This past month, the staff of SAKG took time to assemble self-care kits and knotted blankets for the Ronald McDonald House.
The knotted blankets were personally crafted by our staff members as well as the hand painted gift bags. We thank our staff for taking the time during their busy day to assist in our service project with the Ronald McDonald House.
For more information on Ronald McDonald House Charities, please visit https://rmhckc.org/
SAKG is pleased to announce that Rachel Smith has joined the firm as an associate attorney. Rachel will focus her practice in transportation litigation, health care litigation, and commercial litigation.
Before joining the firm, Rachel served as a law clerk for the Honorable Ortrie D. Smith of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. During her clerkship, she managed a docket of substantively diverse civil cases from initial filing through post-trial motion practice and drafted judicial opinions on various areas of federal and state law. She also staffed and advised Judge Smith during jury trials, hearings and conferences. Rachel is a 2018 graduate of the University of Arkansas School of Law. While at Arkansas, she served as the Research Editor of the Arkansas Law Review, a teaching assistant for a first-year Legal Researching and Writing class, worked as a research assistant to one of her professors, and was on the leadership board of the Student Bar Association.
February 2006, Todd Scharnhorst and Scott Ast opened what is now Scharnhorst Ast Kennard Griffin, P.C. Since then, the firm has grown from two attorneys and a paralegal into a well-respected litigation boutique focused on commercial litigation, construction, employment, health care, transportation and product liability. SAKG has long been recognized for its excellent lawyers, industry knowledge and expertise, and outstanding results across all practice areas. Our lawyers pride themselves on achieving client objectives as quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively as possible – whether handling matters regionally, or nationally. SAKG’s steady growth continues and we are excited for the next 15 years.
SAKG is pleased to announce that Andrew Birkinsha has joined the firm as an associate attorney. Andrew will focus his practice in transportation and commercial litigation.
Andrew is a 2020 graduate from Brigham Young University (BYU). While at BYU, Andrew served on the leadership board of the Student Bar Association, the Trial Advocacy Team, the Moot Court Team, worked with the International Center for Law and Religion Studies, and as an editor for the BYU Journal of Public Law. Andrew received the Wendy C. Archibald Meritorious Service Award for his contributions to the law school. Prior to graduation, Andrew clerked with the Utah Attorney General’s Office, worked for a solo practitioner, and interned for a non-profit religious organization in South Africa, and for a manufacturing company in Detroit.
Pursuant to the “Stay-at-Home” orders in effect in the Kansas City metropolitan area, the physical offices of Scharnhorst Ast Kennard Griffin, PC (“SAKG”) will be closed until the orders are lifted. In the meantime, our entire team will be working remotely to serve the needs of our clients to the fullest extent possible. The firm’s email and telephone systems will remain fully operational during this time, and all of our employees are equipped to hold video conferences from their remote work locations. Please feel free to contact us.
SAKG is pleased to announce that Kelly Lynch Murphy and Alex McKenna have joined Scharnhorst Ast Kennard Griffin, PC as associate attorneys.
Kelly Lynch Murphy is a seasoned trial lawyer who focuses her practice in transportation and commercial litigation. Prior to relocating to Kansas City and joining SAKG in February 2020, Kelly practiced law in the Denver area, where she was recognized as an “Up and Coming Lawyer” by Law Week Colorado. She has been selected to the Colorado Super Lawyers list since 2016 and was recognized by Lawyers of Distinction in 2018-19. Kelly has conducted many bench trials and mediations in several states, including California and Colorado. She is a 2012 graduate of Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California.
Alex McKenna also joined SAKG as an associate in February 2020. He focuses his practice in the areas of business and commercial litigation, transportation litigation, and construction litigation. Alex is a 2019 graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law. While in law school, he was a member of the Board of the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy.
SAKG is pleased to announce that Paula Brown has been promoted to partner effective January 1, 2020. Paula is a seasoned and effective trial lawyer who focuses her practice in the areas of business and commercial litigation, health care litigation, and transportation litigation.
SAKG is pleased to announce that six of the firm’s partners have been recognized in the 2019 edition of Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers. Two of our partners, Todd Scharnhorst and Jim Griffin, were also both named to two additional top-tier rankings: Top 100 in Missouri and Kansas and Top 50 in Kansas City.
Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a national directory of lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selection process includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent research of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area. Only 5 percent of attorneys in each state are recognized by Super Lawyers each year.
The following SAKG attorneys recognized in the 2019 edition of Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers in their respective practice areas:
Todd Scharnhorst (personal injury medical malpractice defense)
Scott Ast (business litigation)
Jeff Kennard (construction litigation)
Jim Griffin (business litigation)
Brent Coverdale (employment litigation)
Bret Clark – Rising Star (personal injury medical malpractice defense)
Jim Griffin has been recognized by Super Lawyers for 15 consecutive years. Todd Scharnhorst, Scott Ast, and Jeff Kennard have each been recognized by Super Lawyers for 10 consecutive years.
Comments Off on Attorney Natalie Frank Joins SAKG’s Health Care Litigation Team
SAKG is pleased to announce that Natalie Frank has joined the firm as an associate attorney. Natalie will focus her practice in health care litigation.
Natalie is a 2018 graduate of the University of Missouri at Kansas City (“UMKC”). While at UMKC, she was a member of the UMKC Law Review and served as an Articles Editor. She was also the recipient of the Robert C. Downs Endowed Merit Scholarship.
SAKG is pleased to announce that three of our partners —Jim Griffin, Todd Scharnhorst, and Jeff Kennard — were selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America again this year. Jim was recognized in three practice areas: “bet-the-company” litigation, commercial litigation, and personal injury litigation. Todd and Jeff were recognized in the areas of personal injury litigation and construction law, respectively.
Jim Griffin
Todd Scharnhorst
Jeff Kennard
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1100 Walnut Street, Suite 1950 Kansas City, MO 64106-2197 P: 816.268.9400 F: 816.268.9409
Todd Scharnhorst
Scott Ast
