News
Two Experienced Litigators Join Berkowitz Oliver
Two attorneys have recently joined Berkowitz Oliver. Jim Humphrey joined the firm as a partner on September 3. Jim is an experienced trial attorney who comes to the firm from his previous position as a Senior Trial Attorney in the Division of Enforcement at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. At the CFTC, Jim investigated violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC regulations, including in the areas of solicitation fraud and Ponzi schemes, virtual currency investments, foreign-exchange fraud, spoofing, manipulation, insider …
Read More >Tom Schult Named Top Missouri Attorney for 2019
Tom Schult was recently featured as the top Missouri Attorney in the Top 100 Lawyers of 2019, published by the Top 100 Registry . The Top 100 Registry is the leading publisher of professional biographies in the world. It is printed quarterly and features 100 of the most accomplished individuals in a range of professions. It features individuals from 112 countries and all 50 states.
Read More >Berkowitz Oliver Wins Class Certification Battle in Hotly Contested Sexual Harassment Case in Chicago
On August 22, 2019, Judge Robert M. Dow, Jr., of the Northern District of Illinois denied class certification in Van, et al. v. Ford Motor Company, 2019 WL 3976370. The Berkowitz Oliver team defending Ford Motor Company included Kathy Nemechek , Tim Millman , Jocelyn Villanueva , Sharon Stallbaumer , and Steve Bledsoe . A previous class action against Ford Motor Company had been brought in 1998 by the same plaintiffs’ counsel and was certified.
Read More >Morris Named Lawyer of the Year for Bet-the-Company Litigation; Five Other Attorneys Named by Best Lawyers in America
Six Berkowitz Oliver attorneys have been named to The Best Lawyers in America© for 2020. In addition, Jeff Morris was named the Best Lawyers® 2020 Bet-the-Company Litigation “Lawyer of the Year” for Kansas City, Missouri. The honored Berkowitz Oliver attorneys for 2020 are: Christina Wahl , for Criminal Defense: White Collar; Jeff Morris , for Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: General, and Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Shazzie Naseem , for Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White-Collar; David Oliver , for Commercial Litigation and Product Liability Litigation-Defendants; Tom Schult , for Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, …
Read More >Bledsoe Presents on Salary Negotiation in Legal Field
Partner Steve Bledsoe recently participated in a panel discussion regarding salary negotiation in the legal field. The panel followed a “Work Smart” presentation created by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), and co-sponsored by the Association for Women Lawyers of Kansas City and the Women’s Foundation. The workshop at KCMBA headquarters was designed to teach women how to determine their market worth and empower them to advocate for fair and equal pay. The AAUW aims to train ten million women, across multiple fields, in salary negotiation by the year 2022. …
Read More >Christina Wahl Publishes Article on Grand Jury Abuse
Partner Christina Wahl has an article published in the May 2019 issue of the Journal of the Kansas Bar . Her article discusses the recent decisions of State v. Turner and State v. Henry & Sons Construction Company, Inc., in which the indictments were dismissed for grand jury abuse. Ms. Wahl worked extensively on both cases. These cases provide critical guidance to prosecutors for conducting a fair grand jury proceeding, and for defense counsel analyzing whether there has been grand jury abuse. The article is located at …
Read More >Jennifer Wieland Speaks to Middle Schoolers on Being an Attorney
Jennifer Wieland participated in Career Day at Monticello Trails Middle School in Shawnee, Kansas, on March 8, 2019. She presented to students on how to become an attorney, and what being an attorney is like. The topics in her presentation included what do lawyers do all day, what kinds of lawyers are there, and tips for students who are thinking of going to law school.
Read More >Shaw and Gilman Speak at UMKC Black Law Student Association Event
Partners John Shaw and Stacey Gilman were the featured speakers at a Lunch and Learn event sponsored by the Black Law Student Association of the University of Missouri-Kansas City on March 6, 2019. Shaw was 2019 Kansas City Lawyer of the Year for Litigation Securities, and practices in a variety of commercial, products liability, and securities matters. Gilman has practiced for over twenty years in the areas of intellectual property, advertising, unfair competition, class action matters, and other business litigation.
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