​Areas of Practice

• Estate Planning
• Fiduciary Litigation
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Adult/Minor Guardianships and Conservatorships
• Estate, Probate, and Trust Administration
• Real Estate
• Business/Transactional
• Tax

​Education
Bachelor of Arts, William Jewell College, 1967,; President of Kappa Alpha Order, 1966-1967; Vice President of Junior Class; President of Senior Class; Member of Student Senate, 1965-1967; football, 1964-1967; President, Alpha Theta Pi History Honorary, 1966-1967; Member, Phi Gamma Mu Social Studies Honorary; Who’s Who receipent 

Juris Doctor,  University of Missouri, Kansas City Law School, 1971, Law Review Editor-in-Chief/Comments Editor; Inaugural Moot Court Board member; Member of the Order of the Bench and Robe; Dean’s List – All Semesters; Student Senate high school lecturer; Academic Excellence Award – Advanced Criminal Procedure

Post Grad: Completed at UMKC 17 hours for LLM in Corporate Law, 1971-1972; ADR training at University of Missouri, 2009 

Bar Admissions
MO Bar, 1971; US District Court for the Western District of MO, 1971, Tax Court, 1971;

Experience
While in private practice, highlights of representation included, represented owner of five mobile home manufacturing plants; the owners of over 50 restaurants; owner of a railroad support company; owner of a coal mining and delivery company and multiple coal mines/pits; the Home Builders Association of Kansas City and numerous real estate developers, trades and home builders; various professionals including doctors, dentists, chiropractors, accountants and attorneys; At Applebee’s involved in 3 public offerings, credit facilities from $25,000,000 to $150,000,000; legal work regarding the operation of over 480 restaurants, franchising and dealing with franchisees with over 1,400 restaurants, all with the legal issues arising from such work/business. 

Distinctions

• Vice President/General Counsel of Applebee’s International, Inc. – 1990 through 2004;
• Mayor of the City of Liberty, MO – 2005 through 2009; William Jewell College Achievement Award, 2001;
•  Missouri Municipal League Leadership Award, City of Liberty, 2015;
•  William Jewell College Alumni Service Award, 2009;
• Kappa Alpha Order Knight Commander’s Accolade, 2013;
• William Jewell College Lifetime Alumni Service Award 2017;
• Board Member, Kappa Alpha Order National Housing Corporation, 1987-1990;
• Board Member/President, Liberty Symphony Orchestra;
• Board member, Hillcrest Hope Transitional Housing, 2004 – present;
• Board member, Freedom House, Inc., 2004 -20011;
• Board Member/President, Liberty Arts Foundation, 2011 – present;
• Board member/Chairman, Clay County Senior Services, 2011—present.

Affiliations
American Bar Association; MO Bar Association; Kansas City Bar Association; ABA Forum on Franchising and Corporate Law Section