David G. Watkins

Sean has extensive trial and litigation experience through his 27 years of civil defense practice. He represents national transportation companies in cases involving personal injury, Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA), grade crossing accidents, property damage, cumulative trauma exposure and other accident investigation and defense. His litigation experience includes a record of success in jury verdicts and pre-trial motion practice. He regularly serves on initial response teams fo...

Scott R. Manuel brings over 30 years of experience practicing in the areas of fiduciary litigation, estate planning, probate, trust and guardianship law to Kembell Woods & Martinsen LLP. Prior to joining KWM, Scott served as the Probate Commissioner for the Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri starting in November 2014 following his initial appointment as the court’s Deputy Probate Commissioner in January 2014. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Scott was a shareholder with...

James C. Sullivan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. James C., who practices law in Kansas City, Missouri, has been recognized since 2010. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Katrina Smeltzer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law and Litigation - Insurance. Katrina, who practices law in Kansas City, Missouri, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Katrina is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Trina Ricketts is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Trina, who practices law in Kansas City, Missouri, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Trina is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Brent Coverdale is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Brent, who practices law in Kansas City, Missouri, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brent is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Reed Martens is a Kansas City, Missouri trial attorney with Monsees & Mayer PC, representing plaintiffs in personal injury litigation, including cases involving sexual abuse and serious personal injury . He has served as both lead and co-counsel in jury trials and has helped clients obtain meaningful verdicts and settlements through thorough preparation and strategic courtroom advocacy. Reed is deeply committed to helping survivors be heard and navigate the legal process with clarity and ...

Rochelle B. Falk is an attorney with over 25 years’ experience in the Estate Planning & Probate legal industry. Clients rely on Rochelle to have in-depth and meaningful discussions about their personal situation and assets to create individual, comprehensive, and flexible estate plans by utilizing trusts, wills and power of attorney documents. Additionally, Rochelle counsels’ clients as trustees and beneficiaries during the administration of trust and probate estates, as well ...

During his nearly 30-year legal career, Tim Becker has become known and revered as one of this nation’s leading truck crash attorneys. Through his work at Dollar, Burns, Becker & Hershewe, Tim has tried truck crashes in 33 of the 50 states and won millions of dollars in settlements for his clients. Tim knows, without exception, truck crashes are not accidents. There is a reason the crash happened, and he works tirelessly to find out why. Tim knows the patterns, what to look for, wha...

Michael Matula is a shareholder in the firm’s Kansas City office. Mike concentrates his practice in the areas of employment litigation and counseling. He has represented employers in a wide variety of employment matters including discrimination, retaliation, harassment and wrongful discharge cases, non-competition/trade secrets disputes, and EEOC administrative proceedings. Mike, who has been given an AV Martindale-Hubbell rating, also has significant experience in commercial, tort, and...