SWMW Law, one of the top plaintiffs law firms in the country focusing on representing victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, is proud to announce that Human Resources Manager Billie Gray has been named a recipient of the 2025 HR Awards presented by the St. Louis Business Journal.
“Billie is the kind of professional every organization hopes to find but rarely does,” said Member Steve Wohlford. “Since joining SWMW Law, she has transformed and enhanced our HR Department, building a robust, strategic function that not only supports our people but drives our firm forward. Her leadership has been instrumental in shaping a strong, connected team culture and a forward-thinking talent strategy. Her recognition with this award is not just well-deserved – it’s a reflection of the immense impact she’s made at SWMW Law and the respect she’s earned from every corner of our firm.”
Gray joined the firm in 2022 and immediately began work to strengthen its HR Department. As her tasks and responsibilities continued to mount in the present, her eyes were still pointed toward the future, always thinking about what more she could do to bolster the firm’s success. Despite her overwhelming workload, she instituted two programs at the firm that would do just that.
With a clear, goal-oriented vision for strengthening the firm’s HR foundation, Billie Gray used employee feedback from a firmwide survey as a roadmap to develop a more strategic and responsive department. Recognizing the need to improve recruitment, retention, communication, and firm culture, she set out to create processes that addressed each area with intention and structure. She overhauled the onboarding experience, ensuring that new hires were equipped not only with the information they needed but with a sense of belonging and clarity about how their roles connected to the broader mission of the firm. By introducing cross-departmental meetings and structured introductions to department leaders, she fostered a deeper understanding of team responsibilities and interdependence. She also prioritized internal communication and leadership development, offering managers targeted training and open forums to express their needs. Her approach created a more informed, connected, and confident workforce, reinforcing the firm’s commitment to a culture of excellence and continuous growth.
With a strong onboarding framework and a more unified team in place, Gray turned her focus to enhancing the firm’s recruitment strategy. She launched the Summer Law Intern Program—an initiative that has attracted some of the most promising law students in the region. Understanding that successful recruitment requires collaboration, she met with each department to gather insights on their intern needs, expectations, and the specific support they required. Partnering with the Marketing Department, she developed compelling, informative materials to engage prospective candidates. But Gray didn’t stop at recruitment; she ensured the internship experience was meaningful for both the firm and the students. She designed a comprehensive rotation through all departments, giving interns hands-on exposure to a variety of legal practices and helping them build practical skills that would serve them beyond graduation. Her efforts have not only elevated the firm’s recruitment capabilities but have also fostered long-term retention—many interns have continued with the firm well beyond their initial placements.
Winners of this year’s HR Awards were chosen through an independent editorial review, with selections based entirely on their merits, achievements, and contributions to their organizations and local community. As one of the honorees, Gray was recognized alongside other award winners at a reception held May 15 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Honorees were also recognized in a special print edition of the St. Louis Business Journal. To learn more about this year’s honorees, visit the Business Journal’s website here.
