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Upcoming Events
See what's happening in the coming weeks!
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Ogletree Deakins - 7700 Bonhomme Ave. - Ste. 650 - Clayton, MO 63105 - CLE/CPD - Sponsored by:
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You just received a grand jury subpoena. Now what?
By: Renato Mariotti, Partner, Thompson Coburn
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Like pink slips, audit letters and divorce papers, it's a document you're never happy to see land in your mailbox. But if you receive a subpoena in a federal grand jury investigation, is important to be proactive because it may be the beginning of a long and drawn-out investigation that could result in you or your company facing criminal liability.
When I was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois, I drafted and obtained numerous indictments. But for the past five years, I've been proud to be one of the first calls made by many people on the receiving end of federal indictments.
I know from these experiences that lots of good people - people with families, people who have fought tooth and nail to build their businesses or professional careers - have faced scrutiny from law enforcement. They have survived it and moved forward with their lives. But in the beginning, everyone usually starts in the same place with the same types of questions:
Q. What does a grand jury subpoena mean?
A. It means that law enforcement believes you have evidence or could provide testimony that would help them in their criminal investigation.
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ACC St. Louis Community Service
with Operation Food Search
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MEET OUR 2022 ACC ST. LOUIS SUMMER INTERNS! |
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Name: Dorothy Alcinord
School: St. Louis University School of Law
Internship Company: Ameren
Where You're From: Haiti
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: Growing up in Haiti where women did not have the same opportunity as men and the political system was in turmoil, made me feel like my voice as a human being was insignificant and my future uncertain. As a result, I moved to the United States for a better life. However, when I arrived, not only my gender was pinning me down, but also my race. I had to learn to my disdain that as a black woman my life is not as valuable as others. Furthermore, being an immigrant living in an area where people were not culturally educated, had me experience firsthand xenophobia. As a result of my experience, I decided that the only way I could help people like me from going through the same experiences was to go to law school to understand the law and use it to help and represent the voiceless. In college, I worked as an intern for Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou at the New York State District Office where I managed constituents’ cases and kept track of bills moving through the legislative process. I also worked at Dominicanos USA where I helped people register to vote and naturalize while also connecting them to the resources they need. My professional and personal experience as an immigrant, a woman, and a black woman, have built and fortified my desire to become an attorney. I plan to use my insight to help others in need and pave a path for young black girls to follow or be inspired by.
Q: Who has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: My mother. I admire her strength, and she inspires me every day to be kind like her and to follow my dream. She is very supportive of me and I am thankful for her.
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Name: Kati Austin
School: St. Louis University Law School
Internship Company: Charter Communications/Spectrum
Where You're From: Indianapolis, IN
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: I have always enjoyed semantics and problem solving, so the legal field presents a great opportunity to practice both professionally. I have known I should go to law school since the 7th grade, but as a non-traditional student with six years of marketing experience, it just took me a little longer than some to get there. Better late than never!
Q: Who has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: My parents have inspired me to push myself outside of my comfort zone. My father, a scientist and professor, is an academic, with upward of five master’s degrees. My mother is an empath with immense amounts of generosity and kindness to give others. Combined, they have inspired me to pursue continual growth and self improvement.
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Name: Madison Beckham
School: University of Missouri School of Law
Internship Company: Emerson Electric
Where You're From: Republic, MO
Q. First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: At the risk of sounding cliché, I want to be a lawyer because I want to help people solve problems. I’ve always felt that my strengths were both problem solving and creativity; what is a lawyer if not someone who specializes in creative solutions?
Q: Who has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: My parents. My mother because she found a career that fit her passion, she is the epitome of “if you find something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” My father because he is constantly striving to be better than he was the day before and is the king of networking. He taught me everything I know about interviewing, arguing, and getting in front of the right people.
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Name: Harry Bell III
School: University of Missouri School of Law (Mizzou)
Internship Company: Bunzl Distribution USA, LLC
Where You're From: Bloomington, IL
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: My dream has always been to advocate for individuals in need of a voice and to contribute to the betterment of society. Throughout my undergraduate and graduate education, I realized that as a lawyer, I can be a part of a profession that seeks to rectify injustices, resolve complex societal issues, and change lives. As a member of the legal profession, I will have the unique opportunity to uphold and enforce principles of social equity and justice, as well as efficiency and productivity in judicial institutions across the country.
Q: Who has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: My siblings are my biggest influence. They are well accomplished in their respective professions, and they have inspired me to be just as ambitious in my own endeavors. I am constantly inspired by their accomplishments, and I intend to follow their lead and be an example for the younger generation in my family as well.
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Name: Alexandra Griffin
School: University of Missouri - Columbia
Internship Company: Rabobank Diversified Services
Where You're From: Edmond, Oklahoma
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: I want to become a lawyer to serve others in real, substantive ways. I have always enjoyed reading, writing, and research so the legal field combines my strengths with my passions.
Q: Who has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: My mother has been a major inspiration to me. As she served in the state legislature from 2012-2018, I have learned a lot from her about having a heart for advocacy and servant leadership. From her, I have also learned to say “yes” to new experiences and to throw my all into every opportunity.
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Name: Jeffrey Lin
School: St. Louis University School of Law
Internship Company: Bayer
Where You're From: St. Louis, MO
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: I want to be a patent attorney to ensure that our communities will continue to benefit from new discoveries. My study of biology in undergrad was filled with innovative techniques and inventions that improved our understanding of biological processes and systems. I have always wondered how these inventions were protected. I knew that the ability to innovate would be hindered without protection against unauthorized uses. My passion in biology and my interest in law merged in an internship where I assisted researchers in clarifying the advantages of their inventions and advocating for the commercialization of those innovations. Through that internship, I realized that I wanted to assist more innovators in securing and protecting their inventions so that our community can benefit from new discoveries. That internship solidified my goal of becoming a patent attorney.
Q: Who has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: Not seeing people who share a similar background with me in the legal profession has made me doubt whether I belong in this community. However, interacting with Asian American attorneys in the past year was enormously motivating for me during my 1L year. Their presence in the legal community cast away my doubts, and their stories reassured my conviction in becoming an attorney.
Moreover, their experience and success helped me better tailor my approach to achieving my goals. They also provided me with a realistic perspective of what legal practice could look like when you are the only diverse attorney. Overall, I look forward to participating in the community of Asian American attorneys in St. Louis.
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Name: Nandi Person
School: St. Louis University School of Law
Internship Company: Washington University General Counsel
Where You're From: St. Louis, MO
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: I’m often asked this question “Why do I want t to become a lawyer?’ and to be honest it is something that chose me. I have always had a passion for helping others, especially those of underrepresented communities and minorities. I found out very early on that whatever it was that I decided to do, it would be something that would help uplift and bridge gaps within our system. I’ve always had law school in the back of my mind however, with being a part of an underrepresented community myself, I did not have nor know of the resources needed to get me there, and I ventured off on a different path and left law school behind. As I grew in my educational career and profession, I knew there was still something more I could do for others and different businesses, and I wanted to do it on an impactful legal level.
From the moment I decided that the legal field was where I needed to be, almost instantly resources were placed in my path. I started to meet amazing individuals in the legal field, and I was no longer left feeling as though becoming a lawyer was out of reach for me. Law school and becoming a lawyer was something that I merely thought about on a surface level, having no intentions of it being more than a thought, until I the path I ventured down became full circle and law this time chose me.
Q: Who has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: The people who have been a major influence/inspiration to me are my mother and Michelle Obama. Both of these fearless, trailblazing women have inspired me to go above and beyond my fears and know that it is okay to take up space as a woman in the professional field.
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Name: Dontay (Don) Phillips
Schools: Washington University School of Law in St. Louis
Internship Company: Wells Fargo
Where You're From: San Jacinto, CA
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: To be better equipped to help my community with issues related to the law.
Q: Who has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: Michelle Alexander was a major influence and my inspiration to combat issues such as systemic injustice within the criminal justice system.
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Name: LaTrese Robinson
School: St. Louis University School of Law
Internship Company: MiTek, Inc.
Where You're From: St. Louis, MO
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: My personal mission is to use my knowledge and talents to create change and increase access to opportunities for others. Gwendolyn Brooks once said, “We are each other's harvest, we are each other’s business, we are each other’s magnitude and bond.” Becoming a lawyer will allow me to be an advocate for others in many ways as I use my acquired expertise and resources to help the community.
Q: Who has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: Michelle Obama has been an inspiration to me because she was the first black female lawyer that I had been introduced to as a child. She is such an accomplished individual and her career path was something I aspired to follow as it aligned with goals. After reading her autobiography, I discovered that we had very similar life experiences. Through her book I also grew to understand more about minorities obtaining higher education and becoming a part of the legal profession.
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Name: Melanie Villarino
School: Washington University School of Law in St. Louis
Internship Company: Ameren
Where You're From: Miami, Florida
Q: First off, why do you want to become a lawyer?
A: One of the reasons I want to become a lawyer is because after taking a Latin American history course at my undergraduate institution, I learned about deceitful and harmful practices by multinational corporations. However, seeing how lawyers can hold these companies accountable furthered my interest in becoming a corporate attorney, as I want to ensure that corporations lead ethically.
Q: Who has been a major influence or inspiration to you?
A: My mother has been a major influence on me because of her work ethic and relentless spirit.
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The St. Louis Corporate Counsel Institute Held May 11 –
The Place to See and Be Seen in the St. Louis Legal Community
The Corporate Counsel Institute (CCI) was held May 11 at the Ritz Carlton. The annual event is co-hosted by the Association of Corporate Counsel, St. Louis Chapter, and the Bar Association of Missouri St. Louis (BAMSL).
The CCI is the Chapter’s premier annual CLE and social networking event, bringing together in-house counsel, private practitioners, and members of the legal services industry from across the region for a day of continuing legal education and networking opportunities. This year’s event was no exception, and saw attendance return to near pre-pandemic levels, with 240 attendees.
Ty Ulmer, ACC STL 2022 CCI Chairperson, said, “The CCI would not be possible without the generous support of all the sponsoring law firms and legal industry exhibitors – all of whom gave generously of their time and resources to make the event possible. A special thank you also to the Bar Association of Metropolitan Saint Louis and its staff, who are our partners in the event. Together our organizations can put together an event of greater depth and breadth than either organization could do on its own.”
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Quote from Jennifer Denny, Associate General Counsel for DAS Acquisitions Company, LLC, on Why to Join an ACC STL Committee |
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Like many of our profession, I spent the early years of my career in law firms, plugging away at billable hour quotas and looking forward to life on the other side of that proverbial coin. When I went in-house a little over two years ago, I’m not sure I was ready, but I have always been the type to leap before I look. Sound familiar to anyone?
The “legal department” at my company is small – two people, and I found myself doing the job solo after my counterpart resigned shortly after I started. I needed resources and mentorship. I found both after joining ACC, taking on as many webinars as I could over a lunch break, reading articles and joining the online Corporate Counsel Institute in 2021.
This year, upon the much anticipated return to in-person learning and networking, I got to experience CCI in-person, and I am continually impressed by this group of lawyers and their generosity. Not just with their knowledge and good humor, but their willingness to empathize with someone new to in-house practice and remind me that we are all learning as we go. Wanting to become further involved, I have joined the Communications Committee, hopefully to find ways to scoop up others new to in-house that have joined the ACC but may not have found their way to our very active chapter.
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ACC St. Louis FUR BABIES! |
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Skye Walker, who was absolutely named after her adopted mom, Jennifer Denny, Associate General Counsel, DAS Acquisition Company, LLC's 's favorite move franchise, just turned 10!
After hours of searching on PetFinder, Jennifer found a pup that needed her as much as she was needed. Skye Walker was adopted from a rescue organization in Illinois, who had taken both her and her mother off the streets in North St. Louis during a really hot summer.
Skye has always been a very shy dog, and it takes a lot of time to earn her trust. Jennifer has loved watching every little gain as she grows up.
"I remember her first tail wag, the first time she ran in the park, the first time she took a treat from my hand, and they all seemed like monumental accomplishments," says Jennifer. "Now she gives kisses to friends, watches Netflix on the couch next to me, and spends her days guarding the house with her brother, Bo. She is smart and sassy and stubborn, and always makes me smile."
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We would love to feature more of our ACC St. Louis members' pets in our social media communication, so we're asking interested parties to send a jpg photo to accstl@qabs.com with answers to some of the following questions:
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What is your pet's name?
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How did you get your pet?
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What is the funniest/most memorable thing that you pet has done?
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What is the best thing about your pet?
While not all submissions are able to be featured, we will do our best to give your favorite pet his or her day in the sun!
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