Cape Girardeau law firm executive earns national MVP honor
FOX23 News at 9 p.m
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) — A Cape Girardeau law firm executive has received a national award recognizing professional achievement and leadership.
Rachael Leadbetter, chief operating officer and chief financial officer at Cook, Barkett, Ponder & Wolz, was named the 2025 Crisp Experience MVP, the top individual honor awarded by Crisp, a law firm growth company.
Leadbetter was recognized during the 2025 Crisp ELEVATE Conference on Feb. 20 in Orlando, Florida, where she was selected from hundreds of participants nationwide.
The award recognizes professionals who demonstrate significant personal and operational growth. Officials said Leadbetter was honored for implementing new systems within the firm, including a structured hiring process, scalable operations and improvements to client settlement management.
“Rachael’s impact on our firm has been extraordinary,” Managing Partner J. Michael Ponder said in a statement.
Leadbetter said the recognition reflects both her work and the efforts of the firm’s team.
Cook, Barkett, Ponder & Wolz is a Cape Girardeau-based personal injury law firm that handles cases across state and federal courts.
