Pat has over 15 years of experience successfully representing employers in employment litigation including administrative proceedings, jury trials, collective actions, arbitration, mediation and appeals of matters involving discrimination, harassment or retaliation based on sex, race, religion, national origin, age, disability, military status and claims under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Fair Labor Standards Act, non-compete and other employment agreements. Pat also provides proactive counseling and training to clients regarding the full spectrum of employment laws ranging from hiring to discharge, including employment policies and handbooks, wage and hour and overtime exemptions and compliance, drug testing, non-solicitation and severance agreements, executive employment contracts, employee privacy, workplace violence, the FMLA, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, the WARN Act, the Genetic Information Non Discrimination Act, the National Labor Relations Act, union avoidance and state laws across the country.
Pat is certified as a mediator, meeting the requirements of Missouri Rule 17. He is also a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, where he earned a Bronze Star.
Awards & Recognitions
· Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent
· Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, Employment & Labor Law, 2007, 2010-2011
· Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Outstanding CLE Contributor, 2009
Professional Associations & Memberships
· The American Legion
· Defense Research Institute
· Kansas Bar Association
· Lee's Summit Chamber of Commerce
· Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
· The Missouri Bar
· Veterans of Foreign Wars
· West Point Society of Greater Kansas City
· Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Chair, Labor & Employment Law
Committee, 2009
Civic Involvement
· The Children's Place, Board Member, 2000-2005
· University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law Alumni Association
· West Point Field Force Officer
Experience
· Represented telecommunications client in nationwide age discrimination collective action involving thousands of plaintiffs; deposed numerous opt-in plaintiffs; defended depositions of over 20 officers, directors, in-house attorneys and human resource personnel; handled special master hearings; assisted with discovery, motion practice and expert testimony and depositions
· Developed and coordinated national strategy for defense of multiple, multi-state actions involving restrictive covenants, non-competes and trade secrets for payroll services client in actions instituted by a competitor
· Represented nursing home client in multiple consolidated race harassment actions
· Defended multi-plaintiff Migrant Farm Agriculture Workers Protection Act actions
News & Publications
News
10.19.11, Super Lawyers 2011 Names 71 Husch Blackwell Attorneys from Missouri and Nebraska; an Additional 15 Listed as Rising Stars
10.13.10, Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers 2010 Names 64 Husch Blackwell Attorneys; An Additional 20 Listed as Rising Stars
Publications
2.7.12, Department of Labor Proposes More FMLA Leave for Military Families
8.1.11, Know the Score on ADA, Thinking Bigger Business
10.1.07, Protecting Employees and Your Company: It's no secret that employee privacy lawsuits pose a devastating risk to employers, Kansas City Small Business Monthly
3.1.07, Accommodating Business: Don't Let Your Business Be Disabled by Disability Lawsuits, Kansas City Small Business Monthly
3.1.07, Begin at the Beginning to Build Your World Class Workforce Legally, AON Newsletter
12.1.06, To Employ or to Contract? That is the Question, Kansas City Small Business Monthly
5.1.05, Military Leave Marches on with Changes, Springfield Business Journal
12.1.04, Navigating the Stormy Seas of Employee Leave, The Kansas City Star
Events
10.12.11, Labor & Employment Seminar
Kansas City, MO
Seminar
9.28.10, Labor & Employment Seminar
Kansas City, MO
Seminar
8.1.10, Don't Pay Cash for Clunkers, Missouri SHRM Conference
Osage Beach, MO
Speaking Engagement
9.17.09, Labor & Employment Seminar
Kansas City, MO
Seminar
9.1.09, The ADA Amendments Act of 2008, NBI, Overland Park, KS
Speaking Engagement
9.25.08, Labor & Employment Seminar
Kansas City, MO
Seminar
2.1.08, When Residents Harass, AHLA Long Term Care Conference
Speaking Engagement
8.1.06, Curtailing Legal Challenges that Arise from Protected Absenteeism when Untangling FMLA, ADA, PDA and Workers' Comp Laws, Council on Education in Management
Speaking Engagement