Gates Westering LLC

1 Best Lawyers award

Gates Westering LLC logo

Awarded Practice Areas

Construction Law Litigation - Construction Litigation - Insurance
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2026 edition in Kansas City, MO.

Biography

John handles a wide variety of legal issues ranging from disputes between business owners to personal injury lawsuits to non-compete allegations to defective construction claims to interpreting insurance policies. It is his broad practice that enables him to see all sides of a client’s problems and help develop effective solutions.

He has litigated a number of high-exposure wrongful death and personal injury claims from workplace accidents, product defects, trucking accidents, and insufficient security, but he also handles cases with less severe injuries in the areas of premises liability, automobile accidents, and property damage. Aside from his business and personal injury practice, John handles insurance claims, defective construction, and non-compete matters.

With regard to insurance claims, he performs coverage analysis and litigates bad faith claims, declaratory judgment actions, subrogation claims, and equitable garnishments. John’s defective construction cases involve the design, materials, and construction in residential and commercial projects.

John has tried several high-exposure jury trials in Missouri and Kansas, including two of the largest defense verdicts in Missouri in the last fifteen years. He has also obtained dismissals in large-loss personal injury and commercial litigation cases.

Gates Westering LLC

1 Best Lawyers award

Gates Westering LLC logo

Overview

  • University of Kansas, J.D., graduated 2000
  • Vanderbilt University, B.A., Philosophy, graduated 1997

  • Missouri, 2000
  • Kansas, 2001

  • Kansas Bar Association - Member
  • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association - Member
  • The Missouri Bar - Member

  • Missouri
  • Kansas
  • W.D. of Missouri
  • Dist. of Kansas
  • Missouri, 2000
  • Kansas, 2001
  • Kansas Bar Association - Member
  • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association - Member
  • The Missouri Bar - Member
  • University of Kansas, J.D., graduated 2000
  • Vanderbilt University, B.A., Philosophy, graduated 1997
  • Missouri
  • Kansas
  • W.D. of Missouri
  • Dist. of Kansas

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2026 - Construction Law
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Construction Law, Kansas City, MO (2026)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Construction Law
  • Litigation - Construction
  • Litigation - Insurance
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

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