President

Stephen J. Owens is the interim president of the University of Missouri System. Owens also serves at the university's general counsel. Prior to his appointment as general counsel, Owens was engaged in private practice for 26 years with Kansas City based law firm of Stinson Morrison Hecker, LLP (formerly Stinson, Mag & Fizzell). His practice emphasized business litigation, collegiate sports law, contracts and administrative law. Additionally, he served as the firm's hiring chairman; member of the firm's board of directors and its executive committee; and as chairman of the firm's business litigation division and its class action and complex litigation division. Prior to joining the firm, Owens served as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. William R. Collinson, United States District Court Judge for the Western District of Missouri. Steve received his bachelor's degree in public administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia and his J.D. from the Wake Forest University School of Law. He is admitted to practice in the State of Missouri; United States District Courts for the Western District of Missouri and the District of Kansas; and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth, Fifth, Eighth and Tenth Circuits.