I do this job because I like it. I like helping my clients and improving people's lives, sometimes beyond the confines of an individual case. And every so often Plaintiff's attorneys get to tilt at windmills. I cannot imagine working on the other side of the fence, defending corporations and representing insurance companies whose job is to say "No". While there certainly are frustrations in the practice of law no matter who you represent, at the end of the day I always go home feeling good about what I do. I think that enthusiasm carries over to the relationship I establish with my clients. While things can get hectic in my practice, just as they have in your life, I am always there to talk to. Because the firm's practice is not based on the quantity of files handled but instead focuses on the quality of each representation, our entire staff can devote the attention to detail that you and your case need.

As a result of the way we practice law I have worked on some challenging cases, met some interesting people and made some good friends. Perhaps because I was in the right place in the right time I have become involved in firearms litigation throughout the country. I have been honored to serve on the boards of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, the Attorneys Information Exchange Group and Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, three organizations which look out for the rights of consumers and victims in Missouri and nationwide. And I have been privileged to represent some very fine people: a father and son who will each spend the rest of their lives in wheelchairs because they were paralyzed in separate accidents as a result of negligence of others; a man who lost his livelihood as a result of a gun shot wound and took it upon himself to educate others about this dangerous product; and countless fathers and mothers who do the best they can to support their families and improve their lives despite suffering serious injuries.

I grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri, earned three degrees in Columbia at the University of Missouri, practiced law in Springfield, Missouri for 15 years and now reside in the Kansas City area with my wife and three children. In addition to bouncing around Missouri, I have also lived outside the state in the Chicago and Phoenix areas which gave me an appreciation for Missouri common sense and values. My background allows me to bring a practical midwestern approach to the practice of law that I think is of great benefit to my clients. If you want to know about my educational and professional background, the articles I have published, the lectures I have given, the courses I have taught, and any other material that might appear on my resume, that information is available below. However, I would rather that you spend the time talking with me because that is the best way to learn what this firm can do for you.

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