The Attorney in the Community

On a pleasant June afternoon, nearly 30 of Kansas City's most prominent and civic-minded attorneys, looked out upon Downtown Kansas City and the urban core from the impressive 24th floor conference room of Lathrop & Gage.

This was the third time the attorneys had assembled as part of Ingram's ongoing Industry Outlook series, but this was the first time the discussion had moved well beyond the business of law. On this occasion, the participants had gathered to contemplate the larger question of the attorney's role in the community. Chairing the event were Tom Stewart of Lathrop & Gage and Herb Kohn of Bryan Cave.

The Urban Core

The opening round of introductions suggested a theme that would run throughout the entire session. After John Murphy noted that Shook Hardy was moving its staff of 1200 from Downtown to Crown Center in November and Ben Mann added that Blackwell Sanders was moving its offices from Downtown to the Plaza the following fall, Mike McCann noted wryly that Spencer Fane would "actually" be staying downtown. "We just don't know if anyone will be left." One firm that will remain and that in fact is consolidating Downtown, as Mark Foster observed, is the recently merged law firm of Stinson Morrison Hecker.

"Do we have responsibility to Downtown and the urban core," asked the host Tom Stewart, "and if so what is that?"

Participants Include:
(seated, left to right)

Harvey Kaplan,
Shook Hardy & Bacon
Jennifer Bacon,
Shughart Thomson & Kilroy
Jack Kilroy, Jr.,
Shughart Thomson & Kilroy
Tom Stewart,
Lathrop & Gage
Herb Kohn,
Bryan Cave
Christine Schlomann,
Armstrong Teasdale

(second row, left to right)
Doug Ghertner,
Slagle Bernard & Gorman
Pete Heaven,
Lathrop & Gage
Pat McLarney,
Shook Hardy & Bacon
Jerry Riffel,
Lathrop & Gage
Ben Mann,
Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin
Irv Belzer,
Bryan Cave
John Granda,
Stinson Morrison Hecker
Elaine Koch,
Bryan Cave
Jim Heeter,
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal

(back row, left to right)
Paul O'Hanlon,
Kutak Rock
Joel Krieger,
Wallace Saunders Austin Brown & Enochs
Cathy Dean,
Polsinelli Shalton & Welte
Bill Carr,
Lewis Rice & Fingersh
Scott Kreamer,
Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice
Chris Kirley,
Husch & Eppenberger
Dennis Honabach,
Washburn University School of Law
Peter Brown,
Husch & Eppenberger
Dick King,
King Hershey
Mark Foster,
Stinson Morrison Hecker
Russ Welsh,
Polsinelli Shalton & Welte
John Murphy,
Shook Hardy & Bacon
Mike McCann,
Spencer Fane Britt & Browne