Baker Sterchi attorneys Alena Johnston and Lisa Verity of the St. Louis, Missouri office and Sara Rakowiecki of the Kansas City, Missouri office participated in the 2026 Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers (MODL) “John L. Oliver, Jr.” Trial Academy at the University of Missouri School of Law in Columbia, Missouri, held March 25–27.
The program included 35 students who assumed the roles of defense counsel in a mock civil trial and was led by a faculty of 14 experienced defense attorneys, including St. Louis Member Joe Swift. Kansas City Member Clay Crawford served as program co-chair.
Johnston focuses her practice on personal injury, commercial litigation, trucking and insurance coverage matters. She is an associate of The Theodore McMillian American Inn of Court and a member of DRI’s Young Lawyers Committee. Johnston also serves as dean of law school for the American Legion Auxiliary Missouri Girls State leadership program for high school students focused on government, politics and law. She earned her law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law and is licensed to practice in Missouri and Illinois.
Verity focuses her practice on personal injury, employment, construction defects, contract disputes and municipal liability matters. She is an associate of The Theodore McMillian American Inn of Court and a member of the Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater St. Louis and the Missouri Bar Young Lawyers Division. Verity earned her law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law and is licensed to practice in Missouri.
Rakowiecki focuses her practice on insurance defense, employment, personal injury and premises liability matters. She is a member of DRI’s Employment and Labor Law Committee, the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Committee and the Society for Human Resource Management, including its Greater Kansas City chapter. Rakowiecki earned her law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law and is licensed to practice in Missouri and Kansas.
Established in 1984, MODL supports defense attorneys through continuing legal education programs and other professional development initiatives.
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