Fifty at the Top
#11 McAnany, Van Cleave & Phillips
McAnany, Van Cleave & Phillips has assisted a range of clients—for-profit, not-for-profit and government—for individuals, small businesses and Fortune 500, and real estate law, financial institution law, litigation, and not-for-profit law. MVP practices in six states: Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska.
10 E. Cambridge Circle Dr., Suite 300, Kansas City, KS 66103
913.371.3838, Fax: 913.371.4722, www.mvplaw.com
Fred Greenbaum, President
Year Established: 1901
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 36
Partners in KC Area: 25
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 55
Number of Offices: 5
Primary Areas of Practice: Business, banking/finance, labor law, litigation, education, govt/municipalities, real estate, professional liability, personal and product liability, transportation
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Kan.
#12 McDowell, Rice, Smith & Buchanan
McDowell, Rice, Smith & Buchanan is known for its skills in commercial transactions, bankruptcy and financial restructuring, and business law. Its expertise covers two dozen practice areas, including real-estate transactions, contracts, commercial construction, tax and estate planning, employment and labor law, and family law. The firm’s staff of lawyers works from offices in KC, Overland Park and Springfield.
605 W. 47th St., Suite 350, Kansas City, MO 64112
816.753.5400, Fax: 816.753.9996, www.mcdowellrice.com
Pete Smith, President
Year Established: 1947
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 35
Partners in KC Area: 26
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 33
Number of Offices: 3
Primary Areas of Practice: Civil & complex litigation, bankruptcy, debtor & creditor rights, real estate, estate planning, employment, malpractice, business, family law
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#13 Gilmore & Bell
Gilmore & Bell has a strong track record as a national leader in the art of public-finance transactions; last year, it was No. 1 in the nation in numbers of issues as bond counsel, and 12th in dollar volume. Based in KC, it has offices in Wichita and Springfield, as well as Omaha and Lincoln, Neb. Its clients are primarily states, counties, cities, school districts and governmental entities, generally in municipal finance transactions or as special counsel for economic development projects.
2405 Grand Blvd., Suite 1100, Kansas City, MO 64108
816.221.1000, Fax: 816.221.1018, www.gilmorebell.com
Gary Anderson, President/CEO
Year Established: 1979
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 33
Partners in KC Area: 24
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 51
Number of Offices: 5
Primary Areas of Practice: Public-finance, bond counsel or underwriter’s counsel, tax-exempt financings, commercial-corporate finance and securities law
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#14 Kutak Rock
Kutak Rock operates offices in 11 states and the nation’s capital. The firm now has 450 lawyers primarily practicing business and corporate law, public finance, litigation and real estate law. Clients include Fortune 500 corporations and investment banking and major money-center banks in the U.S., Europe and Asia, insurance companies, national real estate investors and developers, national franchising enterprises and other financial institutions and businesses.
1010 Grand Blvd., Suite 500, Kansas City, MO 64106
816.960.0090, Fax: 816.960.0041, www.kutakrock.com
Bob Keim, Managing Partner
Year Established: 1994
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 32
Partners in KC Area: 21
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 436
Number of Offices: 17
Primary Areas of Practice: Litigation, real estate, public and corporate finance, health care, corporate tax, securities/tax credit, intellectual property/tech, automotive finance
Company Headquarters: Omaha, Neb.
#15 Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice
Litigation defense—from medical malpractice to personal injury actions, from product liability to class-action lawsuits and more—defines the KC law firm of Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice. With more than a dozen practice areas, the firm’s client list includes companies from such diverse sectors as aerospace, automotive and trucking, financial services, construction, health care, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, insurance, hospitality, retail and food and beverage.
2400 Pershing Road, Suite 500, Kansas City, MO 64108
816.471.2121, Fax: 816.472.0288, www.bscr-law.com
Tom Sterchi, Executive Committee Chairman
Year Established: 1982
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 31
Partners in KC Area: 17
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 39
Number of Offices: 2
Primary Areas of Practice: Civil & complex litigation, product liability, commercial, employment, toxic tort/environmental
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#16 Foland Wickens Eisfelder Roper & Hofer
Foland, Wickens, Eisfelder, Roper & Hofer is a premier civil litigation firm, handling large and complex cases for individuals and businesses. Its litigation services cover such areas as commercial and business law, construction, employment law, financial services, health care and insurance law, product and professional liability, transportation law and worker’s compensation. The firm also offers mediation and arbitration services, as well as alternative dispute resolution.
911 Main St., 30th Floor, Kansas City, MO 64105
816.472.7474, Fax: 816.472.6262, www.fwpclaw.com
Joe Roper, Managing Partner
Year Established: 1997
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 30
Partners in KC Area: 7
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 30
Number of Offices: 1
Primary Areas of Practice: Litigation
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#17 Berkowitz Oliver Williams Shaw & Eisenbrandt
The trial lawyers at Berkowitz Oliver Williams Shaw & Eisenbrandt bring considerable experience to their tasks in state and federal courts and appellate courts across the nation. With expertise in a dozen practice areas, they also serve clients in state and federal administrative hearings, FINRA and AAA arbitrations, and court-ordered and private mediation proceedings.
2600 Grand Blvd., Suite 1200, Kansas City, MO 64108
816.561.7007, Fax: 816.561.1888, www.berkowitzoliver.com
David Oliver, Member of Management Committee
Year Established: 1997
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 29
Partners in KC Area: 21
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 29
Number of Offices: 2
Practice Areas: Accounting & prof. liability, class-action defense, commercial litigation, mass tort/toxic tort, creditor rights, employment, franchise and IP law
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#18 Armstrong Teasdale
Innovation and collaboration are foundational principles for Armstrong Teasdale, the Clayton, Mo.-based firm with offices in KC, Overland Park, Springfield, Belleville, Ill., Las Vegas, Reno and in Shanghai, China. The firm combines a strong litigation presence with a deep roster of services in business law and intellectual property law, where it operates the largest patent practice in the St. Louis region.
2345 Grand Blvd., Suite 1500, Kansas City, MO 64108
816.221.3420, Fax: 816.221.0786, www.armstrongteasdale.com
Larry Tucker, Managing Attorney
Year Established: 1901
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 27
Partners in KC Area: 20
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 247
Number of Offices: 8
Primary Areas of Practice: Litigation, employment and labor, intellectual property, franchise, public finance, corporate services, real estate
Company Headquarters: St. Louis, Mo.
#19 Wagstaff & Cartmell
Arbitration, mediation and negotiation are starting points, but when a case must go to litigation, Wagstaff & Cartmell is considered a leading firm for its acumen in complex commercial cases, lawsuits involving drugs & medical devices, environmental/exposures cases, instances of medical, product or professional liability and trucking accidents. The firm also provides defense counsel for complex criminal litigation, white-collar crime and corporate criminal investigations.
4740 Grand Ave., Suite 300, Kansas City, MO 64112
816.701.1100, Fax: 816.531.2372, www.wagstaffcartmell.com
Tom Wagstaff, Tom Cartmell, Partners
Year Established: 1997
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 27
Partners in KC Area: 13
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 27
Number of Offices: 1
Primary Areas of Practice: Complex commercial litigation
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#20 Lewis, Rice & Fingersh
For more than 100 years, St. Louis-based Lewis, Rice & Fingersh has served individuals, as well as business clients ranging from small companies to national firms. It offers services to companies in the financial services, manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing, publishing, broadcasting, health care and insurance sectors. It also has a strong concentration on real estate law, where its lawyers work with municipal governments, brokers and developers.
1010 Walnut St., Suite 500, Kansas City, MO 64106
816.421.2500, Fax: 816.472.2500, www.lewisrice.com
Bill Carr, Managing Partner
Year Established: 1948
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 26
Partners in KC Area: 19
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 159
Number of Offices: 7
Primary Areas of Practice: Real estate, business, tax & estate planning, litigation
Company Headquarters: St. Louis, Mo.
