Following her 2024 Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) honor and the subsequent August 8 award ceremony, Spencer Fane Client Development Manager Bernadette Lawson was spotlighted in a special Missouri Lawyers Media (MLM) feature.
In each profile, MLM highlighted their D&I honorees’ backgrounds and advocacy for diversity, equity, and inclusion principles. Bernadette provided insights into her upbringing as the daughter of an African American U.S. Army captain and German immigrant and the wide-ranging roles she’s held in the legal industry.
She shared that she considers a successful day to be one in which “those whom I have had the pleasure of interacting with feel seen, heard, and appreciated. I strive to be intentional, and I use Maya Angelou’s quote as a guide: ‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’”
At Spencer Fane, Bernadette’s work as a CDM advances client development for the firm’s employee benefits; government relations; labor and employment; and tax, trusts, and estates practice groups. She also plays several roles alongside firm leadership to advance a mission to build, maintain, and leverage a diverse and inclusive law firm to support Spencer Fane professionals, clients, and local communities. These include serving on the firm’s 10-person DEI Committee, helping to lead the Black Opportunities to Network and Discover (BOND) connect group, and acting as marketing liaison to other existing firm connect groups: Spencer Fane+ and Women ADVOCATE.
Read Bernadette’s full profile here. Please note, a subscription may be required.
