Kayla Jackson-Willlams
When Kayla Jackson-Williams was in sixth quality, her trainer noticed her talkative, assertive mother nature. If she did not conclusion up as an lawyer, “something went incorrect,” she heard him say.
From that place forward, she realized she wanted to grow to be a law firm. Now, immediately after practising legislation for 5 several years, she is seeking to develop into associate circuit decide for Division 10, which handles all relatives, juvenile and grownup abuse regulation matters.
Jackson-Williams, 32, attained her law degree at MU in 2016 and went on to apply spouse and children legislation at the Stange Regulation Business in Columbia.
From 2017 to 2019, she practiced felony law at the Missouri State Community Defender’s Place of work, then joined the Rogers Ehrhardt business in Columbia in 2020.
Born and lifted in St. Louis, Jackson-Williams describes her childhood and teenage years as challenging. She was elevated by a solitary mother and her brother suffered from sickle beta thalassemia, a condition that impacts purple blood cells.
“I was not automatically by itself, but my mother and brother were in the medical center a whole lot,” she said.
Early on, she was involved in the Boys and Girls Club of The us and explained scholarships she acquired allowed her to attend higher education.
Now a volunteer for the club, Jackson-Williams desires to have an influence on college-aged little ones entering the prison procedure.
She mentioned she made the decision to operate for associate circuit decide for the reason that she thinks the legal method requires variety in a variety of ways.
“I have a diverse lawful and personal track record,” she mentioned. “Both of all those matters will let me to be an wonderful choose and bridge cultural and generational gaps in our county.”
Jackson-Williams said she has been an legal professional in nine jury trials, countless bench trials and hearings. She also said that though practical experience issues, the excellent of her knowledge matters additional.
“Over the a long time, I’ve proven that I am a good quality lawyer who has an immense volume of encounter in a shorter quantity of time,” she stated. “I feel that is vital for people to know.”
She also stated she needs to employ a family remedy court application in Boone County that mirrors the one in Callaway County. This would permit all those who have substance abuse or psychological well being troubles to get therapy devoid of the prison component necessary to enter the psychological wellness or drug court docket in Boone County.
Her principal intention as a decide would be to exercising fairness and be equitable across the board, she claimed, “despite how significantly revenue a person helps make or who a human being appreciates.”
“I imagine all of our judges do a wonderful position at that, and I would want to go on on that route.”
In her text, an suitable judge requirements to be straightforward, honest, trustworthy, intelligent, hardworking and eager to put preconceived notions aside and realize their biases.
“People do not treatment what you know until they know that you care,” Jackson-Williams reported. She has centered her lawful follow and her marketing campaign around this information, which she characteristics to her professor, mentor and campaign treasurer Bob Bailey.
Bailey explained he would not attach his title to a prospect unless he actually considered the candidate was qualified. He claimed he doesn’t comply with the day-to-day functions of the circuit courtroom, but he knows prosecutors, general public defenders, defense attorneys and judges who have interacted with Jackson-Williams.
“They all have instructed me she is a fantastic general public defender and lawyer who signifies her clientele with incredible advocacy, regard and issue for them as men and women, and is ready to mix apply, motherhood and volunteering initiatives with becoming a stellar attorney for her clientele,” he stated.
As an attorney, mother, advocate and candidate in the Aug. 2 most important, Jackson-Williams reported she relates to a saying she took from “Oh, the Areas You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss: “Life is a wonderful balancing act.”
“That applies to me each individual working day,” she reported.
