The Missouri Bar Foundation selected Polsinelli Shughart PC Shareholder Jennifer Gille Bacon as one of two 2010 Purcell Professionalism Award winners. This award acknowledges outstanding professionalism by a Missouri lawyer who has consistently demonstrated an exceptional degree of competency, integrity, and civility in both their professional and civic activities.
“I’d say that professionalism seems like second nature today because I was fortunate enough to spend my early career with people who instilled that constantly,” said Bacon who practices in business litigation. “Mentors were constantly, literally talking about my word being my bond. They taught me that my profession was more important than my job, and that my career was more important than my income.”
Bacon has built a substantial practice in business litigation and antitrust law, and has an equally impressive record as a legal and civic leader. She is a former past president of the Missouri Bar and currently chairs statewide commissions on Multi-Jurisdictional and Multi-Disciplinary practice. Highly respected in her field, Bacon provides board oversight on disciplinary appeals of attorneys and also serves as a member of the Board of Governors. Bacon was also honored with the Spurgeon Smithson Award for extraordinary service and dedication to the legal profession in 2003. She was selected for inclusion in Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers three different years, as well as for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation, for the last three years. She was honored in the Kansas City Business Journal’s “Best of the Bar” the last two years.
“Most litigators have the opportunity to spend time in the court room. And I’ve never met a judge, ever, who isn’t keenly aware of the professionalism of those who appear in front of him or her,” Bacon said. “It matters tremendously to the judge, which means ultimately it matters tremendously to my client. Because outcomes are influenced by how professional I am.”
The Missouri Bar Foundation announced the two recipients of this honor, as well as other award recipients, during the Missouri Bar/Judicial Conference annual meeting held in Columbia September 29-October 1, 2010.
For information contact Public Relations Manager Heather McMichael, 816-395-0618, hmcmichael@polsinelli.com
About Polsinelli Shughart PC
With more than 500 attorneys, Polsinelli Shughart PC (www.polsinelli.com) is a national law firm that is a recognized leader in the areas of business litigation, financial services, real estate, business law, construction, life sciences and health care. Serving corporate, institutional and individual clients regionally, nationally and worldwide, Polsinelli Shughart is known for successfully applying forward-thinking strategies for both straightforward and complex legal matters. The firm has 13 offices in Phoenix, Arizona; Denver, Colorado; Wilmington, Delaware; Chicago and Edwardsville, Illinois; Overland Park and Topeka, Kansas; Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield and St. Joseph, Missouri; New York City; and Washington, D.C.