Erica Mynarich is a winner of the 2016 Lon O. Hocker Award. If you are unfamiliar with the award it’s how the Missouri Bar Foundation recognizes up and coming young trial lawyers. Only three criminal defense lawyers from around the State of Missouri are selected annually and they are cream of the crop. It’s an unqualified honor and we couldn’t be prouder of Erica.
Erica Mynarich, a Springfield MO Attorney.
2016 Lon O. Hocker Award Winners
– Erica Mynarich, Springfield
– Michael P. Mahon, St. Louis
– Kate Noland, Liberty
Mary B. Hocker established the Lon O. Hocker Award in 1954 in memory of her late husband, an outstanding trial lawyer from St. Louis, Missouri. The Missouri Bar Foundation awards this annually to young lawyers who have demonstrated unusual proficiency in the art of trial advocacy. The Lon O. Hocker award is presented to three lawyers 40 years of age or younger – one each from the St. Louis, Kansas City and outstate Missouri areas – in recognition of outstanding trial work.
Nominations are taken from throughout the state by previous Lon O. Hocker Award winners, The Missouri Bar president, leaders, or members-at-large until March 31, after which the nominees submit an application for consideration by the Review Committee comprised of three or more federal or state judges.
Erica is a member of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association and the team of lawyers in Springfield MO at Carver, Cantin & Mynarich. Erica Mynarich primarily represents people charged with crimes in federal court and in Missouri state courts. Erica has extensive training in trial advocacy, including Gerry Spence’s three-week Trial Lawyers College in Wyoming and the Trial Lawyers College’s graduate program.
Past Recipients of the Award
2015 – Anne-Marie Brockland, St. Louis; Adam L. Caine, Kansas City; Cara R. Rose, Springfield.
2014 – Kristen M. Tuohy, Ozark; Daniel M. Nelson, Kansas City; Matthew A. Radefeld, St. Louis.
2013 – Sarah K. Johnson, St. Louis; Molly M. Hastings, Kansas City; Russell P. Dempsey, Springfield.
2012 – Carie Marie Allen, Kansas City; Catherine Reade, Springfield; Jamie Lynn Boock, St. Louis.
2011 – Corey Lee Kraushaar, St. Louis; Emily W. Little, Columbia; Jennifer M. Phillips, Kansas City.
2010 – Bradley R. Hansmann, St. Louis; Daniel A. Thomas, Independence; John N. Koester, Jr., Jackson.
2009 – Matthew Robert Waltz, St. Louis; Nikki Cannezzaro, Kansas City; Stuart Paul Huffman, Springfield.
2008 – Genevieve J. Nichols, St. Louis; Michael C. Rader, Leawood, Kansas; Justin T. Carver, Jefferson City.
2007 – Amy Collignon Gunn, St. Louis; Burton S. Haigh, Kansas City; Ann R. Littell Mills, Springfield.
2006 – Wesley Brent Powell, Kansas City; Timothy J. O’Leary, St. Louis.
2005 – Stephen R. Bough, Kansas City; John M. Hark, Hannibal; Thomas E. Schwartz, St. Louis.
2004 – David G. Bandre, Jefferson City; Andrea L. Taylor, Kansas City; Christopher J. Lang, St. Louis.
2003 – Tom Cartmell, Kansas City; Morry S. Cole, St. Louis; Teresa Bright-Pearson, Cape Girardeau.
2002 – Joseph S. Passanise, Springfield; M. DeAnn Outlaw, St. Louis; R. Denise Henning, Kansas City.
2001 – Robert W. Russell, Sedalia; Dawn M. Parsons, Kansas City; Andrew O’Brien, St. Louis.
2000 – J. Michael Ponder, Cape Girardeau; Jarrett Johnson, Kansas City; Michael P. Corrigan, St. Louis.
1990s Lon O. Hocker Award Recipients
1999 – Keith A. Cutler, Kansas City; Stephen M. Strum, St. Louis; David B. Cosgrove, Jefferson City.
1998 – Wm. Page Bellamy, Lexington; Robert T. Adams, Kansas City; Martin J. Buckley, St. Louis.
1997 – Thomas Stewart, St. Louis; Cynthia L. Short, Kansas City; David J. Roth, Cape Girardeau.
1996 – Steven B. Garner, Springfield; Tim E. Dollar, Kansas City; Cheryl A. Callis, St. Louis.
1995 – James P. Frickleton, Kansas City; Gretchen Myers, St. Louis; Deborah J. Alessi, St. Charles.
1994 – T. J. Stephens, Grant City; Randa Rawlins, Kansas City; James E. Rhodes, St. Louis.
1993 – Kirk J. Goza, Kansas City; Jeffrey P. Hine, Cape Girardeau; Matthew J. Padberg, St. Louis.
1992 – Matt J. Whitworth, Kansas City; Kenney C. Hulshof, Columbia; Joan Tanner, St. Louis.
1991 – Stephen J. Potter, St. Louis; Daniel E. Scott, Joplin; Kevin E. J. Regan, Kansas City.
1990 – Louis C. Accurso, Kansas City; James C. McConnell, Shelbina; Anthony R. Behr, St. Louis.
1980s Lon O. Hocker Award Recipients
1989 – James R. Hobbs, Kansas City; Michael L. Taylor, St. Joseph; Donald R. Morin, St. Louis.
1988 – Dennis P. Wilson, Dexter; Douglas P. Dowd, St. Louis; John H. Norton, Kansas City.
1987 – Kenneth A. Wagoner, West Plains; Alise C. Camazine, Clayton; J. Michael Shaffer, Kansas City.
1986 – Bruce E. Hunt, Springfield; Kenneth K. Vuylsteke, St. Louis; John P. O’Connor, Kansas City.
1985 – G. Stephen Long, Kansas City; Thomas C. DeVoto, St. Louis; John B. Morthland, Hannibal.
1984 – Paul D. Cowing, Kansas City; Mark T. Kempton, Sedalia; Charles A. Newman, St. Louis.
1983 – Ray Dickhaner, Hillsboro; Patrick B. Hall, Kansas City; Stephen H. Ringkamp, St. Louis.
1982 – R. Dan Boulware, St. Joseph; Stefan J. Glynias, St. Louis; John W. Kurtz, Kansas City.
1981 – Stephen S. Brown, Kansas City; Dale C. Doerhoff, Jefferson City; Paul J. Passante, St. Louis.
1980 – David A. Giesler, Springfield; John A. Michener, St. Louis; John E. Turner, Kansas City.
1970s Lon O. Hocker Award Recipients
1979 – Joseph Colantuono, Kansas City; Thomas M. Lang, St. Louis; Terry M. Evans, Trenton.
1978 – G. Spencer Miller, Gladstone; Robert F. Ritter, St. Louis; J. Edward Sweeney, Monett.
1977 – Denis C. Burns, St. Louis; Gerald M. Handley, Kansas City; Richard G. Steele, Cape Girardeau.
1976 – George L. Fitzsimmons, St. Louis; Hadley E. Grimm, Macon; G. Michael O’Neal, Kansas City.
1975 – Spencer Brown, Kansas City; B. Dan Simon, Columbia; Daniel T. Rabbitt, Jr., St. Louis.
1974 – James Holloran, St. Louis; Devon Sherwood, Springfield; Walter Simpson, Kansas City.
1973 – Wendell E. Koerner, Jr., St. Joseph; Thomas B. Sullivan, III, Kansas City; Samuel T. Vandover, St. Louis.
1972 – Max Von Erdmannsdorff, Kansas City; Charles Merz, St. Louis.
1971 – John Peak, Kansas City; Burton Shostak, St. Louis.
1970 – Robert Russell, Kansas City; C. Marshall Friedman, St. Louis.
1960s Lon O. Hocker Award Recipients
1969 – David R. Freeman, Kansas City; William F. James, St. Louis.
1968 – Donald L. Schlapprizzi, St. Louis; Edward D. Hodge, Mexico.
1967 – R. Lawrence Ward, Kansas City; Henry D. Menghini, St. Louis.
1966 – Ben Ely, Jr., St. Louis; Louis F. Cottey, Kirksville.
1965 – Norman O. Sanders, Kansas City; Bernard C. Brinker, Clayton.
1964 – J. Richard Roberts, Hillsboro; V. James Ruddy, St. Louis.
1963 – Joseph E. Stevens, Jr., Kansas City; Parks G. Carpenter, St. Louis
1962 – James E. Reeves, Caruthersville; Joseph M. Kortenhof, St. Louis.
1961 – Thomas A. Sweeney, Kansas City; William B. Anderson, Clayton.
1960 – Harry L. Bell, St. Louis; Donald P. Thomasson, Cape Girardeau.
1950s Lon O. Hocker Award Recipients
1959 – James W. Jeans, St. Louis; Paul E. Vardeman, Kansas City.
1958 – William Wallace Evans, St. Louis; Eugene E. Andereck, Trenton.
1957 – John C. Shepherd, St. Louis; William H. Sanders, Kansas City.
1956 – Rexford H. Caruthers, St. Louis; John David Collins, Macon.
1955 – Robert C. Ely, St. Louis; Alvin C. Randall, Kansas City.
How can other Missouri lawyers be nominated for the Lon O. Hocker Award?
Award Nomination Information Page
Award PDF Nomination Form
