C. Patrick McLarney

"There are many ways to help others through the law," says Pat McLarney, senior partner at Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP, where he serves as vice-chair of the firm. His contributions definitely illustrate his belief.

He was most recently honored by the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation by receiving their first annual Liberty and Justice Legacy Award. This award recognizes an individual (not even necessarily a lawyer) who demonstrates a unique dedication to the principles of liberty and justice through professional, community and charitable service and furthers the administration of justice at the same time. McLarney helped begin the fundraising program for Legal Services of Western Missouri. The organization was forced to become more aggressive in their fundraising due to cuts by state and federal governments. About five years ago, Legal Aid was raising about $50 thousand a year; in the last four years, he's helped raise nearly two million.

McLarney has helped to set up a Justice Center that offers legal services and a Technology Center that provides training for the indigent, located at Saint Theresa Little Flower, 58th and Euclid. He says that helping people gives him much pleasure and he enjoys using his and others' resources to improve Kansas City. McLarney grew up on a farm 50 miles from here with five brothers and sisters. The Brookside resident has three grown children and he enjoys the time he spends with his family or playing tennis, golf, or with the "best dog in the world." The rest of his time is spent still working long hours at the firm or on com-munity projects.

The list of boards he's on (including UMKC, the Art Institute, Benedictine College) and good works he's been a part of are extensive and encompassing. He is absolutely committed to im-proving the downtown core. He serves on the Downtown and Civic Council's boards, the Greater Downtown Dev-elopment Authority, and was part of the lobby for MODESA legislation. He fervently believes this is the time for downtown: "Dramatic changes are coming together which will help speed the process. It's happening now." And he's clearly helping to make it happen.

Peter W. Hyde

A while back, Peter Hyde was described by the head of the Kansas City Association of Trusts and Foundations, Chuck Curran, as a "can-do" lawyer. It's a description this Stinson Morrison Hecker corporate attorney lives in every aspect of his life. He's bringing that attitude and perseverance to his newest cause, the Parkinson's Foundation of the Heartland, whose board he joined in 2002.

"It's a relatively new organization," he says. "It's one I can bring my board experience and different viewpoint from all the other boards I've been a part of to help guide them. It's rewarding because, in part, it's such a serious disease that affects so many people."

Hyde was born in Kansas City and went to Princeton, Michigan for his law degree, and then Harvard for an MBA. He was focusing on a career in international banking or consulting when he was asked to write a paper on his strengths, weaknesses, and long range goals. He decided he wanted to settle down and get involved in the community--so he came back home to do that.

His initial interest in not-for-profits was sparked by Arthur Mag and Nathan Stark. As a young attorney at the then Stinson Mag and Fizzell law firm, he was expected to give 10% of his time to non-profit support and he worked extensively with the Model City programs. He also became Stinson's not-for-profit specialist and helped many organizations with debt and financing instruments.

From there, his list of causes has been extensive, including the Institute of Community Studies which was eventually folded into UMKC, the Lawyers Association, the Lyric Opera where he served on the board for almost 25 years. Among the many others is the Pembroke Country Day School board which was then wrestling with the weighty question of whether to admit girls (he was an advocate).

Hyde seems to be a modest man. He says, "I'm lucky my career enabled me to pursue my interests. The one best thing people could some day say about me, in my mind, is ‘He made a difference.'" He's doing just that.