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News
Ken Peterson named Leading Complex Litigation Attorney in Kansas
Ken M. Peterson of The Law Offices of Morris Laing has been chosen as the recipient of the 2013 Corporate International Magazine Legal Award for the Leading Complex Litigation Attorney in Kansas.
Ken Peterson Featured in The Wichita Eagle Newspaper
To view the article, A Conversation with Ken Peterson, that appeared on Sunday, February 17, 2013, click here.
Ribbon Cutting Celebrating Morris Laing’s First Anniversary at Current Wellington, FL Location
On Wednesday March 21, 2012 at 9:30 am the Wellington, FL Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Ribbon Cutting to commemorate Morris Laing’s first anniversary at their location, 12300 South Shore Boulevard, Suite 210. Chamber members, as well as the general public, are invited to attend this event and enjoy a Continental Breakfast following the ribbon cutting.
Morris Laing Attorneys Included in Best Lawyers in America 2012
Robert K. Anderson in the area of Trusts & Estates
Jeffery L. Carmichael in the areas of Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Robert I. Guenthner in the area of Trusts & Estates
Richard F. Hayse in the areas of Corporate Law, Litigation- Banking & Finance, Real Estate Law and Trusts & Estates
John W. Johnson in the areas of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Luke Sobba in the area of Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law
William D. Sorensen, Jr. in the areas of Bankruptcy & Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency & Reorganization Law and Litigation- Bankruptcy
Roger L. Theis in the area of Real Estate Law
Roger N. Walter in the area of Securities / Capital Markets Law
Diane S. Worth in the areas of Employment Law- Individuals and Employment Law- Management
Since its inception in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. (Copyright 2011 by Woodard/.White, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.).
Jury Returns Verdict in Excess of 1.3 Million Dollars
On August 26, 2011, and in a highly contested liability case, attorney John W. Johnson of the firm obtained a jury verdict for a local family in the amount of $1,361,235.71. The case was tried in Colby, Thomas County, Kansas and involved an intersection collision between a Buick SUV and a flatbed GMC maintenance truck. The driver of the SUV was seriously injured and subsequently died during surgery in Wichita. The driver was survived by his wife and four children, three of whom were adults. The claim was brought pursuant to the Kansas Wrongful Death Act which allows the heirs of a decedent to file a lawsuit for the negligence which caused the untimely death.
Morris Laing wins Litigation Law Firm of the Year - February 2011 - The Law Offices of Morris Laing received the prestigious 2011 Kansas Litigation Law Firm of the Year Award from Global Law Experts as a result of an extensive nationwide research process. Responses were received from business directors , in house counsel, independent law firms and high net worth individuals. One of the primary reasons for the award was that Ken M. Peterson “single-handedly received the most nominations of any lawyer” in Kansas. Mr. Peterson’s core litigation team includes attorneys Will B. Wohlford and Kristen D. Wheeler.
Will Wohlford Recognized as Young Leader - December 2010 - The Kansas Association of Justice (“KsAJ”), a statewide nonprofit organization of consumer attorneys working to protect the rights of families, workers and consumers in the courtroom, statehouse and the community since 1952, recognized Will Wohlford at its 38th Annual Crown Center Meeting on December 3, 2010.
Will was awarded the Thomas E. Sullivan Memorial Award, which is given to a bright and talented attorney, in practice less than 10 years, who is a developing leader among the Kansas Association for Justice and a crusader for justice. "Will is an enthusiastic participant in developing concepts for public outreach and currently serves as the Treasurer for the KsAJ Foundation Board of Directors."
KsAJ’s mission is to "uphold and advocate the right of the individual for redress of grievances and access to the courts by jury trial; to support and encourage laws which hold wrongdoers accountable for their acts through the philosophy of individual responsibility; to establish and maintain the highest possible standards of ethics and conduct for the practice of trial law; to preserve the integrity of the judiciary; and to provide and promote outstanding educational opportunities for lawyers." To learn more about KSAJ’s organization, visit: http://www.ksaj.org/KS/index.cfm
U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms List Includes Morris Laing - September 2010 - Morris Laing is proud to announce that it was listed in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms Edition. The Wichita and Topeka offices received recognition in the following areas:
Wichita
Employment Law - Management
Energy Law
Labor Law - Management
Natural Resources Law
Oil & Gas Law
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Real Estate Law
Trusts & Estates Law
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
General Commercial Litigation
Topeka
Corporate Law
Real Estate Law
Trusts & Estates Law
General Commercial Litigation
For more information, visit US News - Best Lawyers.
Morris Laing has 11 attorneys named in the Best Lawyers in America 2011 publication. Those receiving this prestigious honor include Robert Anderson - Trusts & Estates, Jeffery Carmichael - Personal Injury Litigation, Robert Guenthner – Trusts & Estates, Richard Hayse - Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Real Estate Law and Trusts & Estates, John Johnson – Personal Injury Litigation, Ken Peterson – Commercial Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation, William Sorensen – Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law, Roger Theis – Real Estate Law, Roger Walter - Securities Law and Diane Worth – Labor & Employment Law.
Clinton Goos to Present Kansas Bar Association/Kansas Independent Oil & Gas Association – On October 22, 2010, Morris Laing’s Oil & Gas attorney, Clint Goos, will present a workshop on horizontal drilling. For more information, visit http://www.ksbar.org/pdf/cle/kioga.pdf
Summer Law Clerks June 2010 - Jonathan Schlatter and Sarah Briley of the University of Kansas School of Law and Amanda Wright of Washburn Law School have joined Morris, Laing, Evans, Brock & Kennedy, Chartered as summer law clerks.
Morris Laing Names New Partners. January 2010 - Shannon Braun and Will Wohlford, who have been with the firm since graduating from KU School of Law in 2004, are the newest partners and shareholders at Morris Laing. Shannon practices in the areas of Estate Planning, Wills & Trusts, and Will Wohlford is a trial attorney practicing in the areas of business and commercial litigation.
Morris Laing is pleased to announce its rankings in the 2009 Edition of Chambers USA; America's Leading Lawyers for Business. The rankings for law firms and individual attorneys are in bands from 1-6, with 1 being the best. The qualities on which rankings are assessed include technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence, commitment and other qualities most valued by the client.
Chambers ranked Morris Laing in the following practice areas:
Ranked 1, Labor & Employment - Kansas
Ranked 2, Real Estate - Kansas
Chambers also ranked the following individual attorneys:
Ranked 1, Diane Worth in Labor & Employment - Kansas
Ranked 1, Ken Peterson in Litigation: General Commercial - Kansas
Ranked 2, Roger Theis in Real Estate - Kansas
Chambers is widely viewed among the most highly respected publications in the world that rate lawyers, in part because inclusion cannot be purchased. More details on the survey's methodology and rankings are available on Chambers & Partners website.
KANSAS SUPREME COURT RULES THAT A KANSAS CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT CLAIM AGAINST A PHYSICIAN CAN BE STATED INDEPENDENT OF THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CLAIM December 2008 - Attorney Susan Schrag obtained a reversal by the Kansas Supreme Court in a medical malpractice action against a surgeon. Ms. Schrag plowed new legal ground regarding how the Kansas Consumer Protection Act affects physician statements to patients, and has obtained a new trial for the client.
The entire opinion can be read here.
ATTORNEY ROBERT COYKENDALL SPOKE TO THE OHIO STATE BAR ASSOCIATION On November 14, 2008, Robert W. Coykendall spoke at the 2008 Ohio State Bar Association Antitrust Institute, The Nuts & Bolts of Antitrust Litigation & Counseling on the topic of Resale Price Maintenance: The Good, The Bad & The Seemingly Unattractive in Columbus, Ohio. For more information, see:
ATTORNEY CAMERON MICHAUD NAMED AS ONE OF WICHITA'S 40 UNDER 40 September 2008 - Each year, the Wichita Business Journal publishes a list of 40 Wichitans under the age of 40 who are making significant contributions to Wichita's economy and community. Litigation partner, Cameron Michaud, was nominated and chosen for this prestigious honor. She will be recognized at a banquet on September 25, 2008, and will be profiled in a special publication that will be inserted into the Wichita Business Journal's September 26, 2008 edition.
MORRIS LAING CLIENT AWARDED $900,000 IN DAMAGES August 2008 - Morris Laing attorneys Ken Peterson and Will Wohlford recently prevailed in a jury trial in United States District Court for the District of Kansas, securing a verdict in the amount of $900,000.00 in favor of their client, Blair-Naughton, LLC, a small Kansas company. In the case, captioned Blair-Naughton, LLC v. Diner Concepts, Inc. et al. (06-1183-JTM), Blair-Naughton sued the defendants, two corporations and one individual based out of Atlanta, Georgia, for breach of contract regarding the construction and delivery of a stainless steel modular diner. The jury found that the defendants had breached the contract with Blair-Naughton and awarded $900,000.00 in damages.
ATTORNEY CLINTON GOOS SPOKE AT WICHITA BAR ASSOCIATION CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION SEMINAR On Friday, October 17, 2008, Clint spoke at the Wichita Bar Association on the topic of Practical Skill in Sedgwick County for new lawyers. For more information, visit:
ATTORNEY SHANNON BRAUN SPOKE AT WICHITA BAR ASSOCIATION CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION SEMINAR On Friday, October 10, 2008, Shannon spoke at the Wichita Bar Association on the topic of Probate Statutory and Case Law Update. For more information, visit:
ATTORNEY BLANCA GREENSTEIN JOINS THE FIRM AND OPENS OFFICE IN WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA July 2008 - Blanca Greenstein, managing attorney of Morris Laing's Florida office, practices in the areas of commercial and civil litigation, with particular emphasis in the areas of consumer and mortgage finance law. She also has experience in consumer finance litigation involving the Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act (RESPA), the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and other related consumer finance statutes.
MORRIS LAING CLIENTS PREVAIL OVER WARREN BUFFET’S INVESTMENT COMPANY, BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY May 19, 2008 - Jeff Carmichael, Ken Peterson and Will Wohlford represented Nash Oil & Gas in litigation initiated by Northern Natural Gas, owned by Warren Buffet’s investment company, Berkshire Hathaway, in federal court in Wichita, Kansas. Northern filed suit claiming that its storage field had allowed natural gas to escape and that Nash Oil & Gas located 4 ½ miles north of the storage field, was producing storage gas instead of native natural gas. The United States District Court agreed with Nash’s position that this could not have been the case and dismissed all of Northern’s claim against Nash. The matter was appealed to the United States Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, Colorado and was argued before a three judge appellate panel. The Tenth Circuit agreed with Nash’s position and affirmed the decision of the lower court dismissing all claims by Northern against Nash Oil & Gas. For the complete 10th Circuit opinion, see:
http://www.ck10.uscourts.gov/opinions/07/07-3104.pdf
MORRIS LAING LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW ATTORNEYS NAMED BY CHAMBERS AND PARTNERS IN KANSAS BAND 1 RATING In the 2008 Chambers & Partners USA Client’s Guide, Kansas Labor & Employment section, Morris Laing is recognized with a Band 1 rating (out of three Bands) with only two other Kansas law firms. Diane Worth is included by Chambers in the Kansas Band 1 Labor & Employment Leading Individuals ranking.
CLINTON GOOS JOINS MORRIS LAING June 2008 - Clinton M. Goos joins Morris Laing from the Kansas Corporation Commission, where he worked as Assistant General Counsel and Litigation Counsel. Clint has extensive experience practicing before the Commission in all facets of the oil and gas industry, including unitization, proration, enhanced recovery, environmental and regulatory compliance matters. With Morris Laing, Clint expands his practice to a wider range of matters, including zoning and land use, general corporate law and civil litigation, focusing on energy and environmental issues.
MORRIS LAING NAMES 4 NEW SHAREHOLDERS & DIRECTORS December 2007 - Kimberly Bonifas, Richard Kear, Luke Sobba and Cameron Michaud all became shareholders and directors of Morris Laing. Kimberly practices in the areas of family law and civil litigation, Rick practices in the area of consumer and mortgage finance law and appellate law, Luke practices in the areas of consumer and mortgage finance law and civil litigation and Cameron Michaud practices in the areas of personal injury law, including complex motor vehicle and trucking accidents, medical negligence, products liability and general civil litigation.
MORRIS LAING ATTORNEYS ARGUE BEFORE THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT March 26, 2007 - Robert W. Coykendall and Ken M. Peterson appeared before the United States Supreme Court to defend a nearly $4,000,000 antitrust judgment they secured for a small Texas retail store. At issue in the case was whether contracts between manufacturers and retailers should remain illegal per se, or whether they should be judged more leniently. Robert W. Coykendall argued for retaining the strong position against these agreements, noting that such agreements raise consumers prices, and make it harder for small businesses to compete. Morris Laing is proud of the accomplishment of trying this antitrust case, and defending the judgment before both the Fifth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. The record in this case shows the extent to which Morris Laing is willing to defend the rights of its clients. For more information, see:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-03-26-price-rule-debate_N.htm?csp=34
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-25-price-rule_N.htm?csp=34
MORRIS LAING HAS "BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA" 2007 edition -Bob Guenthner (estate planning), John Johnson (personal injury litigation), Richard Hayse (real estate), Ken Peterson (business litigation), Bill Sorensen (bankruptcy and creditor - debtor rights), Don Schrag (real estate), Diane Worth (labor and employment) have been selected for the 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers In America.
MORRIS LAING ATTORNEYS NAMED "SUPER LAWYERS" November 2006 - Bob Anderson (estate planning & probate), Bob Guenthner (estate planning & probate), Richard Hayse (estate planning & probate), John Johnson (personal injury: plaintiff), Ken Peterson (business litigation), Don Schrag (banking), Bill Sorensen (bankruptcy & creditor - debtor rights), and Diane Worth (employment & labor) have been recognized in Kansas and Missouri's Super Lawyers within their respective area of practice. Diane has also been recognized as one of the top 50 women lawyers in Kansas and Missouri. Super Lawyers are selected by their peers and each year lawyers are asked to nominate the best attorney they have personally observed in action. Just 5% of the lawyers in Kansas and Missouri are listed in the publication.
3.6 MILLION DOLLAR VERDICT AFFIRMED BY THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
On July 19, 2006, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order denying the defendant's petition for rehearing and petition for rehearing en banc in the case of PSKS, Inc. v. Leegin Creative Leather Products, Inc. The decision in that case, filed March 20, 2006, affirmed a $3,600,000 verdict in favor of a retail store owner who was wrongfully terminated pursuant to an agreement that violated the Sherman Antitrust Act. Ken Peterson and Robert Coykendall of Morris, Laing, Evans, Brock & Kennedy represented the successful plaintiff before both the Eastern District of Texas, and the Fifth Circuit. The Fifth Circuit's original decision can be found at:
http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/unpub/04/04-41243.0.wpd.pdf
MORRIS LAING ATTORNEYS PREVAIL BEFORE THE KANSAS COURT OF APPEALS
On July 14, 2006, attorneys Tom Docking and Janet Ward, of Morris, Laing, Evans, Brock & Kennedy prevailed before the Kansas Court of Appeals in a case that challenged a statute that retroactively deprived taxpayers of a remedy for certain property taxes that were paid by mistake on certain exempt property. The decision provides important guidance on when taxpayers rights become fixed, and when legislation attempting to change those rights becomes unconstitutional. Mr. Docking and Ms. Ward were assisted on the brief by Rick Kear. The decision can be found at:
http://www.kscourts.org/kscases/ctapp/2006/20060714/93091.htm
KEN PETERSON NAMED LEADING LAWYER FOR BUSINESS
Ken Peterson of Morris, Laing, Evans, Brock & Kennedy, has been selected by Chambers USA 2006 as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business." Peterson has also been selected to the most recent edition of "The Best Lawyers in America: and to the latest edition of "Super Lawyers" for Kansas and Missouri. The Texas Trial Lawyers Association has chosen Peterson to address the group in October on "How to Try and Win Complex Business Cases."
