Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr. serves as the Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Missouri and sits in Jefferson City. He began his legal career in service to our country as an Air Force Judge Advocate, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Assistant Special Counsel for the Waco Investigation. Later, he was named partner at two law firms and head of litigation at a financial services firm. Judge Epps is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, member of the Judicial Council of the National Bar Association, and former chair of the ABA National Conference of Federal Trial Judges. He is a graduate of Amherst College, Harvard Law School, and Duke University School of Law.