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Overview

Larry is an experienced litigator who defends professional liability cases including medical and engineering claims.

Having represented surgeons and physicians in Missouri and Kansas for more than 40 years, Larry has achieved many defense victories for doctors accused of injuring patients by substandard medical care. In addition, he has effectively defended engineers accused of design or performance failures, as well as aggressively opposing a number of significant product liability cases.

Larry’s experience includes:

  • Obtaining a complete defense verdict for healthcare clients confronting medical malpractice claims in excess of $6 million.
  • Defending two physicians with favorable results in lawsuit over knee replacement surgery.

Larry serves the healthcare industry outside of the practice of law. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for Saint Luke’s Home Healthcare & Hospice. He also has taught at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law.

Industry

Services

Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Bet-The-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law-Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants, 1983-2021; Medical Malpractice Law, 1983-2012; Best Lawyers® Personal Injury Litigation "Lawyer of the Year," Kansas City, 2009; Best Lawyers® Medical Malpractice Law "Lawyer of the Year," Kansas City, 2010; Best Lawyers® Medical Malpractice Law-Defendants "Lawyer of the Year," Kansas City, 2012
  • Ingram’s, Best Lawyers in Kansas City, 2012 
  • Kansas Bar Association, 2018 Kansas Bar Association Pro Bono Award
  • Kansas City Bar Association Dean of the Trial Bar Award, 1999
  • Kansas City Business Journal, Best of the Bar, 2002, 2004
  • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation, Legacy Award, 2012
  • Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, Professional Liability: Defense, 2005, 2014-2017
  • Missouri Bar Pro Bono Wall of Fame, 2015-2021
  • University of Missouri Distinguished Alumni Award, 1985
  • University of Missouri Distinguished Service Award, 2005
  • University of Missouri Honorary Doctorate Award, 2015
  • Volunteer of the Year Award, CASE District VI Conference, 2007

Education

  • LL.B., University of Missouri School of Law
      • Order of the Coif 
      • Valedictorian 
      • Missouri Law Review, editor-in-chief
  • B.A., University of Missouri
  • Ph.D., University of Missouri

Admissions

  • Missouri
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • American Bar Association
  • American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
  • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association 
  • Lawyers Association of Kansas City
  • Missouri Supreme Court Civil Rules Committee 
  • University of Missouri Law Society
Experience
  • Secured favorable verdict for the family of a deceased Marine veteran in a wrongful death action against the U.S. Veterans Administration.
  • Obtained a complete defense verdict, upheld by the Missouri Court of Appeals, on behalf of healthcare clients facing medical malpractice claims in excess of $6 million.
  • Secured defense verdict in lawsuit alleging failure to administer an appropriate dose of preoperative antibiotics before plaintiff’s knee replacement surgery. An infection led to the removal of prosthetic knee and, ultimately, a knee fusion. Defended the two anesthesiologists under a theory that antibiotics had been administered preoperatively and the time recorded in the medical records was nothing more than a “charting error.”
  • Prosecuted a jury trial on behalf of the University of Missouri to gain permission for construction of the Mary Clark and E. Grey Dimond Scholar's Center at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School.
  • Defended civil engineers accused of substandard professional work and won a $10 million jury case in federal court in Orlando, Fla., in which Amtrak claimed a derailment was caused by poor civil engineering at a rail crossing.
Community Leadership
  • Diastole on Hospital Hill, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Board of Directors, 1992-present
  • Grace & Holy Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, vestry
  • Powell Gardens, Board of Directors, 2012-present
  • Saint Luke’s Home Healthcare & Hospice, Board of Directors, 2012-present
  • Truman Library Institute, Board of Directors, 2008-present
  • University of Missouri, Development Council, president, 1996-2001
  • University of Missouri, One Billion Dollar For All We Call Mizzou Campaign, co-chair, 2001-2008
  • University of Missouri Law School Foundation