PERSONNEL: AREA ATTORNEY RECOGNIZED FOR TWO WINNING VERDICTS

J. Michael Ponder of the Thomasson, Gilbert, Cook and Maguire law firm of Cape Girardeau was cited in a recent issue of Missouri Lawyers' Weekly, as holding two of the top 10 plaintiff's verdicts in Missouri for last year.

Ponder was No. 6 on the top 10 list for his $4 million jury verdict for a client who received third-degree burns over a third of the man's body from an explosion caused by an industrial furnace.

Ponder was named to the eighth position because of his $2.2 million jury verdict for a client who developed serious neurologic brain malfunctioning when exposed to breathing toxic fumes when a machine's hose malfunctioned.

Ponder of Charleston was the only attorney in the state to place twice on the top 10 list.