News Media
Sativa Boatman-Sloan to Present Small Business Owner Seminar
February 2012: On February 28, 2012 attorney Sativa Boatman-Sloan will be presenting Pros & Cons of Being a Small Business
Owner. Hosted by Baron Financial Group, the event will include speakers discussing commercial loans and business accounts, how
to set up employee retirement programs, and marketing a small business. Ms. Boatman-Sloan will be explaining setting up a
business, and the legal information owners need to know to protect theirselves and their business. The event begins 6:00pm at
ReRico Brazilian Grill in Springfield, Missouri. Local small business owners will also be discussing their personal experiences about
operating a business. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. Those interested in going can RSVP directly with Sativa
Boatman-Sloan at sboatmansloan@blmhpc.com.
Teresa Baird to Present at Missouri State GO Lead Program
February 2012: Attorney Teresa Baird will be presenting at GO Lead: Professional Development for the Nonprofit Sector February 15, 2012. Ms. Baird will be presenting Legal Literacy for Nonprofits. GO Lead was instituted to help build a highly effective and efficient nonprofit sector in Southwest Missouri by providing quality professional development and networking opportunities to people working for and with nonprofit organizations.
Warford B. Johnson III Joins SMBA Board of Directors
January 2012: Attorney Warford “Trace” Johnson III has been selected to join the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association (SMBA) Board of Directors. His term starts in 2012 and runs through 2014.
Trace Johnson is BV™ rated by the Martindale Hubbell Association® Peer Review, is an A.M. Best’s Recommended Insurance
Attorney and was selected as a Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers® Rising Star in 2010 and 2011. In 2010 he was recognized by
Missouri Lawyers Weekly as an Up & Coming Attorney and was selected as one of Springfield Business Journal’s 40 Under 40.
Trace Johnson has been practicing for over 11 years. His practice includes defense litigation involving automobile and personal
injury, premises liability, professional negligence and construction litigation. Mr. Johnson defends employment cases involving claims
of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, violation of state and federal employment laws, and wrongful discharge. He has also
represented employers and insurers in workers compensation claims.
In addition to the SMBA, Trace Johnson is a member of the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers, the Defense Research Institute
and the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance. He is the Former Board President of the Parenting Life Skills Center and the
current President of the Advisory Board for the Boys and Girls Town of Missouri.
Teresa C. Baird to Join Firm
December 2011: Baird, Lightner, Millsap & Harpool P.C. is excited to announce its newest associate, Teresa Baird. Ms. Baird joins
the firm from Fairfield and Woods law firm in Denver, Colorado. Her practice focuses on estate planning and trust administration,
probate litigation, corporate law, nonprofit organizations and intellectual property. Ms. Baird has broad experience in assisting clients
with estate planning matters including drafting wills and trusts and related estate and gift tax matters. She advises nonprofits on
general tax issues, and also has experience in trademark and copyright law and intellectual property matters.
Ms. Baird graduated magna cum laude and in the top five percent of her class from St. Louis University School of Law where she was
selected to study international law in Cork, Ireland. She is admitted to practice law in California, Colorado and Missouri. Ms. Baird is a
native of Springfield, Missouri and in her free time enjoys traveling, running and skiing. “I am excited to be back in Springfield and
looking to grow my practice in trusts and estates, nonprofit organizations, probate and trust litigation, and intellectual property” says
Teresa Baird. Baird, Lightner, Millsap and Harpool is pleased to welcome Ms. Baird and looks forward to her work with the firm.
Warford B. Johnson III Recognized Again As Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers Rising Star
November 2011: Warford "Trace" Johnson III has been named in the Missouri & Kansas Rising Stars list as one of the top attorneys in Missouri and Kansas for 2011. This is the second year in a row he has been included on the list. No more than 2.5 percent of lawyers in the state are selected to the list. The Rising Stars list was created to recognize the top up-and-coming attorneys in the state, either those under 40 or those who had been practicing 10 years or less.
Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have
attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a rigorous multi-
phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, and independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by
practice area.
C. Ronald Baird and John R. Lightner Recognized Again as Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
November 2011: Partners C. Ronald Baird and John R. Lightner were once again named on the Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
list as top attorneys in Missouri and Kansas for 2011. No more than 5 percent of the lawyers in these states are selected by Super
Lawyers. C. Ronald Baird has been named on the Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers list since 2005 and John R. Lightner has
received the honor since 2010.
Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have
attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a rigorous multi-
phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, and independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by
practice area.
Five Partners Peer-Selected for The Best Lawyers in America® 2012
October 2011: Five partners from Baird, Lightner, Millsap & Harpool, P.C. were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The
Best Lawyers in America® 2012 (Copyright 2011 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.). Partners Ron Baird, John R. Lightner, Mark Millsap, Doug Harpool and Brett Roubal were all included on the 2012 listing of The Best Lawyers in America®. Baird, Lightner,
Millsap & Harpool P.C. was first recognized for this honor in 2005, and firm attorneys have continued to be recognized annually.
Since its inception in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Because Best
Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which more than 41,000 leading attorneys cast almost 3.9 million votes on
the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas, and because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed,
inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected
referral list of attorneys in practice.”
Sativa Boatman-Sloan to Participate in Ethical Scenarios-Attorney Malpractice Panel at Annual Estate & Trust Institute.
September 9, 2011: Attorney Sativa Boatman-Sloan of Baird, Lightner, Millsap & Harpool, PC, will be a panel member
addressing the fiduciary problems and ethical issues that arise for practitioners in the trusts and estates area. As an expert in this
area, Boatman-Sloan will participate in the discussion of ethical issues involved in the process of assisting clients with estate and
trust planning.
Ms. Boatman-Sloan has been practicing law for over 15 years, and her practice at Baird, Lightner, Millsap & Harpool is focused on
estate planning, probate litigation, real estate litigation and business transactions.
The event is presented by The Missouri Bar, Probate and Trust Law Committee and provides updates and continuing education for attorneys throughout Missouri. For more information, www.mobarcle.org or 888-253-6013.
Jennifer Mueller Chosen for 2011 Most Influential Women
August 29, 2011: Attorney Jennifer Mueller has been chosen by the Springfield Business Journal as one of the Most Influential
Women of 2011. This annual award honors the 20 most influential women in the Springfield metro, selected for their improvements
to the southwest Missouri business, civic and philanthropic communities. An awards luncheon will be held October 21, 2011 to
recognize all of the winners. The awards luncheon is one of Springfield Business Journal's top-attended events, and a special
publication will be printed to highlight the honorees. Jennifer Mueller has represented employers in every aspect of litigation and
regulary gives trainings to businesses on the topics of anti-discrimination, harrasement, worker's compensation and wage law. She
is also active in many local charitable and not-for-profit organizations.
Brett Roubal Earns Peer-Review AV Rating Distinction from Martindale-Hubbell®
August 2011: Baird, Lightner, Millsap & Harpool P.C. are pleased to announce firm partner Brett Roubal has earned the AV rating
distinction in the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review®.
The Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings reflect a combination of achieving a Very High General Ethical Standards rating and a
Legal Ability numerical rating. The General Ethical Standards rating denotes adherence to professional standards of conduct and
ethics, reliability, diligence and other criteria relevant to professional responsibilities. The Legal Abilities ratings are based on the key
areas of Legal Knowledge, Analytical Capabilities, Judgment, Communication Ability and Legal Experience.
Mr. Roubal’s AV Preeminent rating is a significant accomplishment and a testament to the fact that his peers rank him at the highest
level of professional excellence.
Mark J. Millsap Presents at Family Law Conference
August 2011: Firm Partner Mark Millsap recently presented at the Missouri Bar Association's 11th Annual Family Law Conference. In
addition to speaking he was also a faculty member at tthe conference, held at the Lodge of the Four Seasons in the Lake of the
Ozarks, Missouri.
Doug Harpool and Jennifer A. Mueller to Present at the 6th Annual Recent Developments in Employment Law Education Seminar.
June 2, 2011: Attorneys M. Douglas Harpool and Jennifer A. Mueller of Baird, Lightner, Millsap & Harpool, PC, will be part of the faculty for the 6th annual Recent Developments in Employment Law, by Sterling Education Services. Employment law is constantly changing, and the costs of mistakes are high. Maintaining a current, in-depth understanding of how changes affect the workplace is essential. This seminar, presented by experts in employment and human resources law, will provide attendees a working knowledge of recent developments, including Health Care Reform, in the areas most likely to cause problems. The presenters are accomplished and insightful speakers who can answer questions regarding practical application of this information.
Register today for seminar #11MO06148 at www.sterlingeducation.com or call 715-855-0498.
Doug Harpool Appointed to Committee Responsible for Acting as Liaison Between US District Court for the Western District of Missouri and Attorneys Appearing Before It.
Doug Harpool Appointed to Committee Responsible for Acting as Liaison Between US District Court for the Western District of Missouri and Attorneys Appearing Before It. M. Douglas Harpool has been appointed to the Federal Practice Committee for US District Court for the Western District of Missouri. There are 13 committee members and they are appointed by the court’s judges for three-year terms. The committee advises the court on local rules and procedures.
The committee also undertakes special projects from time to time as requested by the chief judge. The United States Courts in the Western District of Missouri are located in Kansas City, St. Joseph, Jefferson City, Springfield, and Joplin.
Mr. Harpool is a former five-term Missouri State Representative. A graduate of Missouri State and the University of Missouri—Columbia Law School, he joined the Baird, Lightner, Millsap & Harpool firm in 2006. He has been practicing law for more than 25 years.
Ron Baird Honored with Peer-Review Award: Family Lawyer of the Year 2011.
Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession, has named C. Ronald Baird as the “Springfield, MO Best Lawyers Family Lawyer of the Year” for 2011. “It certainly is an honor to be selected for recognition by your peers,” said Baird, founder of Baird, Lightner, Millsap & Harpool. “Respect for the legal process and participants are very important to me as I strive to provide my clients with legal care.”
After more than a quarter of a century in publication, Best Lawyers is designating “Lawyers of the Year” in high-profile legal specialties in large legal communities. Only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is being honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.”
Best Lawyers compiles its lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The current, 17th edition of The Best Lawyers in America (2011) is based on more than 3.1 million detailed evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers.
The lawyers being honored as “Lawyers of the Year” have received particularly high ratings in our surveys by earning a high level of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity.
Steven Naifeh, President of Best Lawyers, says, “We continue to believe – as we have believed for more than 25 years – that recognition by one‟s peers is the most meaningful form of praise in the legal profession. We would like to congratulate C. Ronald Baird on being selected as the "Springfield, MO Best Lawyers Family Lawyer of the Year for 2011.”
