The Circuit Court of Jackson County has adopted the following revised rules effective 4/17/15:

Rule 7.2 Duplicating Policy

Rule 33.5 Motions, How Filed and Considered
Rule 67.1.3 Implementation of Supreme Court Rule 33 Relating to Bail and Sureties

Copies of the revised rule may be obtained from the Department of Civil Records in Kansas City and Independence and on the Court’s web page at www.16thcircuit.org.

Pursuant to the “Reappointment Policy for the Family, Probate and Drug Court Commissioners,” adopted by the Court en banc in 2005, a retention committee has been named to review Commissioner Fry’s judicial performance in order to make a recommendation to the Court en banc regarding reappointment. The committee welcomes any relevant written documentation or information regarding the Commissioner’s performance. The members of the Reappointment Committee will privately review all responses in this matter. Although some responses may be shared with other members of the bench on a need to know basis, anonymity of the respondents will be guarded.

Please e-mail or fax your comments to Jeffrey A. Eisenbeis, Court Administrator, Circuit Court of Jackson County, no later than April 16, 2015. The fax number for Mr. Eisenbeis is 816 881-3164 and his e-mail address is Jeff.Eisenbeis@courts.mo.gov.

 

Lawyers Encouraging Academic Performance (LEAP) is looking for local volunteer attorneys interested in its Reading Buddies program, which is set to restart this upcoming spring 2015.  The attached handout provides a general overview of the program.  In short, we are seeking attorneys willing to volunteer periodically at Operation Breakthrough from January 21, 2015 through April 29, 2015.  The volunteers will serve with a team of other volunteers, and each team will read with children at Operation Breakthrough for one hour every other week. 

LEAP is a local not-for-profit foundation seeking to improve education in Kansas City.  LEAP's designated beneficiary is Operation Breakthrough, which serves underprivileged children in the greater Kansas City area.  Operation Breakthrough's mission is to help impoverished (and often homeless) children develop to their fullest potential.  LEAP is deeply invested with developing volunteer opportunities for attorneys at Operation Breakthrough.  If you are interested in volunteering to be a Reading Buddy this spring or have any questions, please contact one of the people listed below.

If you are interested in becoming a Reading Buddy, or would like more information about the Reading Buddies program, please contact:  Bryant Ash (bash@theipcenter.com), Matt Sparks (matt.sparks@bryancave.com), Sam Wenger (samantha.wenger@huschblackwell.com), or Judge Sill-Rogers (chrissillandcharlierogers@gmail.com).    

 

 

It’s time again for the LAKC-YLS Santa’s Snow Ball, which will be taking place on Thursday, December 11, 2014! This event provides an evening of fun for families staying in local homeless shelters during the holiday season. At the event, each child under the age of 18 receives a gift, everyone has dinner, and all enjoy many activities, including a visit and photo opportunity with Santa, face painting, craft-making, and story-telling. The law firm of Lathrop & Gage, 2345 Grand Avenue, Kansas City, Mo., has generously agreed to host the event, which will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Guests will attend the event in one of two time slots, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., or from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

LAKC-YLS is seeking volunteers and donations for this event, as detailed below.

VOLUNTEERS

At the event

December 11, 2014: We will need volunteers before, during, and after the event to decorate the venue, do activities with the children, visit with the families, help serve dinner, and then clean up at the end of the evening. The volunteers can sign up for either or both of the following shifts: Shift 1 – 4:30-6:30 p.m.; or Shift 2 – 6:30-8:30 p.m. If volunteers can help decorate during the afternoon, we will begin decorating around 3 p.m. Parking will be available in the parking garage attached to the Lathrop & Gage building. Please bring your parking ticket to the event to receive a parking voucher.

If you are interested in volunteering during the event, please contact Jessie McKinney at jamckinney@shb.com or (816) 559-0352.

 

Santa’s Hotline

December 15, 2014 – December 18, 2014: In conjunction with Santa’s Snow Ball, LAKC-YLS also conducts Santa’s Hotline. LAKC-YLS seeks volunteers to play Santa or Mrs. Claus to place calls to a child who is expecting a call from Santa or Mrs. Claus. The children are always very excited to hear a jolly ho-ho-ho, and it is sure to make their day! The calls are made from a volunteer’s home or office between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on December 15, 2014, through December 18, 2014.

If you have any further questions regarding volunteering for Santa’s Hotline, or registering a child to receive a phone call from Santa or Mrs. Claus, please contact Anne Baggott at abaggott@littler.com or (816) 627-4410.

DONATIONS

In addition to volunteers, this event requires a substantial amount of resources. Please help us make the holiday season brighter for these children and families. Donations can be paid to the LAKC Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, earmarked for Santa’s Snow Ball. Every donation is appreciated and goes directly to the support to this event (such as dinner for every attendee, presents for the children, and supplies for the activities).

If you would like to make a donation, please contact Nate Jones at njones@wcllp.com or (816) 701-1100. 

Amy J. Luck has joined the law firm of Fisher, Patterson, Sayler & Smith, L.L.P. as an associate attorney in the firm’s Overland Park office.

Ms. Luck received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 2002.  She graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2005.  She has been in private practice in the Kansas City area since 2005.

Ms. Luck’s practice is focused on employment law and civil litigation.  She is licensed to practice in Kansas and Missouri and in the federal courts in Kansas and the Western District of Missouri. 

 

Steve Kyle became Seigfreid Bingham, P.C.’s new CEO effective Oct. 1. He succeeds Joe Hiersteiner, who has served as CEO of the firm since 2006. Hiersteiner will continue his full-time law practice with the firm.

In addition to his real estate and development practice at the firm, Kyle, who joined Seigfreid Bingham in 1990, served as President of the Lawyers Association of Kansas City in 2010-2011, and currently serves as Chairman of the City of Roeland Park, Kansas, Board of Zoning Appeals and on the Board of Trustees of Old Mission United Methodist Church in Fairway, Kansas.

“The firm is very pleased and fortunate that Steve will serve as our CEO,” said Joe Hiersteiner. “He has a deep understanding of the firm’s approach to extraordinary client service and of the internal and external processes necessary to provide that service.”

Kyle said one of his goals as CEO is to continue Seigfreid Bingham’s commitment to its founding principles.

“The firm has been successful because of our culture, which promotes innovative and efficient service to our clients and real caring for one another,” he said. “These principles are just as relevant today as they were when the firm was founded 40 years ago. By caring for our clients, our attorneys, our staff and the quality of our work, we have thrived and grown from a three-attorney firm to a firm of 43 attorneys. We will continue to build on that legacy.”

In addition to the management transition, the firm soon will relocate its offices from 911 Main to the Crown Center area. Renovation of the 30,000-square-foot space on the 10th floor of the 2323 Grand Boulevard office building has been underway for several months, and the firm is scheduled to move during the first week of November.

About Seigfreid Bingham: Founded in 1974, Seigfreid Bingham, P.C. is a full-service law firm based in Kansas City, Missouri. The firm represents a wide range of businesses and individuals from entrepreneurial start-ups to established companies of local, regional, national and international prominence. For more information, visit www.sb-kc.com.

 

LAKC-YLS is pleased to announce the recent election of ten new Directors. The following attorneys will serve on the YLS Board for a two-year term.

Chris Dandurand, Stueve Siegel Hanson, LLP
John Kemp, Berkowitz Oliver Williams Shaw & Eisenbrandt, LLP
Josh Loevy, Lathrop & Gage LLP
Latrice McDowell, Polsinelli PC
Monique McElwee, Stinson Leonard Street LLP
Uzo Nwonwu, Littler Mendelson, PC
Logan Rutherford, Bryan Cave LLP
Tyler Scott, Husch Blackwell LLP
Rachel Stahle, Franke Schultz & Mullen, P.C.
Chris Stewart, Seigfreid Bingham, PC
Lauren Wolf, Stueve Siegel Hanson, LLP

The newly elected Directors join the following current Directors and Officers of the 2014-2015 YLS Board:

Anne Baggott, Littler Mendelson, PC (President)
Chris Mirakian, Wyrsch Hobbs & Mirakian, P.C. (President-Elect)
Molly Walsh, Stinson Leonard Street LLP (Public Service Officer)
Kellie Mitchell, Copilevitz & Canter, LLC (Treasurer)
Margaret Richards, Lathrop & Gage LLP (Secretary)
Allison Greenfield, Brown & James, P.C.
T.C. DeBacco, Brown & James, P.C.
Nate Jones, Wagstaff & Cartmell
Jessie McKinney, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.

Congratulations to all newly elected Directors. We look forward to an active and successful year! 

Guardian ad Litem Training - 3.0 Hour GAL Recertification

 

Thursday, June 27, 2013 • 1:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location: Jackson County Law Library Parking: 12th & McGee

1125 Grand Blvd., 10th Floor Standard Parking

Kansas City, MO 64106 $4.00 (in by 9 a.m. / out by 6 p.m.)

Registration: 1:15 p.m. • Seminar: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. • Judge Meet & Greet: 4:45 - 6:00 p.m.

Credit: 3.0 CLE Hours including 2.0 CLE Hour of Ethics in Missouri (pending)

** Seminar fees: $75.00

 

CLE Topics: Ethics & Treatment in Interviewing Children • Resources & Special Considerations in GAL Appointments:

Language Barriers & Other Issues • A View from the Bench

For more info and to register: http://jcll.org/home/news-events/

 

LAKC-YLS elects new board members and officers

On May 29, LAKC-YLS elected seven new Board Members: Artur Bagyants, Alllison Greenfield, Jessica McKinney, Kellie Mitchell, Margaret Richards, Molly Walsh, Amanda Yoder. 

 

The Board also elected new officers for the 2013-2014 year:  President, Carly Duvall; Vice President, Anne Baggott; Treasurer, Brian Baggott; Secretary, Chris Mirakian; Public Service Chair, Sarah Ruane.

 

Kim Sheuerman, Marty Seaton and Neal Woodworth will continue to serve on the Board through July 2014. 

 

If you have any questions about LAKC-YLS, please contact Carly Duval (carly.duvall@dentons.com).