9 January 2018

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The times, they are a changing. Sandra Skinner, the first woman to serve as clerk of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, has announced her intention to retire effective June 30, 2018.

In 1976, Skinner was one of only 14 women to graduate from the University of Missouri law school. Even her mother, who always has been very supportive about her decisions, tried to tell her gently that she was “kind of” getting into a man’s position when she entered law school. Skinner didn’t know any lawyers, didn’t really know what they did and had no mentoring to encourage her to go to school, but she thought it sounded interesting. 

And “interesting” is how it has been. Upon graduation, Skinner returned to Springfield, worked both in private practice and as a part-time city prosecutor, and taught at what was then Southwest Missouri State University. At that time, the local bar was small enough that, with her variety of cases, she got to know the judges and the clerks in Greene County. 

Skinner had practiced law for 13 years when an opening came up for the clerk of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District. After encouragement from one of the court’s judges to apply, Skinner did. Though the position of clerk in the Southern District had been held only by men since 1909, she figured, “why not” apply? 

Former appellate Judge John Crow remembers that 15 people applied, and the court voted unanimously for Sandra.

“It was a wise decision,” Crow said. “Sandra took office May 1, 1989, and performed well from the outset, rapidly earning the confidence of all judges and, as far as I could discern, widespread respect among the bar.” 

Twenty-nine years later, Skinner is preparing to retire. There is no one at the Southern District who has been an attorney longer than her. 

Skinner has seen many changes in the court of appeals since 1989. The most obvious is the change from the court operating on paper to all electronic filings. Skinner has noticed other changes:  more women argue appeals, more women are members of the bar associations, there are more women in positions of authority generally, and there now are women judges both on her court and on the Supreme Court of Missouri. Younger members of the bar are used to practicing law with women, appear in front of women judges and have women as clients in all aspects of the law. 

Skinner says she is most proud of the fact that whatever changes came along – whether the constant change in the court itself or the change to electronic filing – she and the staff in her office adapted as a team. She is proud the people she works with have an interconnected relationship. If one person encountered issues with a new process, she said all team members worked together to make the process smooth for everyone to learn it together.

The most senior judge on the current court, Chief Judge Nancy Rahmeyer, said of Skinner’s impending retirement: “My first thought when Sandy said she was going to retire was, ‘how do I get her to change her mind?’ She has been the clerk of the court for most of my career. When I came here, I knew immediately of the respect the entire court had for the clerk’s office. It was a given that the office was run competently and it made the court’s life so much easier. I never heard a complaint that the office wasn’t helpful or efficient. Sandy has always tried to make the court better for Missouri citizens, be a resource for lawyers practicing before the court and to be the face of Court. We will miss her but, just like we knew Sandy would, she is working for a smooth transition. We wish Sandy and her family the very best in retirement.” 

And in time, the Southern District will weather this change in times as well.