Sara Melly selected for 2020-2021 Class of Leadership St. Louis
June 11, 2020
FOCUS St. Louis has announced that Thompson Coburn’s Sara Melly has been selected for the 45th Leadership St. Louis program (LSL), a 9-month program for leaders who are committed to improving the St. Louis region.
Leadership St. Louis is one of six leadership programs offered by FOCUS St. Louis to achieve its mission of educating and connecting leaders to work cooperatively for a thriving St. Louis region. The LSL curriculum explores such issues as economic development, racial equity, education, poverty and social services, arts and culture, and the criminal justice system. More than 2,500 leaders have graduated from the program since its inception in 1976.
“The need for collaborative leadership has never been greater in our region,” says Yemi Akande-Bartsch, Ph.D., President & CEO of FOCUS St. Louis and Director of the Leadership St. Louis program. “We’re excited to bring together this diverse group of leaders to gain a deeper understanding of St. Louis’ civic landscape by exploring the issues, institutions and systems shaping it.”
Sara, who has been with the Firm since 2017, represents lenders, community development entities and investors in tax credit and financing transactions. She has experience in corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing and securities compliance. She drafts and negotiates a variety of commercial contracts and provides day-to-day counsel on general business matters. Additionally, Sara has represented corporate creditors in loan workouts, out-of-court restructuring transactions, bankruptcy proceedings and lender liability litigation.
Thompson Coburn has a rich history with Leadership St. Louis; many of our attorneys have completed the LSL program, including Don Dorwart, Ali Rafferty, Ryan Russell Kemper, Bill Bay, Lori Jones, Jarrod Sharp, Ed Cohen, David Dick, Laura Jordan, Cherie Stephens Bock, Larry Friedman and Gayle Mercier.