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The business of law continues to change across America, and the ripples wash over Kansas City’s legal community. Last month, one of this region’s Big 5 firms—Stinson Morrison Hecker—announced that it would merge with Leonard, Street and Deinard of Minneapolis, effective Jan. 1. The new firm, co-headquartered in both cities and flying the banner of Stinson Leonard Street, would rank No. 75 on the nation’s list of largest law firms, with 525 lawyers.
That’s just one of 70 mergers expected to take place nationwide in 2013, a figure that would be the highest since 2008. While it won’t immediately change Stinson’s standing as the fourth-largest firm in the region by attorney headcount, it does raise the question: Who are the largest firms in the region today, and what are their relative strengths?
Ingram’s sets out to answer that question with this installment of KC’s Leading Law Firms, providing snapshots of the 50 largest firms, by lawyer count, as of January 1, 2013. While many outstanding boutique law firms serve the interests of individuals and businesses in Kansas City and won’t make it onto this list, we’re confident that this guide will be instructive for those seeking the kinds of legal services from firms with the organization infrastructure that meets their specific needs.
#1 Shook, Hardy & Bacon
With a legal tradition that dates back more than a century from its founding in Kansas City, Shook, Hardy & Bacon is now a global leader in product-liability defense and other key business concentrations. Among its more than 1,200 employees, the firm has more than 440 attorneys, supported by 200 paraprofessionals and staff analysts, in 10 offices in the United States and Europe. John Murphy is chairman of the firm.
2555 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108
816.474.6550, Fax: 816.421.5547, www.shb.com
John Murphy, Managing Partner/Chair
Year Established: 1889 Revenue for 2012: $317,000,000
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 296 Partners in KC Area: 129
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 441 Number of Offices: 10
Primary Areas of Practice: Product liability, intellectual property, business litigation, data privacy & security
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#2 Polsinelli
Polsinelli, a business and litigation law firm, operates in 17 offices across the nation. More than 680 attorneys from Los Angeles to New York serve corporations, institutions, entrepreneurs, and individuals. The legal skills of those lawyers, combined with deep understanding of the critical issues facing business, helped Polsinelli become the fastest-growing law firm in America, as judged by The American Lawyer in June 2013.
700 W. 47th St., Suite 1000, Kansas City, MO 64112
816.753.1000, Fax: 816.753.1536, www.polsinelli.com
Russ Welsh, Chairman
Year Established: 1972 Revenue for 2012: $275,527,000
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 242 Partners in KC Area: 134
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 637 Number of Offices: 18
Primary Areas of Practice: Real estate, business, tax & estate planning, litigation
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#3 Lathrop & Gage
One of the biggest and oldest law firms in Kansas City, Lathrop & Gage was founded in 1873 with one client: the railroad firm known today as BNSF Railway Co. Nearly 175 lawyers strong, with 125 other professionals supporting their efforts, the firm has 16 practice areas serving everything from agriculture to technology. Mark Bluhm is the chief executive officer.
2345 Grand Blvd., Suite 2200, Kansas City, MO 64108
816.292.2000, Fax: 816.292.2001, www.lathropgage.com
Mark Bluhm, CEO
Year Established: 1873 Revenue for 2012: $140,593,000
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 178 Partners in KC Area: 108
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 314 Number of Offices: 11
Primary Areas of Practice: Business law, employment law and benefits, environmental and health care law, IP, real estate and tax services, tort, wealth strategies, litigation
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#4 Stinson Morrison Hecker
Tracing its roots to its Kansas City founding in 1878, Stinson Morrison Hecker has continually evolved, and will continue to do so in January, when it merges with a Minnesota firm to become Stinson Leonard Street. It will have 525 lawyers in 14 cities, with legal services that include corporate finance, banking and financial services; energy, environment, mining and natural resources; real estate and construction; and litigation.
1201 Walnut St., Suite 2900, Kansas City, MO 64106
816.842.8600, Fax: 816.691.3495, www.stinson.com
Mark Hinderks, Managing Partner
Year Established: 1878 Revenue for 2012: $148,828,000
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 170 Partners in KC Area: 106
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 324 Number of Offices: 10
Primary Areas of Practice: Banking and financial services, corporate finance, energy & environmental, labor & employment, litigation, real estate, tax
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo
#5 Husch Blackwell
With offices in 17 cities, spanning six states, Washington D.C. and London, Husch Blackwell offers a full range of litigation services and expertise in business law. The firm helps clients manage risk, navigate regulatory and compliance issues, and create business infrastructures that provide a competitive advantage.
4801 Main St., Suite 1000, Kansas City, MO 64112
816.983.8000, Fax: 816.983.8080, www.huschblackwell.com
Maurice Watson, Chairman
Year Established: 1916 Revenue for 2012: $282,200,000
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 132 Partners in KC Area: 80
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 514 Number of Offices: 14
Primary Areas of Practice: Energy, financial services, food & agri-business, health care, industrial production, real estate and technology
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo. and St. Louis, Mo.
#6 Spencer Fane Britt & Browne
In the sweet spot between super-size and boutique firms, Spencer Fane Britt & Browne is a full-service firm that handles trial and appellate work in state, federal, and bankruptcy courts throughout the country. It operates in a broad range of legal concentrations.
1000 Walnut St., Suite 1400, Kansas City, MO 64106
816.474.8100, Fax: 816.474.3216, www.spencerfane.com
Patrick Whalen, Managing Partner
Year Established: 1952 Revenue for 2012: $43,330,000
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 76 Partners in KC Area: 46
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: DD Number of Offices: 6
Primary Areas of Practice: Bankruptcy & creditors’ rights, corporate, employee benefits, environmental, estate planning, financial services, governmental affairs, health care, IP, litigation and dispute resolution
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#7 Bryan Cave
A leading firm in business and litigation, Bryan Cave has global reach with a diverse client base, including businesses, financial institutions and not-for-profit organizations, government entities and individual clients. It has more than 1,100 lawyers and consulting professionals in 24 offices worldwide.
1200 Main St., Suite 3500, Kansas City, MO 64105
816.374.3200, Fax: 816.374.3300, www.bryancave.com
Larry Frazen, Managing Partner
Year Established: 1988
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 75 Partners in KC Area: 27
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 1,068 Number of Offices: 23
Primary Areas of Practice: Commercial litigation, bankruptcy, labor and employment, lending & business finance, life sciences, m&a, public finance, real estate, securities, trust & estates
Company Headquarters: St. Louis, Mo
#8 Dentons
The global firm Dentons traces its American lineage to 1906, with the founding of what would eventually become Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal. That firm merged in 2010 with a London-based firm that dates to colonial times. Now flying the banner of Dentons, the firm is now one of the world’s 10 largest, with offices in 79 cities in 52 countries around the world.
4520 Main St., Suite 1100, Kansas City, MO 64111
816.460.2400, Fax: 816.531.7545, www.dentons.com
John Snyder, Managing Partner
Year Established: 1994
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 51 Partners in KC Area: 27
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 2,580 Number of Offices: 79
Primary Areas of Practice: Corporate, litigation, real estate, IP/technology, labor law, insurance regulatory, energy & utility, tax, healthcare, white collar & government investigations
Company Headquarters: The firm operates without a headquarters structure.
#9 Wallace Saunders Austin Brown & Enochs
With practice groups covering business, health and worker’s compensation, as well as litigation services in professional and product liability, insurance and criminal law, Wallace Saunders has amassed a team of more than 50 lawyers practicing across the two-state region. Since its founding in 1963, the firm has grown to cover KC, Overland Park as well as Springfield, Mo., and Wichita, Kan.
10111 W. 87th St.., Overland Park, KS 66212
913.888.1000, Fax: 913.888.1065, www.wallacesaunders.com
Karl Kuckelman, Managing Partner
Year Established: 1963
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 43 Partners in KC Area: 31
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 56 Number of Offices: 3
Primary Areas of Practice: Litigation, insurance, professional liability, construction & design, transportation & trucking, employment, products liability, real estate, corporate, wills, trusts & estate planning, health care, banking
Company Headquarters: Overland Park, Kan.
#10 Seigfreid Bingham
Serving sectors in construction, equipment dealerships and associations, health care, restaurant and hospitality, sports and entertainment, trucking companies and dealers, the attorneys at Seigfreid Bingham operate in 17 key practice areas, from advertising/marketing law to technology law. Though a mid-size firm, it represents several prominent organizations in this market: Chiefs , Applebee’s, United Way, Helzberg Diamonds, Merrill Lynch, H&R Block and J.E. Dunn Construction Group.
911 Main St., Suite 2800, Kansas City, MO 64105
816.421.4460, Fax: 816.474.3447, www.seigfreidbingham.com
Joe Hiersteiner, Managing Director
Year Established: 1974
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 41 Partners in KC Area: 24
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 43 Number of Offices: 1
Primary Areas of Practice: Corporate, litigation, health care, employment, construction, estate planning, real estate, tax
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#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 St. Louis, 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.
#21 Sanders Warren & Russell
A strong client base of insurance companies—more than 50 brokers, in all—anchors a key segment of the workload at Sanders Warren & Russell, but insurance law is by no means all this Overland Park firm does. Its staff practices across a broad array of 15 business-law specialties, from construction law to product liability, tax planning to intellectual property and more. Founded in 1999, the firm also has offices in south Kansas City and Springfield, Mo.
9401 Indian Creek Pkwy., Suite 1250, Overland Park, KS 66210
913.234.6100, Fax: 913.234.6199, www.swrllp.com
William Sanders, Jr., Roger Warren, Bradley Russel, Management Committee
Year Established: 1999
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 24 Partners in KC Area: 14
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 30 Number of Offices: 3
Primary Areas of Practice: Litigation and corporate law
Company Headquarters: Overland Park, Kan.
#22 South & Associates
The industry shorthand is default-servicing, which means resolving difficult issues when a deal goes bad. That’s where South & Associates excels, offering services that cover foreclosure and bankruptcy, eviction, title resolution and loss mitigation, among others. Based in Overland Park, the firm also has offices in Wichita, St. Louis, Omaha and Des Moines, providing coverage that allows it to operate in every county of the four-state area.
6363 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS 66211
913.663.7600, Fax: 913.663.7899, www.southlaw.com
Alan South, Managing Attorney
Year Established: 1995 Revenue for 2012: $17,100,000
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 24 Partners in KC Area: 11
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 34 Number of Offices: 5
Primary Areas of Practice: Creditor’s rights
Company Headquarters: Overland Park, Kan.
#23 White, Goss, Bowers, March, Schulte & Weisenfels
Within the vital real-estate development arena, White Goss Bowers March Schulte & Weisenfels focuses on land use, economic-development incentives and real estate development and transactions. The firm, based in KC, also sports a strong suite of services for business litigation, conflict resolution, mergers and acquisitions, employment law and white collar criminal litigation. Among its clients are local firms like Kansas City Life, Commerce Bank, Waddell & Reed and Freightquote.
4510 Belleview, Suite 300, Kansas City, MO 64111
816.753.9200, Fax: 816.753.9201, www.whitegoss.com
Harold Goss, Managing Partner
Year Established: 2000
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 24 Partners in KC Area: 11
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 24 Number of Offices: 1
Primary Areas of Practice: Land use, zoning, real estate, corporate, litigation
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#24 Stueve Siegel Hanson
From business disputes involving large companies to consumer and securities fraud, personal injury and whistleblower protection, the lawyers at Stueve Siegel Hanson have secured hundreds of millions of dollars for their clients. It produces favorable settlements or awards large multinational concerns, like Seaboard Corp., as well as individuals in David-vs.-Goliath legal battles against big firms.
460 Nichols Road, Suite 200, Kansas City, MO 64112
816.714.7100, Fax: 816.714.7101, www.stuevesiegel.com
Patrick Stueve, Norman Siegel, George Hanson
Year Established: 2001
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 23 Partners in KC Area: 10
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 28 Number of Offices: 2
Practice Areas: Antitrust/breach of contract/IP/franchise disputes/fraud & mis-representation/RICO violations); consumer fraud; securities fraud; personal injury
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#25 Douthit Frets Rouse Gentile & Rhodes
Douthit Frets Rouse Gentile & Rhodes successfully navigates three areas of law. One pillar of that work involves catastrophic loss, involving things like transportation-related accidents or defective products; another is its construction, pre-paid card and commercial law practice, serving entrepreneurs, business owners and small- to mid-sized companies; and medical malpractice defense for hospitals, nursing homes, doctors, nurses and other health-care professionals.
5250 W. 116th Place, Suite 400, Overland Park, KS 66211
913.387.1600, Fax: 913.387.6400, www.dfrglaw.com
Evan Douthit, Managing Partner
Year Established: 1995
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 23 Partners in KC Area: 9
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 23 Number of Offices: 2
Primary Areas of Practice: Catastrophic loss, commercial law, medical malpractice
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#26 Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart
A national presence in employment law, the firm of Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart is based in the Southeast, co-headquartered in Atlanta and Greenville, S.C. But it maintains a strong presence in KC with its office on the Country Club Plaza. Workplace and labor issues are a staple of what the firm does, but it also has concentrations in construction law, higher education and sports and entertainment.
4520 Main St., Suite 400, Kansas City, MO 64111
816.471.1301, Fax: 816.471.1303, www.ogletreedeakins.com
Trina Le Riche, Managing Shareholder
Year Established: 2005
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 23 Partners in KC Area: 8
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 668 Number of Offices: 44
Primary Areas of Practice: Employment law, traditional labor relations, wage and hour, employee benefits, sports and entertainment
Company Headquarters: Greenville, S.C. & Atlanta, Ga.
#27 Franke, Schultz & Mullen
Corporate defense is the essence of what the lawyers from Franke Schultz & Mullen do. The KC firm has offices in St. Louis and Springfield and serves clients in commercial and business litigation to construction and employment law. Partners have tried more than 400 civil cases before juries. Clients include Phillips Petroleum, Shell Oil, Conoco-Phillips, Ford Motor Credit, Marriott and Domino’s Pizza.
8900 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64114
816.421.7100, Fax: 816.421.7915, www.fsmlawfirm.com
John Schultz, President
Year Established: 1992
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 22 Partners in KC Area: 14
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 26 Number of Offices: 3
Primary Areas of Practice: Commercial litigation, products liability, trucking and automobile litigation, construction litigation, insurance coverage
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#28 Rasmussen Willis Dickey & Moore
Founded in 1996, Rasmussen, Willis, Dickey & Moore serves as trial counsel on a nationwide basis for its clients in a broad range of lawsuits, including the defense of serious product liability and personal injury claims, medical and professional malpractice, commercial disputes, and employment and construction law cases.
9200 Ward Parkway, Suite 400, Kansas City, MO 64114
816.960.1611, Fax: 816.960.1669, www.rwdmlaw.com
Clay Dickey, Steve Moore, Partners
Year Established: 1996
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 22 Partners in KC Area: 11
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 22 Number of Offices: 2
Primary Areas of Practice: Insurance defense, with an emphasis on medical malpractice and asbestos cases.
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#29 Hovey Williams
Patents, Trademarks and All Things IP are the stock in trade for this Overland Park firm founded nearly 85 years ago. Copyright law, trade secrets and intellectual property litigation are also key services available to clients. The firm’s strong embrace of entrepreneurship runs to its founders, who hung up the shingle just weeks before the stock market crash of 1929 but nonetheless managed the firm’s rise throughout the Great Depression.
10801 Mastin St., Suite 1000, Overland Park, KS 66210
913.647.9050, Fax: 913.647.9057, www.hoveywilliams.com
Management Committee
Year Established: 1929
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 21 Partners in KC Area: 23
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 24 Number of Offices: 1
Primary Areas of Practice: Intellectual property
Company Headquarters: Overland Park, Kan.
#30 Payne & Jones
Payne & Jones is among the larger full-service Kansas law firms operating in Johnson County, and its impressive roster of practice areas shows that’s not an idle boast: Nearly 50 aspects of business, family and criminal law offer strong assurances that individual or corporate clients will find what they need to meet their legal challenges. Its broad areas of practice include business law, family law and estate planning, litigation and personal injury cases, and real-estate law.
11000 King, Overland Park, KS 66211
913.469.4100 , Fax: 913.469.8182, www.paynejones.com
Jodee Olson Lanning, Managing Officer
Year Established: 1926
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 21 Partners in KC Area: 16
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 21 Number of Offices: 1
Practice Areas: Civil litigation; business; estates, trusts and probate, domestic
Company Headquarters: Overland Park, Kan.
#31 Dysart Taylor Cotter McMonigle & Montemore
Dysart Taylor serves a broad caseload in business law. It handles cases involving transportation, financial services, construction, insurance, labor law, intellectual property, tax law and real estate law, but also works in appellate law and in arbitration and mediation.
4420 Madison Ave., Suite 200, Kansas City, MO 64111
816.931.2700, Fax: 816.931.7377, www.dysarttaylor.com
John Wilcox, Managing Director
Year Established: 1934
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 21 Partners in KC Area: 15
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 21 Number of Offices: 1
Primary Areas of Practice: Aviation; business & corporate; commercial & bankruptcy; construction; estate planning & probate; tax, insurance and IP law, labor law, litigation & dispute resolution; product liability, transportation
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#32 Fisher, Patterson, Sayler & Smith
One of Topeka’s oldest and largest firms, Fisher Patterson Sayler & Smith has evolved from a general practice firm to offer a robust lineup of business-law expertise. It handles financial services and civil rights cases, bankruptcies, construction litigation, government liability, medical malpractice, product and professional liability, insurance law and deals in real-estate and zoning law, among others.
3550 S.W. Fifth St., Topeka, KS 66601
785.232.7761, Fax: 785.232.6604, www.fisherpatterson.com
Justice King, Managing Partner
Year Established: 1909
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 21 Partners in KC Area: 12
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 20 Number of Offices: 2
Primary Areas of Practice: Insurance defense litigation, governmental liability defense, employment & civil rights litigation, medical malpractice defense (physicians, allied practitioners, long-term care)
Company Headquarters: Topeka, Kan.
#33 Morrow Willnauer Klosterman Church
Headquartered in Kansas City, with an office in Omaha, Morrow Willnauer Klosterman Church is more than a regional firm; it also represents clients nationwide—whether they’re companies, local governments or individuals—with services in civil litigation, workers’ compensation and corporate law. The firm’s member lawyers have taken part in more than 150 jury trials, and more than 200 workers’ compensation and bench trials.
10401 Holmes, Suite 300, Kansas City, MO 64131
816.382.1382, Fax: 816.382.1383, www.mwklaw.com
James Morrow, Managing Member
Year Established: 1999
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 21 Partners in KC Area: 8
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 21 Number of Offices: 3
Primary Areas of Practice: Business litigation, casualty litigation, workers compensation, tax, estate planning
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#34 Dunn & Davison
Dunn & Davison specializes not just in the boilerplate cases of business law involving banking and financial services, bankruptcy and creditor’s rights or employment law, but in more complex cases, like those involving catastrophic loss, product liability and even railroad regulatory issues. One of the youngest of the region’s large firms—it was founded in 2009—the firm touts its mix of young innovators and experienced legal professionals.
1100 Walnut St., Suite 2900, Kansas City, MO 64106
816.292.7600, Fax: 816.292.7601, www.dunndavison.com
Brian Dunn, Jeff Davison, Managing Partners
Year Established: 2009 Revenue for 2012: $5,363,000
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 21 Partners in KC Area: 6
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 26 Number of Offices: 8
Primary Areas of Practice: Construction law, business transactions, banking law, ERISA, employment law, estate planning
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#35 Horn Aylward & Bandy
Key members of Horn Aylward & Bandy started their firm in 1999. The KC firm
has 19 lawyers and five paralegals working in nine practice areas, with a heavy emphasis on litigation. Their primary focus areas are civil and business litigation, class-action cases, employment law and insurance defense, medical malpractice cases and actions involving nursing homes and long-term care providers, product and professional liability, construction, transportation and health-care law.
2600 Grand Blvd., Suite 1100, Kansas City, MO 64108
816.421.0700, Fax: 816.421.0899, www.hab-law.com
Management Committee
Year Established: 1999
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 20 Partners in KC Area: 12
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 20 Number of Offices: 1
Practice Areas: Civil, business litigation, class-action, business and insurance law
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#36 Baty Holm Numrich & Otto
Litigation expertise defines the staff at Baty Holm Numrich & Otto, which specializes in civil litigation, cases involving workers’ compensation claims, and general business law. Within those broad areas, its staff will deal with claims involving personal injury, professional liability, or construction defects, employment law, product liability and more. Headquartered in Kansas City, the firm also has offices in suburban St. Louis and Springfield and in Shawnee.
4600 Madison Ave., Suite 210, Kansas City, MO 64112
816.531.7200, Fax: 816.531.7201, www.batyholm.com
Lee Baty, Managing Partner
Year Established: 1929
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 20 Partners in KC Area: 9
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: N/A Number of Offices: 4
Primary Areas of Practice: Civil litigation, workers compensation, business law
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#37 Slagle Bernard & Gorman
Launched in 1936 after a Houston-based firm pulled out of the KC market, Slagle, Bernard & Gorman is a full-service personal, business and litigation firm. The business practice areas include corporate law, business formation, estate planning, partnerships, finance, acquisitions/dispositions, securities, real estate, tax exempt organizations, pension and profit-sharing and employee benefits. The litigation side is experienced in construction, contract disputes, antitrust, securities law, corporate officer and director liability, bankruptcy, employment, federal and state tax litigation.
4600 Madison Ave., Suite 600, Kansas City, MO 64112
816.410.4600, Fax: 816.561.4498, www.sbg-law.com
Executive Committee
Year Established: 1936
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 19 Partners in KC Area: 15
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 19 Number of Offices: 1
Primary Areas of Practice: Full-service personal, business and litigation firm
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#38 Walters Bender Strohbehn & Vaughan
Since its founding in 1991, the firm of Walters, Bender, Strohbehn & Vaughan has been represented clients in hundreds of jury trials, bench trials and arbitrations across the country. The trial practice runs broad and deep, covering class actions, securities litigation, premises and product liability, anti-trust violations, insurance law, personal injury, construction law, complex trust litigation, patent and copyright litigation, and medical and professional negligence.
1100 Main St., Suite 2500, Kansas City, MO 64105
816.421.6620, Fax: 816.421.4747, www.wbsvlaw.com
Fred Walters, Managing Shareholder
Year Established: 1991
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 19 Partners in KC Area: 9
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 19 Number of Offices: 1
Primary Areas of Practice: Litigation services
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#39 Blake & Uhlig
Labor law defines the practice of Blake & Uhlig, where the caseload reflects the firm’s commitment to advancing and protecting labor rights. That means representing labor organizations governed by the National Labor Relations Act and public-sector labor laws, with services that include work in federal and state courts, in arbitration and before government agencies that form a rich brew of alphabet soup: NLRA, FAA, FLSA, OSHA, WARN, LMRDA, UAA, ADA, ADEA and Title VII. The firm also provides guidance on internal governance for union clients.
753 State Ave., Suite 475, Kansas City, KS 66101
913.321.8884, Fax: 913.321.2396, www.blake-uhlig.com
Robert Henry, Partner
Year Established: 1972
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 19 Partners in KC Area: 7
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 19 Number of Offices: 2
Primary Areas of Practice: Labor law and employee benefits
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Kan.
#40 Rouse Hendricks German May
Financial services, construction, energy, health care, insurance, manufacturing, telecommunications—the business clients of Rouse Hendricks German May hail from those sectors and others, but the firm’s representation isn’t limited to big business. Private companies, and small start-ups are as likely to be found on the client roster as are major corporations, domestic and international, and not-for-profit organizations, whether as plaintiffs or defendants.
1201 Walnut St., 20th Floor, Kansas City, MO 64106
816.471.7700, Fax: 816.471.2221, www.rhgm.com
Kris Riddell, Office Manager
Year Established: 1992 Revenue for 2012: $7,000,000
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 17 Partners in KC Area: 10
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 17 Number of Offices: 1
Primary Areas of Practice: Business litigation
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#41 Evans & Mullinix
Large corporations and small businesses alike can be found on the client roster for Evans and Mullinix, a nearly 40-year-old Shawnee firm that deals with business and financial services law, real-estate law and family law. In addition, the firm’s lawyers handle bankruptcy cases and provide estate planning, as well as litigation services.
7225 Renner Road, Suite 200, Shawnee, KS 66217
913.962.8700, Fax: 913.962.8701, www.evans-mullinix.com
Richard Wallace, President
Year Established: 1974
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 16 Partners in KC Area: 12
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 16 Number of Offices: 1
Practice Areas: Business, financial services, tax, real estate and family law
Company Headquarters: Shawnee, Kan.
#42 Humphrey Farrington McClain
Humphrey Farrington McClain has been involved in some of the biggest insurance settlements and jury-delivered damage awards in Missouri history, and handles a wide range of personal-injury cases as well as a business law caseload.
221 W. Lexington Ave #400, Independence, MO 64050
816.836.5050, Fax: 816.836.8966, www.hfmlegal.com
Rachelle Johnson, Office Manager
Year Established: 1984
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 16 Partners in KC Area: 10
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 16 Number of Offices: 1
Primary Areas of Practice: Personal injury settlements and litigation; business law, sex-abuse litigation, trusts and estates
Company Headquarters: Independence, Mo.
#43 Swanson Midgley
One of KC’s oldest law firms, Swanson Midgley was founded in 1886 and has found a formula for success by excelling in business law, estate planning and litigation. The business law practice encompasses a wide range of concentrations: banking and finance, corporate finance, real estate and tax and intellectual property law. It supports those areas with a robust litigation section that covers 20 specialties.
4600 Madison Ave., Suite 1100, Kansas City, MO 64112
816.842.6100, Fax: 816.842.0013, www.swansonmidgley.com
James Freeman III, Managing Member
Year Established: 1886
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 16 Partners in KC Area: 8
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 16 Number of Offices: 1
Primary Areas of Practice: Bankruptcy, corporate, estate planning, domestic, commercial litigation
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#44 Martin, Pringle, Oliver, Wallace & Bauer
Another Wichita-based firm, Martin Pringle, maintains a strong presence in Kansas City, with offices near the Country Club Plaza and in Overland Park. A full-service firm—its slogan is “Yes, we do that”—Martin Pringle is a general civil, trial and appellate practice. Among its varied areas of expertise are aviation law, business and commercial law, employment law, banking, creditor’s rights, medical malpractice defense, environmental, insurance and energy law.
6900 College Blvd., Suite 700, Overland Park, KS 66211
913.491.5500, Fax: 913.491.3341, www.martinpringle.com
Scott Tschudy, Attorney/Executive Committee Member
Year Established: 1996
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 15 Partners in KC Area: 9
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 45 Number of Offices: 3
Primary Areas of Practice: Full-service law firm with extensive business concentrations
Company Headquarters: Wichita, Kan.
#45 Schlee Huber McMullen & Krause
Varied practice areas, including business litigation, employment law, insurance law, personal injury and product liability litigation, and real-estate and insurance law. The founding partners, all with big-firm experience, pride themselves on use of technology and their ability to control overhead costs to give clients the kind of service they might expect of the biggest firms, at affordable rates.
4050 Pennsylvania, Suite 300, Kansas City, MO 64111
913.931.3500, Fax: 913.931.3553, www.schleehuber.com
David Schlee, President
Year Established: 1998
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 15 Partners in KC Area: 8
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 15 Number of Offices: 1
Primary Areas of Practice: Business, labor, real estate and insurance law, personal injury/product liability litigation, environmental law
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#46 Van Osdol & Magruder
Van Osdol & Magruder bills itself as “The Biggest Little Law Firm in Kansas City” because it tackles a wide array of business law disciplines, estate planning and probate services and work for nonprofit organizations, all with a comparatively compact staff of lawyers. Among its concentrations are entrepreneurial & IP law, family, labor and real estate law, and litigation services.
911 Main St., Suite 2400, Kansas City, MO 64105
816.421.0644, Fax: 816.421.0758, www.vomer.com
Tom Willy, President
Year Established: 1940
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 14 Partners in KC Area: 10
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 15 Number of Offices: 2
Primary Areas of Practice: Business, estate planning, probate, non-profit law
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#47 Foulston Siefkin
Headquartered in Wichita, where it’s one of the biggest firms in the state’s biggest city, Foulston Siefkin covers the waterfront with nearly 50 practice areas, the vast majority of which fall under the broad category of business law. Consequently, it has a diverse client base—from individuals and emerging businesses to Fortune 500 companies—in sectors vital to the Kansas economy: aerospace, agribusiness, construction, energy, education, financial services, health care, manufacturing, retail, real estate, and technology sectors.
1551 N. Waterfront Parkway, Suite 100, Wichita, KS 67206
316.267.6371, Fax: 316.267.6345, www.foulston.com
James Oliver, Partner-in-Charge
Year Established: 2001
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 14 Partners in KC Area: 9
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 80 Number of Offices: 3
Primary Areas of Practice: Full-service business law firm
Company Headquarters: Wichita, Kan.
#48 Holbrook & Osborn
Holbrook & Osborn serves individuals, corporations and governmental units across Kansas, Missouri and the Midwest, providing legal and litigation services. Practice areas include administrative, banking, construction, employment litigation, family, civil-rights, health-care, insurance, real-estate, zoning laws and regulations.
7400 W. 110th St., Suite 600, Overland Park, KS 66210
913.342.2500, Fax: 913.342.0603, www.holbrookosborn.com
Janet Simpson, President
Year Established: 1980
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 14 Partners in KC Area: 9
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 18 Number of Offices: 2
Primary Areas of Practice: Full-service business law firm, Insurance defense, medical malpractice, general liability, labor, construction, banking, municipality, general corporate law, and health care.
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#49 Shaffer Lombardo Shurin
Founded in 1994, Shaffer Lombardo Shurin is a multi-specialty firm with lawyers who practice in diverse concentrations for defendants and plaintiffs alike. It handles complex litigation and individual client needs, and has been involved in cases with millions of dollars in
damages at stake.
911 Main Street, Suite 2000, Kansas City, MO 64105
816.931.0500, Fax: 816.931.5775, www.sls-law.com
Sharlyne Narr, Office Manager
Year Established: 1994
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 14 Partners in KC Area: 7
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 14 Number of Offices: 1
Primary Areas of Practice: Litigation, administrative and business law, real estate and health-care law, estate planning services
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
#50 Barber Emerson (tie)
Lawrence-based Barber Emerson will celebrate 80 years in practice next year, a relatively compact firm of 13 lawyers whose expertise covers a whopping 34 practice areas: from baseline business concerns of banking, construction, commercial real estate lending, planning, zoning and tax-increment financing, to personal needs such as family law, estate planning and probate services—even criminal law is in the lineup of this firm’s services.
1211 Massachusetts, Lawrence, KS 66044
785.843.6600, Fax: 785.843.8405, www.barberemerson.com
Calvin Karlin, Managing Partner
Year Established: 1934
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 13 Partners in KC Area: 9
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 13 Number of Offices: 1
Primary Areas of Practice: Estate planning, real estate, banking
Company Headquarters: Lawrence, Kan.
#50 Levy Craig Law Firm (tie)
With 11 practice areas, the Levy Craig Law Firm is a full-service operation that covers fundamental business-law sectors like banking, construction, real estate, M&A, but it also has staked out a presence in family law, trusts and estates, and has a significant litigation practice, as well. Now nearly 90 years old, the firm assists individuals and small and large business corporate law matters.
1301 Oak St., Suite 500, Kansas City, MO 64106
816.474.8181, Fax: 816.471.2186, www.levycraig.com
Robert Pitkin, President
Year Established: 1925
Number of Lawyers in KC Area: 13 Partners in KC Area: 9
Number of Lawyers Firm-Wide: 13 Number of Offices: 3
Primary Areas of Practice: Real estate, banking, surety, construction, corporate, family law
Company Headquarters: Kansas City, Mo.
Methodology
Ingram’s first effort to identify the largest law firms in the region started with the same in-house research that produces our annual published list of the Top 25 firms in the area. We supplemented that with other sources of information available on-line, conducted reviews of known law firms’ Web sites to identify likely candidates for consideration, and directly contacted firms to gather their key numbers for lawyers on staff at year-end, numbers of partners (used as a tie-breaker) and other information. As a first effort, we believe it to be a comprehensive accounting of the biggest firms, but we can’t exclude the possibility that some firms that belong on this list aren’t included here. If so, please call us at 816.268.6402, or e-mail Editorial@Ingrams.com, so we can ensure the integrity of our 2014 update to this important roster.
