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Donna Smith Galchus of CGWG Dies

2 min read

Cross Gunter Witherspoon & Galchus P.C. of Little Rock announced Monday the death of founding member Donna Smith Galchus. The firm said she died Dec. 4 following a brief illness.

Galchus practiced labor, employment and immigration law for the firm, founded in 1997.

A visitation will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday at Roller-Chenal Funeral Home, 13801 Chenal Parkway in Little Rock. The rosary will begin at 7:30 p.m. 

Her funeral service will begin at 10 a.m. Friday in the funeral home’s chapel. Burial will follow at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Alexander.

The family requests that any memorial donations be made in Donna’s honor to Christ the King Catholic School Endowment Fund, 4002 N. Rodney Parham in Little Rock.

“She was a loving mother, wife and friend whose integrity earned her respect with clients and high regard within the legal community,” the firm said. “Her strong work ethic and involvement within the legal profession and community were hallmarks of her personality. She will truly be missed by all who knew her.”

J. Bruce Cross with the firm told Arkansas Business, “She was a female pioneer in management employment law and one of the first to take on the complications of immigration law. As one of the founding partners of the majority women owned Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon & Galchus, she brought her keen intellect and drive for excellence to the firm. She was a friend and will be missed.”

Galchus was involved with the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers, Pulaski County Bar Association, Arkansas Bar Association, American Bar Association, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Mid-South Immigration Lawyers and American Employment Law Council.

She was chair of the Eighth Circuit Credentials Committee and a College of Labor and Employment Lawyers fellow.

Galchus also served on the board of the Arkansas Council on Economic Education and volunteered with the Center for Arkansas Legal Services.

She was honored by the peer-review guide “Best Lawyers in America” from 2004-2016, ranked a leading employment lawyer by Chambers USA, named a Mid-South Super Lawyer from 2006-2016, named an Arkansas Top 50 Super Lawyer from 2006-2016 and named a Top 50 Women Mid-South Super Lawyer this year.

Galchus graduated in 1980 with a juris doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She earned her master’s from Washington University in St. Louis and her bachelor’s from the University of Missouri in St. Louis.

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