Leadership Academy

Nominations for the 2025-26 Leadership Academy class will open May 1, 2025.

Read about the 2024-25 Leadership Academy class here.

 The Leadership Academy's mission is to recruit, train, and retain Missouri lawyers who have been admitted for ten years or less for leadership positions in the Missouri Bar. The academy seeks diversity in gender, race, area of practice, and region within the state. The academy anticipates that bringing in attorneys from underrepresented arenas will broaden and strengthen the Missouri Bar.

Members of each year's Leadership Academy class participate in the Missouri Bar Annual Meeting, Board of Governors meetings, committee meetings, and workshops specifically designed for the Leadership Academy. For one year, the members work closely with bar leaders to learn more about the Missouri Bar, cultivate leadership skills, and develop a public service project. Members take full responsibility for completing their public service project before the end of the class year. At the end of the year, members commit to serve the Missouri Bar in an active capacity for two years. The Missouri Bar pays for all expenses associated with the program.

The Leadership Academy was developed under the leadership of former Bar President Michael P. Gunn and Dana Tippin Cutler. The inaugural class was selected in the year 2000.

Purpose

The Leadership Academy of The Missouri Bar was developed under the leadership of former Bar President Michael P. Gunn and Dana Tippin Cutler. The Academy encourages diversity among the leadership of The Missouri Bar by recruiting and targeting young or recent admittees (under age 40 or less than 10 years of practice) to the Bar who are already outstanding leaders in their communities for participation in the program and a commitment to work for the Bar. 

Participant Diversity

The Leadership Academy seeks diversity in gender, race, area of practice, and locality of practice. The Academy program anticipates that bringing in lawyers from under-represented arenas will broaden and strengthen The Missouri Bar.

Nominating Candidates

Academy participants are nominated by attorneys, their firms or coworkers, and local or specialty bars. Generally, each class is limited to twelve or fewer members to ensure the goals of the program. After the close of nominations, all nominees will receive applications that they must complete and return to The Missouri Bar. Applicants accepted into the Leadership Academy will be notified after the Selection Committee makes its determination.   

Training & Participation

The participants complete a leadership training portion of the program that includes an in-depth tour of The Missouri Bar Center in Jefferson City; meeting with various members of The Missouri Bar staff; meeting with Bar Committee Chairs; and meeting with and attending meetings of the Board of Governors. Between September and July, the participants attend workshops focusing on leadership development and completion of a group service project. Travel expenses are paid by The Missouri Bar.

Future Bar Involvement

Upon completion of the group service project, each member of the Academy commits to two additional years of active service in The Missouri Bar. Past Leadership Academy members have served on the Board of Governors, as committee leaders, as YLS Council members, as MoBarCLE volunteer speakers and authors, and as active Missouri Bar committee members. 

Leadership Academy Alumni

More Information

If you need additional information or have questions, please contact Tony Simones at 573-638-2250 or tsimones@mobar.org.