Thompson Coburn LLP Awards Inaugural Thomas F. Eagleton Scholarship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Thompson Coburn LLP announced that first-year Washington University School of Law student Felicia Williams has been chosen as the recipient of the Firm’s inaugural Thomas F. Eagleton Scholarship. As the winner of the scholarship, Ms. Williams, who earned a B.A. in Psychology from Washington University in 2006, will receive $10,000 for tuition, a paid summer internship at Thompson Coburn in 2008 and mentoring from a firm partner for one year.

“I’ve wanted to be a lawyer since I was 11 or 12 years old,” Ms. Williams said. “Since that time, I’ve focused on preparing myself through rigorous undergraduate courses, working as a legal assistant and going to law school. Being awarded the Eagleton Scholarship is going to help me make that dream a reality.”

Ms. Williams, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, took part in a high school summer internship program through the Mayor’s Office Division of Youth Services, that allowed her to work part time for a Birmingham law firm. She also participated in a teen court program run by Jefferson County, Alabama. She credits those experiences with supporting her aspirations to become a lawyer. “The more I learned about the law and what the field offers and entails, the more I wanted to pursue a career as a lawyer,” Ms. Williams said. “My experiences at Washington University’s Law School have been excellent and I’m very much looking forward to spending this summer at Thompson Coburn. The firm has an outstanding reputation and a strong presence in the St. Louis community.”

Thompson Coburn LLP Chair Thomas J. Minogue presented the scholarship to Ms. Williams at Washington University on February 25. Tom was joined by a number of other representatives of the Firm, including partners Roman Wuller and Pam Meanes, and Diversity Manager Michelle Martin. Also present were Barbara Eagleton and other members of the Eagleton family, members of Ms. Williams’ family and Kent D. Syverud, Dean of the Washington University School of Law.

“The law students who applied for the Thomas F. Eagleton Scholarship were outstanding, and across the board, well-qualified,” Tom said. “The level of competition was very high, but it was evident that Felicia Williams is a truly remarkable law student and an excellent choice to be our very first recipient.”

The Firm established the annual scholarship in memory of former U.S. Senator and Firm partner Thomas F. Eagleton in the fall of 2007. The scholarship is awarded each year to a qualified minority candidate attending his or her first year of law school at The University of Missouri, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University or the University of Illinois-Champaign.