Leland M. Shurin

Attorney, Arbitrator, Mediator, Special Master - General Business and Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Negligence Law, Employment Law

Shareholder/Director, Shaffer Lombardo Shurin, P.C., 1996-2016; Shareholder/Executive Committee, McDowell Rice & Smith, 1989-95; Shareholder, Horowitz, Shurin & Johl, P.C., 1968-89; Assistant Counselor/Land Tax Attorney, Jackson County, Missouri, 1969-73.

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

General trial and business practice. Litigation of commercial, negligence and employment matters, equally for plaintiffs and defendants. Litigated and negotiated on behalf of small businesses, Fortune 500 companies and individuals in regard to mergers, acquisitions, leasing, contracts, franchising and employment related matters; bodily injury and wrongful death.

Successfully tried, as first chair, jury and non-jury cases in numerous courts including Missouri, Kansas, Arizona and other states; the United States Court of Federal Claims; and numerous United States District Courts.  Appeared before the Eighth and Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Missouri Court of Appeals and the Missouri Supreme Court. Substantial experience as counsel representing clients in arbitration hearings across the country.

Nominated by President Clinton to be a Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri; nomination withdrawn at my request due to delays in the nomination/ confirmation process.

Super Lawyer 2009-2016. Named by Ingram's Business Magazine as one of Kansas City's best commercial litigation attorneys 2011 - 2016.

Chairman of the Missouri Gaming Commission, 2015; Member of the Board of Police Commissioners of Kansas City, Missouri, July 2015-present; currently serving as President.

ADR

Mediated hundreds of cases which have settled. Many cases involve multiple parties with adverse interests. As a mediator, have had a broad range of assignments, including cases involving professional fees; employment-related disputes; insurance, construction and commercial disputes (including family succession of businesses, shareholder disputes, and numerous breach of contract claims); bodily injury and wrongful death claims. Amounts in dispute from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of millions of dollars.

franchisee/multiple franchisee contract issues and other commercial and bodily injury claims. Size of claims range from a few thousand dollars to multi-million dollar.

Reviewer in the Prudential Remediation Plan Appeals Committee, handling over 100 claims as a mediator and/or arbitrator.

Included on list of neutrals by the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

Numerous appointments by Missouri Circuit and U.S. District Courts as Special Discovery Master, including:

Appointed by the Cole County Circuit Court as Special Deputy Liquidator of the General American Mutual Holding Company; total liquidation proceeds were greater than $1.5 Billion Dollars. 

Appointed as Special Master to provide an accounting of the damages due from defendant to plaintiff for required capital expenditures for a five-year period, and charity, indigent and uncompensated care for a ten-year period before the judgment rendered in Jackson County Missouri Circuit Court in favor of the plaintiff HealthCare Foundation of Greater Kansas City against HCA in an “amount greater than $161 million.”

 Appointed as Special Discovery Master and Mediator in a series of cases against an automobile dealer. One hundred twenty-six cases were settled by formula in the mediation.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Admitted to the Bar: Missouri, 1968; Kansas, 2006; Arizona, 2016; U.S. District Court: Western District of Missouri and District of Kansas; U.S. Court of Appeals: Eighth and Tenth Circuits.

Missouri Bar Association; Kansas Bar Association; Kansas City Bar Association; Arizona Bar Association; American Bar Association (Litigation Section; Alternative Dispute Resolution Section); Certified Mediator, International Mediation Institute (IMI); Distinguished Fellow, International Academy of Mediators; National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals.

EDUCATION

University of Missouri-Columbia (BA, Economics-1965); University of Missouri-Kansas City (JD-1968).

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Keynote speaker at Governor's dinner for 35 judges in Missouri appointed by Governor, May 2016; “Drafting Effective Arbitration Clauses,” AAA Seminar, March 2004; “Negotiating Contracts with Sports and Entertainment Personalities,” April 2005, Sports and Entertainment Law Class, UMKC Law School; “ADR, Advantages and Disadvantages,” ROMEO Meeting, January 2017; “Annual Employment Law Update,” 1996-2008, for large Kansas City-based client.

2001 WYANDOTTE STREET

KANSAS CITY MISSOURI, 64108

816-931-0500

[email protected]