Lana Knedlik is a registered patent attorney who practices in all areas of intellectual property law, including patent, trademark and copyright prosecution, licensing, due diligence, litigation support and client counseling. Lana’s training in chemical engineering, biology and pharmacy enables her to address various issues having a technological or scientific component. Lana’s experience includes counseling clients on invention disclosure and trade secret programs, performing patentability searches and opinions, preparing and prosecuting patent applications, and drafting infringement and validity assessments, including Paragraph IV ANDA certifications. In the intellectual property litigation area, her practice includes legal research and brief writing on complex cases -- projects which take advantage of her experience as a law clerk for the Honorable Deanell Reece Tacha of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit prior to joining the firm.

Lana earned her B.S. in chemical engineering from Kansas State University in 1993, a J.D. from the University of Kansas in 1996, a B.S. in biology from the University of Missouri at Kansas City ("UMKC") in 2002, and a B.S. in pharmaceutical sciences from UMKC in 2007.

Lana is a member of her law firm's Diversity Committee.  In addition to her work with KC LEGAL, Lana serves on the Board of the Four Freedoms Democratic Club, and is a founder and co-chair of the ACLU's LGBT Task Force.  Lana co-authored the ACLU's Handbook "The Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered People in Missouri and Kansas", and has worked with Kansas Bar Association since 2004 to provide annual continuing legal education seminars on LGBT issues to attorneys throughout Kansas and Missouri.  From 2005-2008, Lana served on the Board of the Lesbian and Gay Community Center of Greater Kansas City.  Lana is also a proud supporter and member of the Personal Rights of Missourians ("PROMO"), the Kansas Equality Coalition ("KEC"), and the Human Rights Campaign ("HRC").

Aaron concentrates his practice in the areas of corporate law, real estate, and commercial finance.

Aaron received his J.D. from the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law (2005, magna cum laude) and his B.A. in Chemistry, University of Missouri - Kansas City (2001, with Departmental Honors).

Prior to entering private practice, Aaron was a law clerk to the Honorable Laura Denvir Stith, Supreme Court of Missouri.

Michael is an associate in the firm’s Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Litigation Division.  His primary practice focuses on complex civil litigation, with an emphasis on product liability litigation involving pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers.

During his time at SHB, Michael has been involved in the defense of product liability claims arising out of the use of prescription implantable cardiac medical devices.  He has extensive experience in state and federal courts throughout the country, as well as in federal multidistrict litigation, where he has deposed plaintiffs and other key fact witnesses.  He has also defended litigations on behalf of manufacturers of breast implants, baby formula, and other prescription medications.  In addition, Michael has experience in the defense of toxic tort cases.

During his career, Michael has developed expertise in all aspects of the pre-trial litigation process.   Through written discovery and depositions, Michael has become particularly adept at crafting defenses that provide the basis for summary judgment motions.  

Before becoming an attorney, Michael had extensive experience in the area of federal and state regulatory and legal compliance matters at a Fortune 500 company. 

While in law school, Michael was editor-in-chief of the Drake Law Review and received the H.G. Cartwright Award for Best Note, 2003-04.   He is a member of the Order of the Coif.  Michael also received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure and Property.  Michael is the author of "The Mental Health Parity Act of 1996:  Let It Sunset if Real Changes Are Not Made" 52 Drake L. Rev. 553 (2004). 

Douglas K. Anning advises companies on their general tax and corporate law needs, navigates private and family foundations through complex IRS requirements and regulations, serves as general advisor and counselor to a number of nonprofit organizations, and consults with health care organizations regarding myriad regulatory requirements (tax-exemption, bond issues, HIPAA, Anti-kickback, Stark Self-Referral, EMTALA, FTC/DOJ Antitrust, JCAHO, and nonprofit governance standards). In addition, Mr. Anning has substantial experience in mergers and acquisitions, transactional matters and structuring joint ventures.

Lisa has managed numerous matters to successful resolutions and defense verdicts for her clients. She achieved one of Missouri's top ten defense verdicts of 2006 and was named Best of the Bar by the Kansas City Business Journal in 2007. In November 2007, Lisa received the Advocate of the Year award from the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Western Missouri. The ACLU honored Lisa for her role as attorney in the Johnston v. Missouri Dept. of Social Services case, where the court ruled that the state violated Missouri law and policy when it denied a foster parent license to a lesbian who was well-qualified to help children in need of homes. The ACLU also honored Lisa for her commitment to Constitutional rights and civil liberties through her work as co-chair of its LGBT Task Force and as an active member of its Legal Panel.

Julie Cox is a trial lawyer with extensive experience counseling clients in pre-suit risk management, and representing clients in mediations, arbitrations, jury trials, bench trials and appeals. Ms. Cox represents clients in lawsuits involving a broad range of substantive areas and industries, with a focus on complex commercial litigation.  She regularly handles lawsuits involving breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, patent infringement, trademark infringement, copyright infringement, product liability, the False Claims Act, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, unfair trade practices, class actions, the Uniform Commercial Code, covenants not to compete, construction disputes, franchise disputes and antitrust issues.

Ms. Cox has handled matters before the Missouri Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, various state administrative agencies, and appellate courts in Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina. Ms. Cox has represented clients in lawsuits pending in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Illinois, New York, California, Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Nebraska, Arizona, Louisiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., Texas, Delaware, Connecticut, Ohio, Michigan, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.

Ms. Cox is experienced in representing clients in a variety of industries, including telecommunications providers, tire manufacturers, appliance manufacturers, professional wrestling, professional bull riding, professional musicians, energy companies, construction companies, property management companies, franchisors, financial services companies, automotive aftermarket part manufacturers, private equity portfolio companies, insurance companies, production companies, printing companies, retailers, charitable foundations, medical professionals and others.

Heath is a Corporate Associate at Seigfreid, Bingham, Levy, Selzer & Gee.  He focuses his practice on general business law, taxation, estate planning, health care law, and tax-exempt organizations, including business entity formation, tax planning, succession planning, and contractual matters.  Heath also has a wide range of experience with advising employers on the establishment, operation, and qualification of employer-sponsored retirement plans.

 

Heath received his J.D. from the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law (2009, magna cum laude), and his B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Kansas (1991, with highest distinction).  While in law school, Heath was Lead Literary Editor of the UMKC Law Review.  He received the UMB Excellence in Estate Planning Award in 2009, and received CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Estates and Trusts, Federal Taxation, and Taxation of Estates, Gifts and Trusts.  Prior to attending law school, Heath was a Retirement Compliance Specialist at American Century Investments.

Diane K. Watkins is an Associate at Wagstaff & Cartmell LLP in Kansas City, Missouri.  She practices primarily in the areas of medical malpractice, personal injury, business and commercial litigation, and insurance coverage litigation.  She received her undergraduate degree in English Literature from Kansas State University in 1997 and her law degree from the University of Kansas in 2000. Upon graduating from law school, Diane moved to Denver, Colorado, where she served for two years as Counsel to the Clerk of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Thereafter, she returned to Kansas upon accepting a position as Staff Attorney for the Kansas Court of Appeals. After one year with the court, Diane joined Wagstaff & Cartmell.  She is licensed to practice in Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, and the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri. In addition to being a member of the Board of Directors of KC LEGAL, Diane is a member of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association and the Board of Directors of Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS – Kansas City.  Additionally, she is a graduate of the KCMBA Bar Leadership Academy.

 

Professor Wilson received her B.A. in psychology and history from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1982. Following completion of her M.A. in interior design, Professor Wilson worked as an interior designer in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1997, she received her J.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia. While in law school, Professor Wilson served as Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Dispute Resolution and interned to Missouri Supreme Court Judge Elwood L. Thomas.

Professor Wilson is licensed in both Missouri and Kansas. From 1997 until joining the faculty in the fall of 1999, she practiced first with the firm of Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin and then with the firm of Horn Aylward & Bandy, specializing in labor and employment and medical malpractice defense. After teaching at UMKC for three years, Professor Wilson returned to active trial practice with Horn Aylward & Bandy. She rejoined the UMKC faculty in August 2004.

Guillermo Zorogastua is an Associate in Shughart Thomson & Kilroy, P.C.’s business litigation group, where he focuses on complex and antitrust litigation. During law school, Guillermo was an articles editor for the University of Kansas Law Review, a Student Senator and a Student Ambassador.