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Lathrop Gage Recognized as a Leading Law Firm by Chambers USA

5/3/2018

Lathrop Gage Recognized as a Leading Law Firm by Chambers USA

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (May 3, 2018) – Chambers USA, the producer of an annual client guide to America’s leading lawyers, recognized 21 Lathrop Gage attorneys who received honors for their respective practice areas. The firm was also honored for its strong practices in the categories of Missouri Environment, Missouri Real Estate, Missouri Labor & Employment, Kansas and Missouri Corporate/Mergers and Acquisitions, Missouri Intellectual Property and Missouri Litigation.

The Lathrop Gage attorneys and practice areas were recognized based on Chambers’ research of the firm’s strengths, significant work, and current clients. Chambers’ staff collectively conducted thousands of interviews with lawyers and clients to complete this year’s research.

The attorneys recognized include:

William G. Beck (Missouri, Environment) is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. According to Chambers, he “remains a key figure in environmental litigation, noted especially for his Superfund output, liability cases and class action work. He is also well versed in waste management and landfill issues, successfully representing clients in cleanup, advisory matters, procurement of licenses and natural resource damage disputes.”

Scott Beeler (Kansas, Litigation) focuses on complex business litigation with emphasis in all phases of commercial, land use, real estate, development, construction, multi-party and business transactional matters.

Mark A. Bluhm (Missouri, Corporate/M&A) is the firm’s Chairman and Executive Committee member. According to Chambers, “Mark holds a depth of business and corporate experience involving stock and asset acquisitions and dispositions, equity and debt capital mandates and more general corporate and M&A matters.” His practice comprises providing legal advice in connection with clients’ business transactions and business matters in areas of corporate law, mergers and acquisitions and strategic alliances.

Jean Paul Bradshaw II (Missouri, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations) is the Partner in Charge of the firm’s Kansas City office. According to Chambers, he is “highly regarded, particularly for his white-collar criminal defense expertise. Here, he frequently advises major clients on a range of litigious matters, especially those pertaining to the healthcare and agribusiness industries. Sources praise him as a ‘nice guy, he’s got good connections in town and is a very good lawyer.’”

Nancy Sher Cohen (California and Nationwide, Insurance Recovery and Counseling) leads the firm’s Insurance Recovery and Counseling team and is the Partner in Charge of the firm’s Los Angeles office. She has “considerable experience handling coverage disputes. Her areas of expertise include environmental issues, property damage and professional liability matters,” according to Chambers.

Don F. Dagenais (Missouri, Real Estate) “has a wealth of experience handling real estate matters, including acquisitions and dispositions, leases, financing and development projects. His expertise encompasses the residential, retail industrial and healthcare sectors,” says Chambers.

Giulio A. DeConti Jr. (Massachusetts, Intellectual Property) is the firm’s Intellectual Property division chair and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. He “advises pharmaceutical, biotechnology and chemical companies on the strategic management of IP portfolios. His areas of strength include commercial agreements, validity opinion matters and patent prosecution needs,” says Chambers.

J.A. “Jay” Felton (Missouri, Litigation) is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and leads the firm’s Agribusiness team. He has 20 years of experience and predominantly concentrates his litigation efforts on complex product liability cases and consumer class actions. According to Chambers, “clients appreciate that ‘he is tremendously customer service-oriented.’ One particularly satisfied client enthuses: ‘He’s been fantastic, he is incredibly practical. It’s hard for me to think of someone I would want on a product liability case more than Jay, he’s whip-smart and you know he has the company’s best interests in mind.’”  

William F. Ford (Missouri, Environment) is co-leader of the firm’s Environmental practice. “He enjoys a good reputation for his litigation skills and in environmental cases, regularly and successfully representing his clients in class actions, toxic tort issues and insurance coverage prosecution. His broad experience also covers Superfund-related matters including liability and remediation cases,” according to Chambers.

Cameron Garrison (Missouri, Intellectual Property) leads the firm as its Manager Partner and chairs the firm’s Executive Committee. He has significant experience in high-stakes patent, trademark, false advertising, copyright and trade secret litigation.

Janice E. Hetland (Missouri, Real Estate) has a national practice representing investors, developers and lenders on real estate transactions with an emphasis in tax credit transactions. She “is widely recognized as an expert in tax credit financing, and interviewees also describe her as ‘very efficient and good.’ She is skilled at steering clients through sophisticated financing transactions making use of complex development incentives,” says Chambers.

Rosalee M. McNamara (Missouri, Labor & Employment) is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. She “remains a key labor and employment figure in the market, and is sought after by multinational clients for her wide-ranging expertise in matters such as discrimination cases, harassment cases and unfair dismissal suits,” says Chambers. She represents businesses and organizations in employment and litigation matters, and has successfully defended – from charge to jury verdict – a wide array of lawsuits including collective actions.

Joseph W. Medved (Missouri, Corporate/M&A) focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and business transactions. He “is able to utilize his extensive knowledge to represent both publicly trading and private equity clients. His well-regarded practice has seen him engage in bond issuances and other bank financings, asset purchases and sales, joint ventures and other corporate finance matters,” says Chambers.

Jessica E. Merrigan (Missouri, Environment) is co-leader of the firm’s Environmental practice. According to Chambers, she is a “renowned Superfund litigator and is described by markets sources as ‘a star, and her star is still rising.’ Her broad practice encompasses remediations, injunctive relief matters, and managing clients’ nationwide compliance disclosures. More recently, she has developed an expertise in chemical regulation and cleanup cases where ‘her reputation is just stellar.’”

Jared M. Minkoff (Missouri, Real Estate) has experience in all aspects of development and finance. He “is known as a proficient practitioner and is especially renowned for his expertise in tax credit financing. Sources say he is ‘very capable with new market tax credits,’ and he also offers expertise in low-income housing and historic tax credits. He also advises clients on real estate development, financing and leasing,” says Chambers.

Lyle D. Pishny (Kansas, Corporate/M&A) who has a Master of Laws in Taxation, advises clients on a range of business, tax and wealth planning strategies. He “is recommended for his broad corporate knowledge, regularly aiding clients with M&A and corporate governance. Further noted strength lies in his representation of tax-exempt organizations. Clients consider him to be a ‘wonderful’ and ‘experienced’ attorney,” says Chambers.

Jerry D. Riffel (Missouri, Real Estate) is a member of the Real Estate Practice group, and is in charge of its Public Law Team. According to Chambers, he “is ‘very effective’ at securing land use approvals, say sources. He also offers counsel on economic development incentives pertaining to real estate development. Commentators highlight his vast network of contacts with key decision makers in Kansas City and also describe him as ‘a creative thinker.’”

Bridget Romero (Missouri, Labor & Employment Law) focuses on labor and employment law. She regularly counsels business owners, HR professionals and in-house lawyers on a full range of matters, including performance management and HR best practices, employment and separation agreements, wage and hour/FLSA classifications, sick leave laws, drug testing policies, and cutting-edge matters, including LGBTQ issues in the workplace and ban-the-box legislation.

Jack D. Rowe (Missouri, Labor & Employment) “is hailed by market commentators as ‘a terrific guy, probably the most professional and decent lawyer I’ve dealt with.’ His broad-ranging practice sees him advise clients on collective bargaining agreements, discrimination lawsuits and national class actions, among other matters,” says Chambers.

Thomas A. Ryan (Missouri, Environment) is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. He is “well regarded for his technical and litigious abilities, which he puts to good use, most notably in significant Superfund matters for waste management and transportation clients. His litigation capabilities also encompass toxic tort matters, insurance coverage and environment-related class actions,” according to Chambers.

David A. Shorr (Missouri, Environment) serves as Partner in Charge of the firm’s Jefferson City and Columbia, Missouri, offices. “He is ‘a highly regarded environmental lawyer’ noted for his regulatory prowess particularly in matters pertaining to water, renewable energy and conservation. He frequently represents clients, often from the infrastructure and manufacturing industries, in obtaining water and air permits and other compliance matters,” says Chambers.

About Lathrop Gage

Lathrop Gage is a law firm whose clients form the backbone of our economy.  Our attorneys provide strategic guidance in litigation, business and intellectual property law, with deep knowledge and experience in the industries we serve.  We work as one integrated team from offices across the country to help our clients see beyond immediate challenges to achieve their most important objectives.  For more information, visit www.lathropgage.com