediation groups and the local community.

Duties:
1. Annual CLE, possibly coordinated with Center for Dispute Resolution
2. Assist law school in recruiting judges for ADR competitions
3. Notifying members of upcoming trainings
4. Coordinating with Columbia Public Schools to assist in training student conflict mediators

Black Lawyers Committee

Chair:  Robin Winn

Members:

Mission: To enhance diversity, eliminate bias, improve the legal profession and advance the rule of law.

Duties and Responsibilities:

To be provided.

Commercial Law Committee

Chair:  NO INTEREST

Members:

Mission: To provide a means of communication and cooperation among local attorneys practicing in the areas of commercial law and to make known and coordinate the interests of the local commercial law attorneys with both the BCBA and the Missouri Bar.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Plan and organize at least one CLE program each year of interest primarily to either the commercial law attorneys or the Bar as a whole.
2. Plan and organize at least one social event for commercial law attorneys (picnic has been an annual event).
3. Make names of committee members known to rest of Bar in order that any Bar member can express concerns to committee.
4. Have at least one committee member who is active on the MoBar commercial law committee to keep local committee informed of MoBar committee activities.

Community Involvement

Chair: Sander Sowers

Members: Sander Sowers, AJ Schragge, Susan Lutton

Duties and Responsibilities:

Criminal Law Committee

Chair: Vote by Committee

Members: Andrew Popplewell, Nancy McKerrow

Mission: To serve BCBA’s criminal law practitioners and to promote excellence in the practice of criminal law in Boone County.

Duties:

1. Facilitate and improve communication between BCBA criminal law practitioners and persons working throughout the criminal justice system.
2. Offer a forum for members to discuss and, when appropriate, work to resolve current issues involving the local criminal justice system.
3. Provide opportunities for members to continue their legal educations.

Family Law Committee

Chair: Gretchen Yancey

Members: Gretchen Yancey, Kristin Dickinson, Tana Benner, Amy Salladay

Mission: The Mission of the Family Law Committee shall be to enhance the practice of Family Law in the Boone County Courts by promoting the following principles:

1. Education: To enhance the educational opportunities for members of the Boone County Bar through regularly scheduled meetings and CLE opportunities related to the practice of Family Law.
2. Practice Management: To create standardized computer forms for all major forms used in the practice of Family Law.
3. Bench/Bar Communication: To create dialogue and feedback opportunities between the practicing attorneys and the Judges who preside over Family Law matters.
4. Rule Presentation:, To create, modify or propose local rules relating to the practice of Family Law at the request of Judges presiding over Family Law matters.
5. Commiseration: To create opportunities for members of the Boone County Bar to socialize, communicate and share ideas and information related to the practice of family law matters.

Juvenile Law/Guardian Ad Litem Committee

Chair: Vote by Committee

Members: Kristin Dickinson

Mission: The Juvenile Law Committee (Juvenile Law/Guardian ad Litem Committee) seeks to promote excellence in legal representation for children in the juvenile and family court of Boone County.

Duties:

1. Participate in organizing and presenting programs to enhance practitioner skills both independently and in coordination with the Court, the Juvenile Office and the Children’s Division.p>
2. Organize an annual bench-bar lunch meeting to discuss and address current juvenile law matters.
3. Work with the Court to address more effective ways of guaranteeing payment for court-ordered Guardians ad Litem.

Legal Aid Committee

Chair: Susan Lutton

Members: Susan Lutton

Mission: The Legal Aid Committee seeks to increase awareness of pro bono opportunities and promote participation of Boone County Bar members in local pro bono activities.

Duties:

1. Participate in the promotion of pro bono opportunities available at Mid-Missouri Legal Services.p>
2. Encourage Boone County Bar involvement in pro bono activities by coordinating recognition events or acknowledging excellence in pro bono legal assistance provided by Boone County Bar members.

Partners In Education/Scholarships

Chair: Brian Hajicek

Members: Brian Haijicek

Mission: The mission of the Bar/Schools Partnership Committee is to work with the Columbia Public Schools Social Studies Coordinator to find and fill opportunities for members of the bar to contribute to student development of the critical thinking and literacy skills needed for effective citizenship and to further students’ understanding of the role and purpose of government in a society. Activities will be aligned with the new Common Core State Standards adopted by the State of Missouri. The committee also is responsible for coordinating the BCBA’s involvement in the high school mock trial competition. The committee will coordinate with other committees as needed.

Picnic Committee

Chair: Mark Langworthy

Members: Mark Langworthy, Sander Sowers, Jason Simmons, Mark Pfeiffer, Brian Hajicek, Carlyle Foley, Josh Oxenhandler, Grace Shemwell

Mission: The Picnic Committee puts on the annual Jim Butcher Memorial Picnic for the members of the BCBA and their families on a Friday in late summer or early fall.

Duties:

1. In early spring, set the date for the picnic. Optimum date is late September or early October. Used to do it in August – too hot. Take other events into consideration which may conflict with the picnic that also tend to take place at the same time of the year: MU School of Law’s Law Day; State Bar Meetings; Roots and Blues festival. Check with Columbia Parks & Rec to determine if preferred park shelter is available on proposed dates.
2. Reserve shelter.
3. Reserve BBQ grills from rental companies.
4. June, communicate with committee to confirm participation, and begin recruiting new members.
5. June, begin contacting potential suppliers of meat, sides, beverages, and groceries.
6. Two months prior to event, remind President to send personal invitation to Joan Butcher, widow of Jim Butcher, for whom the picnic is named.
7. One month before picnic, assign duties to committee members.
8. Communicate with both current treasurer and the next treasurer about the fees and expenses that will be incurred related to the picnic.

Practice, Procedure and Judiciary Committee

Chair: Bill Powell

Members: Bill Powell, Randall Johnston, Karen Hajicek, Amanda Miller, Jill Harper

Per BCBA Bylaws: This committee shall conduct a continuing study of the rules, practice and procedure in effect in our state and local courts; and, shall meet on a regular basis with the local Judiciary and its appointed administrative representatives in an attempt to maintain and establish open lines of communication between said Judiciary and the practicing bar; and, shall make recommendations from time to time of proposed changes regarding the rules, practices and procedures before said courts.strong>

Probate Committee

Chair: Karen Hajicek

Members: Karen Hajicek, Mike Sukup, Jason Simmons, Thad Taylor, Drew Veatch

Mission: Mission statement unavailable.

Program/Entertainment Committee

Chair: Jill Jackson

Members: Jill Jackson

Mission: The mission of the Program/Entertainment is to arrange programs for regular BCBA meetings, to make arrangements for special events such as the Holiday Party and Bench-Bar Meeting, to cooperate and coordinate with the Picnic Committee in arranging the annual Jim Butcher Memorial Picnic, and to arrange periodic social events for bar members.

In arranging programs for regular meetings, the committee will endeavor to:

1. Schedule programs eligible for CLE credit.
2. Schedule at least two hours of ethics/professionalism CLE credit each year
3. Schedule programs of interest to the broadest possible range of bar members.

Public Relations Committee

Chair: Molly Metza

Member: Molly Metza

Mission: To interface between the local bar and our community and to foster a positive relationship between our community and lawyers and the perception of lawyers. Create goodwill between attorneys and our community. Become involved in community activities that promote the health, education and/or welfare of community members in general and specific members of the community that may need our assistance.

Plan of Action:

A. Arrange volunteer evening at The Food Bank for BCBA members to take a shiftp>
B. Investigate and coordinate possible volunteering at Coyote Hill for BCBA members
C. Raise money for charities such as Ronald McDonald House, Food Bank, legal assistance entities, etc. through: (1) Run/Walk events, “Run for Justice” etc. (2) Campaign to collect food and monetary donations.
D. Lawyers with a Heart – Valentine’s Day community service project (one hour panel of Q &A- maybe in conjunction with radio?)
E. Possible assistance to Bar/Schools Partnership Committee in presenting mock trials in Columbia Public School

Young Lawyers Committee

Chair: Maggie Skinner

Members: Maggie Skinner, Adrienne Spiller

Mission: The Young Lawyers Committee seeks to foster the professional and personal growth, development, and camaraderie of all Boone County Bar Association lawyers who are 35 years of age or less or who have been practicing law in Boone County for 5 years or less.

Duties:

1. Organize monthly meetings on the third Tuesday of each month alternating between a lunch meeting and a happy hour meeting.
2. Provide a forum in which young and new Boone County lawyers can network, socialize, and otherwise be introduced/welcomed to the practice of law in Boone County.
3. Organize the annual Young Lawyers Committee Chipping in for Charity Golf Tournament.
4. Endeavor to organize and participate in other community service projects and CLEs as determined by the committee.