Spencer Fane LLP is pleased to welcome Katherine Utz Hunter to the firm’s St. Louis office as of counsel in the Employee Benefits Practice Group.
Katherine advises employers on the design, governance, and compliance of employee benefit programs, providing strategic guidance on the legal and transactional issues and opportunities that impact benefit programs across a wide range of industries.
Katherine focuses on Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 compliance and the effective administration of retirement, health, and welfare plans. A trusted, highly communicative advisor, she breaks down complex legal requirements into clear plans and processes to help clients understand and confidently navigate evolving regulatory policies, fiduciary responsibilities, and operational challenges.
In 2020, Katherine was notably named Best Lawyers’ Lawyer of the Year for Employee Benefits Law in St. Louis.
“Katherine joins us with long-standing client relationships reinforced by her depth and breadth of knowledge in employee benefits law,” said Amy K. Mistler, office managing partner for Spencer Fane in St. Louis. “We look forward to welcoming a top industry talent eager to collaborate with colleagues across our firm’s fast-growing footprint.”
Beyond private practice, Katherine is the Missouri Legislative Committee Chair of Whitney/Strong, a nonprofit that works with communities most impacted by gun violence on non-legislative, evidence-based solutions. She is also the co-founder of Ladue Safety Foundation, a coalition of parents and community members within the Ladue School District focused on promoting school safety.
In 2021, Katherine authored a collection of memoirs, “Paths to Motherhood.”
Katherine received her bachelor’s degree with honors from the University of Missouri-Columbia before earning her Juris Doctor from the Chicago-Kent College of Law.