Following the interview process and vetting of candidates, the Nominating Committee is pleased to submit the following slate of officers for the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, 2026 – 2027 Bar Year:

President-Elect – M. Graham Dobbs

Vice President – James F. Bennett

Treasurer – Lauren Collins

Secretary – Darin Sorrell

ABA Delegate – Hon. Jason Sengheiser

President – Amy Rebecca Johnson will assume Presidency on May 1, 2026

The Bylaws of the Association provide for the appointment of a nominating committee to include diverse representatives from several existing committees and sections. In May 2025, BAMSL President Untress Quinn appointed Matt Reh as the chair of the 2026-27 Nominating Committee.

New members of the committee include:

Tayler Finneran was appointed to a two-year term by the Young Lawyers Division.
John Simon was appointed to a two-year term as a Presidential Appointee by President Untress Quinn.
Bruce Hopson was appointed to a two-year term by the Past Presidents Committee.

Returning committee members are:

Shevon Harris-Holyfield, serving her second year as the representative for the Women in the Legal Profession Section.
Johanna Shallenberger, serving her second year as the representative for the Minorities in the Legal Profession Section.
John Gunn, serving his final year as the Presidential Appointee of Immediate Past President Kevin Gunn.

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.

Respectfully submitted,

Matt Reh

Chair

2026 – 2027 BAMSL Nominating Committee

Timeline for Applying for Office

Members in good standing of the Association who were not nominated by the Nominating Committee but desire to run for office shall file an election petition in accordance with Section 16 of these Bylaws and the Policies, Procedures, and deadlines established by Elections Committee.

January 10, 2026		Board and YLD election petition filing period opens at 8:30 a.m. Sample Nominating Petition Nominating Petitions must be signed by not less than five nor more than ten BAMSL members in good standing. The candidate may include with their petition a photograph and background information (current address; name of law firm or employer; offices held on the Board and years; Council, Division, Section and Committee offices held and years; law school and year graduated and other law-related activities) for inclusion in the election bulletin to the membership. Candidates shall be listed on the ballot in the order in which their nominating petition is filed, except (i) the candidate nominated by the Nominating Committee shall appear first, (ii) the order for all filings on the first day of filing shall be listed in an order determined by a random drawing, and (iii) the order for all filings on the last day of filing shall be listed in an order determined by a random drawing. Nominations will be accepted for the following Board of Governors positions: President-Elect Vice President Treasurer Secretary ABA Delegate Member-at-Large (5 openings) Nominations will be accepted for the following Young Lawyers Division positions: Chair-Elect Vice Chair Treasurer Secretary Member-at-Large (2 openings)
January 31, 2026		Board and YLD election petition filing period closes at 5:00 p.m.
March 2, 2026		Board and YLD election ballots delivered to members and online voting opens at 9:00 a.m.
March 16, 2026		Voting closes and all ballots due at 5:00 p.m.
March 31, 2026		Election results to be announced on or before March 31.

Return completed petition to BAMSL in person or by email (elections@bamsl.org) by 5:00 p.m. on January 31, 2026.

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