BSCR Firm News/Blogs Feed

Gregorio Silva Shares Insights on Consumer Protection Law at KCMBA CLE

24 Jun 2025

On June 24, Baker Sterchi Member Gregorio Silva presented the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA) CLE course, “Current Consumer Protection: A Look at the Current State of the CFPB and Local Consumer Protection Laws.” The program addressed the current state of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and local consumer protection issues.

Silva co-chairs the firm’s Financial Services Practice Group. His civil litigation practice includes defending clients in the financial services, transportation and propane industries. He is a Leadership Counsel on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellow alumnus, a mentor in the LCLD Success in Law School Program and a member of organization’s Alumni Leadership Symposium Committee. He also serves on the board of the Hispanic Bar Association of Greater Kansas City as social media coordinator.

Based in the firm’s Kansas City office, Silva earned his law degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law. He is admitted to practice in Missouri, Kansas, Alaska, Arizona, California and Nevada.

The Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association serves legal professionals across a nine-county region in Missouri and Kansas through continuing education, networking and professional development opportunities.

Back too soon? The Greater Kansas City Area's Decrease in Jury Verdicts in 2024

24 Jun 2025

ABSTRACT: While jury trials in the Kansas City area have fallen back to pandemic-era levels, we did see an overall increase in the average jury award compared to prior years. Overall, 2024 saw a decline in jury trials but an increase in the average value of verdicts when compared to prior years. Even with the area’s decline in jury trials, Jackson County continues to be the most Plaintiff friendly venue in the Kansas City area.

Jury Trials Fall Back to Pandemic Era Levels

According to the data obtained from the Greater Kansas City Jury Verdict Service, the total number of jury trials in the Kansas City metropolitan area has broken the three-year rebound streak since the COVID-19 pandemic, with jury trials totaling less than in 2022.

2024 saw a total of 74 trials, compared to 101 trials in 2023 and 86 trials in 2022. This represents a decline of 27% from 2023.

While Jury Verdicts Are Steadily Declining, Defense Verdicts Are On The Rise

Like jury trials, jury verdicts are also down compared to the last two years. In 2024, the Kansas City area saw a total of 134 verdicts compared to 217 in 2023 and 161 in 2022. This is a decline of 38% compared to 2023 and a decline of 16.8% compared to 2022.

Of these 134 verdicts, only 54 (40%) were for the Plaintiff, compared to 48% in 2023 and 47% in 2022, putting a stop to the rise in plaintiff-friendly verdicts we have seen.

In contrast to prior years, 2024 saw a decrease in automobile related claims. Specifically, only 60% of automobile related claims saw some sort of verdict for the plaintiff(s). This is a noticeable decline compared to the 78% of plaintiff recovery on automobile related claims in 2023. Contrary to 2023, there were no automobile related wrongful death claims brought to verdict in 2024. Excluding one large outlier verdict ($33.4 million), the average plaintiff award for automobile related claims was $665,971.14.

Average Monetary Award for Plaintiffs Increased Again, Despite Fewer Trials

As was the case in 2023, the overall average of plaintiff friendly verdicts, without outliers, increased again in 2024. When compared to prior years, 2024 saw an increase in the average verdict award to $5,120,258, compared to $1,113,929 ($20,117,952 with the inclusion of outlier verdicts) in 2023 and $564,213 ($1,877,762 with the inclusion of outlier verdicts) in 2022.

When outlier verdicts are removed from the animus, the average Plaintiff’s award drops to $1,897,596. When including outlier verdicts, the total awards to Plaintiffs in 2024 were $276,493,945 compared to $2,092,266,978 in 2023 and $142,709,912 in 2022. Compared to prior years, 2024 also saw a reduction in overall verdicts above $1,000,000, with only fourteen verdicts reaching that threshold compared to the 31 verdicts in 2023 and 18 in 2022. Overall, 2024 saw fewer large verdicts compared to prior years with $34,000,000 being the largest verdict in 2024, compared to the $1.785 billion dollar verdict and $70,000,000 verdicts in 2023.

Jackson County, Missouri Saw A Decline In Plaintiff Friendly Verdicts

Historically, Jackson County, Missouri has seen more Plaintiff friendly verdicts than any of the other venues in the Greater Kansas City area. However, this changed in 2024 as Jackson County experienced a 10% drop in Plaintiff friendly verdicts, from 55% in 2023 to 45% in 2024. Of the 69 claims tried in Jackson County (combining the Kansas City and Independence locations), only 31 of those claims were for the Plaintiff. While 45% is significantly lower than the 55% we saw in 2023, 51% of the claims filed in the Greater Kansas City Area were filed in Jackson County. Of all plaintiff friendly verdicts reached in 2024, 51% of those were reached in Jackson County. While the percentage of plaintiff verdicts in 2024 may be down in Jackson County, it is still the most Plaintiff friendly venue in the Greater Kansas City Area.

Highly Favorable Mid-Trial Settlement Secured for Developer in Construction Dispute

23 Jun 2025

Midway through a two-week jury trial, Baker Sterchi attorneys secured a highly favorable confidential settlement on behalf of a developer in a bet-the-company construction dispute involving a residential development project. The dispute arose after the contractor abandoned work, including installation of streets, sewers and waterlines, and filed a mechanic’s lien seeking more than $750,000 for breach of contract. The lien stalled the project for nearly five years, threatening the viability of the developer’s business. Our client denied the contractor’s claims and asserted counterclaims, including more than $12 million in lost profits. The settlement clears the way for our client to move forward with building new neighborhoods and homes.

Litigation Associate, Portland

20 Jun 2025

Our Portland office has an opportunity for an associate attorney with at least three years of experience in all phases of personal injury defense, employment and commercial litigation. View the job description here.

Charniece Rollie Completes Inclusive Leadership Certificate of Mastery and Capstone Program

19 Jun 2025

Charniece Rollie, Baker Sterchi’s Director of Administration, recently completed the Inclusive Leadership Certificate of Mastery and Capstone Program, “Strategies for Promoting and Fostering a World-Class Culture of Inclusion.” Together, Authentico and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce (GKCCC) partnered with Dr. Shirley Davis, president of SDS Global Enterprises, to launch this 16-month certificate of mastery and capstone program. The program included an academic curriculum, individual coaching, a capstone project and roundtable discussions with thought leaders.

Led by Dr. Andrea Hendricks, Chief DEI Officer at Authentico, the program was limited to a cohort of 30 organizational executives focused on creating inclusive workplace cultures. An “Inclusive Leadership Program Culminating Event” was held June 12 in the GKCCC boardroom at Union Station in Kansas City, where Rollie and her classmates received certificates of completion.

Rollie is an active member of the firm’s DEI Committee and serves as the firm’s representative to ALFA International’s DEI committee. She regularly participates in GKCCC diversity-related programming to promote inclusion within the firm and the broader business community.

GKCCC is a leading advocate for business and economic development in the Kansas City area. Authentico is a multicultural marketing and DEI consulting agency that works with organizations to drive cultural transformation and inclusive leadership. SDS Global Enterprises is a strategic development firm specializing in human capital solutions, leadership development and workplace inclusion training.

Jeanne Loftis Named Executive Council Class Secretary of ADTA

18 Jun 2025

Baker Sterchi Member Jeanne Loftis has been named executive council class secretary of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys (ADTA). She previously chaired the ADTA’s National Membership Committee and was recently recognized with the organization’s Presidential Award.

Loftis is an accomplished trial attorney whose practice focuses on complex mass tort, employment, civil rights defense and product liability litigation. She co-chairs Baker Sterchi’s Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Practice Group. In addition to her involvement with the ADTA, she is active in several other peer-selected organizations, including the American Board of Trial Advocates and the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. She earned her law degree from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law and is admitted to practice in Oregon, Washington and California.

The ADTA is a peer-selected, invitation-only organization that limits membership to one primary civil defense trial attorney per one million people in a given jurisdiction. Its mission is to foster a distinguished and diverse network of experienced civil defense trial attorneys by providing professional development, education and business referrals while upholding the highest standards of professionalism and ethics.

Baker Sterchi Welcomes Brandon MacDonald in Kansas City

18 Jun 2025

Baker Sterchi is pleased to welcome Brandon MacDonald as an associate in the firm’s Kansas City office. His practice focuses on civil defense litigation, representing clients in matters involving personal injury, premises liability, insurance coverage and bad faith claims.

Before joining the firm, MacDonald practiced at a Kansas City-area law firm handling a broad range of civil and commercial litigation matters, including insurance coverage analyses, litigation risk assessment and motion practice.

MacDonald earned his law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School, where he served as Executive Articles Editor for the Journal of Legislation. He received his undergraduate degree in economics, cum laude, from Xavier University, where he captained the NCAA Division I men’s tennis team. He is licensed to practice in Missouri and Kansas.

Andrew Podjenski Joins Baker Sterchi in Kansas City

17 Jun 2025

Andrew Podjenski joins Baker Sterchi as an associate in the firm’s Kansas City office. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, construction disputes, insurance defense and coverage matters, and appellate work.

Podjenski earned his law degree from Ave Maria School of Law and holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska. He is licensed to practice in Missouri.

Meghan Kane Named Second Vice President of Madison County Bar Association

17 Jun 2025

Baker Sterchi Member Meghan Kane has been named second vice president of the Madison County Bar Association (MCBA) for the 2025-2026 term. She will be introduced in her new role at the organization’s upcoming annual meeting. Kane previously served as MCBA treasurer.

Her civil defense practice focuses on product and premises liability and toxic tort matters. She serves as vice chair of the Illinois Defense Counsel’s Tort Law Committee and co-chairs Baker Sterchi's Toxic Tort Practice Group. Kane earned her law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law and is admitted to practice in Illinois and Missouri.

The Madison County Bar Association is a legal organization of more than 600 attorneys serving the needs of attorneys and residents in Madison County, Illinois, part of the Greater St. Louis area.

Beasley Presents on Litigation Funding at Medmarc Seminar

16 Jun 2025

Baker Sterchi Member Laura Beasley co-presented “Litigation Funding” at the 37th Annual Medmarc Medical Device Seminar on June 13 in Sonoma, California. The session addressed how third-party litigation funding is used by plaintiffs and their counsel, emerging trends and potential implications.

Beasley, a seasoned trial attorney in the firm’s Belleville office, has substantial courtroom experience and a strong record defending civil litigation, including medical device matters. She is a member of the invitation-only Association of Defense Trial Attorneys (ADTA), serving on its Executive Council, Class of 2027, and as chair of the Women of the ADTA Committee. She also serves as the Illinois state representative to DRI and sits on the steering committee for DRI’s Drug and Medical Device Committee. In addition, she is a past president of both the Illinois Defense Counsel and the East St. Louis Bar Association. Beasley earned her law degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and is admitted to practice in Illinois and Missouri.

The Medmarc Medical Device Seminar brings together representatives from Medmarc, a liability insurer for the medical device and life sciences industry, along with defense attorneys and policyholders, to stay informed on developments in the life sciences sector and explore effective defense strategies.