By Mark Sableman

Pleadings are again becoming understandable to everyone, not just insiders. As a result, journalists can fairly report on cases, interested persons can monitor cases, and researchers and historians will be able to use court records and opinions as source materials in the same way as has been done for centuries.

Read more in the March-April issue of the St. Louis Law Journal, out now!

Join us on April 22 for a comprehensive CLE program covering recent trademark decisions from the Supreme Court, 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, and District Courts within the 8th Circuit. Led by Joel R. Samuels, Principal at Harness IP, this session will explore new developments and the application of existing trademark jurisprudence. The program runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., offering valuable insights for legal professionals navigating trademark law.

Join BAMSL’s Well-Being Committee for the Cardinals 5K run/walk on Saturday, April 19, 2025, at Ballpark Village and Busch Stadium to support the Cardinals Care Redbird Rookies Program. This event brings together attorneys, law students, and their families for a morning of fitness, networking, and community impact. Meet us at Paddy O’s at 7:45 a.m. to walk to the start together and enjoy a day of social, emotional, and physical well-being.

Law Day 2025

Join BAMSL’s St. Louis Attorneys Against Hunger Committee and the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) on April 17 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM for an informative and impactful evening focused on combating hunger in our community. Hear from Pastor Andre Alexander of TCDC and Dr. Sarah Miller of RESULTS St. Louis as they discuss local hunger challenges, advocacy efforts, and practical solutions. Enjoy networking, refreshments, and the opportunity to take action by writing postcards to Congress in support of vital food security measures.

Join us for CLE: TTAB Year-in-Review on March 19 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM at the BAMSL Bar Center or via Zoom. This program will provide a comprehensive recap of key 2024 (and some 2023) TTAB rulings that will help guide and shape your trademark practice for 2025. Gain valuable insights from industry experts Kelly M. Spann of FortmanSpann, LLC, and Mary Ann L. Wymore of UB Greensfelder!

Share your expertise at BAMSL's 2025 15-Hour MCLE on June 26! We’re seeking dynamic speakers to present on legal topics throughout the day, with time slots available from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Don’t miss this opportunity to educate and inspire fellow legal professionals—sign up today!

By Katie Doherty

For our Women’s History Month Spotlight, the Women in the Legal Profession Section is pleased to introduce Melissa Price Smith, the fi rst woman to hold the position of St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney. A seasoned prosecutor with over 20 years of experience, Price Smith was sworn in as the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney on January 3rd, 2025, and has hit the ground running. A native of the St. Louis area, Price Smith earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia before pursuing her J.D. at Saint Louis University School of Law. Price Smith started with the St. Louis City Circuit Attorney’s Office right out of law school before transitioning to civil litigation for 7 years.

Read more in the March-April issue of the St. Louis Law Journal, out now!

Join family law attorney Alan Freed on March 12, 2025, from 4:00–5:00 p.m. on Zoom for a CLE presentation on modernizing marital settlement and separation agreements by eliminating legalese and simplifying language and structure. Learn practical strategies to create clear, client-friendly agreements that reduce ambiguities and disputes. Alan Freed, a renowned family law expert and author, will share insights from his extensive legal career and best practices for drafting effective agreements.

Happy Women’s History Month! In these uncertain times, it is comforting to know women are still celebrated, encouraged, and empowered by those who support us. Women have made significant contributions to society, whether those contributions were in the courtroom, the classroom, or the family room. The first woman in America admitted to law school – Lemma Barkaloo – studied right here in St. Louis and was the first woman admitted to the Missouri bar. In her 2014 book Redemption Songs: Suing for Freedom Before Dred Scott, Lea VanderVelde observed that most St. Louis freedom suits were initiated by women, who aimed to keep their families together. In her 1915 crusade to get women in the Missouri judiciary, St. Louis lawyer Adelaide O’Brien – one half of the only women law partnership practicing in the west at that time – quipped, “[T]here is nothing in the statutes requiring that a Supreme Court Judge be a ‘legal male voter.’ But no woman has presumed to take advantage of that oversight as yet.” In 1988, the Honorable Ann Covington was the first female judge appointed to Supreme Court of Missouri, which now maintains a female majority. Barely 2 months ago, St. Louis County swore in its first female Prosecuting Attorney, Melissa Price Smith. The battle for women to be in the courtroom has been fought in the U.S. for hundreds of years.