James E. McDaniel

1931 - 2025

McDaniel, James E.

November 22, 1931 - August 4, 2025

James E. McDaniel passed away on August 4, 2025. Mr. McDaniel was born in Dexter, Missouri on November 22, 1931. He is survived by Jane, his beloved wife of 70 years, and loving family, a son, John McDaniel and partner, Charlie Longwell, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a daughter, Barbara McDaniel-Black and partner, Heather Arcovitch, of Madison, Connecticut, granddaughter, MaryBeth Black, of Brooklyn, New York; and sister, Shirley Rawson, of Festus, Missouri, nieces and nephews. McDaniel served with the United States Air Force from 1951-55, assigned to duty with the National Security Agency. He attended George Washington University and Washington University in St. Louis where he received a B.A. degree in 1957 and a Juris Doctor degree in 1959. He was admitted to the Missouri Bar, the 7th and 8th U.S. Circuit Courts, and the United States Supreme Court. Following graduation, he joined a four-person law firm, becoming a partner in 1965. Through mergers, he became a partner in the firm of Lashly & Baer in 1982 and continued with the firm, becoming Senior Counsel until his retirement. During his career, Jim contributed substantial service to the organized Bar, serving as President of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis in 1972-73, President of the Missouri Bar in 1981-82, and was a member of the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association from 1976 to 2000, serving on its Board of Governors from 1997-2000. During those years he served on many important committees including Chair of the Lawyers Conference of the Judicial Administration Division, the ABA Federal Judiciary Committee representing the seven states of the Eighth Circuit, and the Committee on Law and National Security. He served as President of the St. Louis Bar Foundation and was the recipient of the St. Louis Bar Associations Outstanding Lawyer Award in 2007 and the Bar Foundations Spirit of Justice Award in 2011. In 1988 he led a legal delegation to China, and in 1990 a similar delegation to the former Soviet Union. He continued his contacts with lawyers in the Baltic states, making a number of trips following their independence, and taught Commercial Law for two summer sessions at the University of Latvia. Mr. McDaniel was a long time member of the First Congregational Church of St. Louis in Clayton, and a private memorial service will be held there on Saturday, August 9, 2025. Interment will be private in Dexter, MO. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the charity of your choice.