WashU Law is proud to recognize six alumni with 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards. These annual awards honor alumni who have obtained distinction in their careers while exemplifying characteristics of leadership, commitment, courage, and confidence. The alumni were formally recognized at a ceremony held at Anheuser-Busch Hall on April 4. Learn more about this year’s honorees below.
Calvin G. Butler Jr., JD ’94
2025 Distinguished Alumnus
Calvin G. Butler Jr. is president and CEO of Exelon, the nation’s largest utility company serving more than 10 million electric and gas customers across six states and the District of Columbia. Butler has held numerous leadership roles at Exelon and its subsidiaries, including CEO of BGE and president and COO of Exelon. Prior to joining Exelon, Butler held senior roles in the energy and print communications industries. He currently serves on multiple national boards, including the Edison Electric Institute and Argonne National Laboratory, and was named one of Savoy magazine’s “Most Influential Executives” in 2024.
Mary B. Campbell, JD ’84
2025 Distinguished Alumna
Mary Campbell oversees WashU’s off-campus real estate strategy, managing more than 1,200 housing units and 2 million square feet of administrative and academic space. Under her leadership, WashU made successful expansions into areas like the Cortex Innovation District and Delmar Loop. Campbell previously held leadership roles at Bank of America, where she specialized in affordable housing and community development. She also served in policy and administrative roles for both the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County. Mary’s leadership earned her a 10-year appointment to the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership as well as the “Woman of Influence Award” in 2019 from St. Louis Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW).
Hon. Raymond W. Gruender, BS ’84, JD ’87, MBA ’87
2025 Distinguished Alumnus
Judge Raymond W. Gruender has served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit since 2004. Prior to his appointment, he was the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri and an Assistant U.S. Attorney focusing on white collar and public corruption cases. He also practiced civil and criminal law at Lewis & Rice and later as a partner at Thompson Coburn LLP. A triple-degree holder from WashU, Judge Gruender brings a wealth of experience from both public service and private practice to the federal bench.
Hon. Stephanie Dawkins Davis, JD ’92
2025 Distinguished Alumna
Judge Stephanie Dawkins Davis serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She previously served as a U.S. District Judge and Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan. Prior to joining the bench, Davis built a distinguished career as a defense attorney in private practice before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. Davis has received numerous honors for her public service, including the Champion of Justice Award from the State Bar of Michigan. She is actively involved in judicial committees and professional organizations, and continues to mentor and support the next generation of legal professionals.
Ben A. Barnes, JD ’12
2025 Distinguished Young Alumnus
Ben A. Barnes is a partner at Dowd Bennett in Dallas, where he specializes in commercial and energy litigation. He has built a strong reputation for representing clients in a wide variety of disputes, including breach of contract, environmental contamination, and antitrust matters. Barnes has also been involved in litigation before the newly established Texas Business Court, handling sophisticated commercial disputes and jurisdictional questions. His work has earned recognition from peers and legal media, including being named one of Texas’ top up-and-coming lawyers by Texas Super Lawyers. Outside of his legal practice, Ben serves as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and is a member of the National Council for WashU Law.
Madeleine E. Brunner, JD ’17
2025 Distinguished Young Alumna
Madeleine Brunner is the Senior Attorney at HALL Group, a private company specializing in commercial real estate, financial lending, and winemaking. In her role, she collaborates with business teams to negotiate commercial leases and draft various agreements, reporting directly to the General Counsel. Before HALL, she practiced at Locke Lord in business litigation, handling complex commercial disputes. A Dallas native, Maddie earned her bachelor’s in theater from the University of Texas at Austin and later received her JD with a business law certificate from Washington University School of Law, where she was editor-in-chief of the Global Studies Law Review, and active in the Women’s Law Caucus. She remains engaged in the legal and nonprofit communities through roles with WashU Law, the Dallas Women Lawyers Association, and The Children’s Center.
Congratulations to these six alumni for their outstanding achievements. Their success across diverse fields of law represents their commitment to excellence as well as the strength of a WashU Law education.
