Missouri Lawyers in the News: December 19, 2011 [Missouri Lawyers Media]

* Jo Leigh Fischer, an Armstrong Teasdale lawyer who defends insurers and manufacturers in explosion, fire and electrocution litigation, has been reelected president of the Kansas City Metropolitan Insurance Fraud Task Force. The task force encourages cooperation between public service agencies and private organizations to detect, investigate and prosecute insurance fraud. The firm also announced that Diane Felix, an Armstrong Teasdale partner, was elected to a three-year term as a board member of the Missouri Society of Health Care Attorneys, an organization affiliated with the Missouri Hospital Association. She is a member of the firm's corporate services practice, representing health care providers in a range of matters.

* The College of Commercial Arbitrators recently inducted Husch Blackwell'sJohn Phillips as a class of 2011 fellow. The CCA is a group of neutrals who do significant arbitrations in complex commercial cases. Eleven arbitrators were selected in 2011, and there are 200 fellows nationwide. A partner in the firm's Kansas City office, Phillips' practice includes both arbitration and mediation in commercial, healthcare and a variety of class action matters.

* Schlichter, Bogard & Denton announced that Kristine Kraft has been named a partner with the firm. Kraft was previously counsel at the St. Louis-based firm. She focuses on pharmaceutical product liability cases.

* The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra has added new members to its Board of Trustees, including James (Jay) Nouss, a partner at Bryan Cave. Nouss concentrates in the areas of corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions at the St. Louis-based firm.

* John Mollenkamp is the new deputy director of the Missouri Department of Revenue. He was most recently a clinical professor at law at Cornell Law School.

* Langdon & Emison attorney Phyllis Norman received the AWL President's Award at the annual year-end meeting of the Greater Kansas City chapter of the Association for Women Lawyers. She was cited for her leadership in several AWL initiatives, including those that help provide pro bono legal services to women who would not otherwise be able to afford them. Norman helps lead the mass torts team at Langdon & Emison, with experience in representing plaintiffs in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation. Her scheduled term of president of the AWL chapter will start Jan. 1.