Hinkle Elkouri Expands into Kansas City Market

Thursday, July 1, 2010

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Hinkle Elkouri Law Firm LLC, one of the state’s leading law firms based in Wichita, is expanding its presence by adding a Kansas City office in Overland Park, Kan. Michelle R. Stewart, a local Kansas City area attorney has joined the firm as a member to help establish the office. The new office will be utilized by Stewart, J. Philip Davidson and several other Hinkle Elkouri attorneys who have active Missouri practices.

Stewart, formerly a partner with Fisher Patterson Sayler & Smith, brings strong experience handling legal issues across Kansas and Missouri. She focuses her practice on litigating employment and construction matters while also providing employment counsel to a variety of businesses and governmental entities. Stewart was included in an elite group of Kansas and Missouri Rising Stars in employment litigation in both 2008 and 2009.

The expansion is a move that Managing Member Mitch Herren says the firm has had a strong desire to make to enhance its service for current regional clients.

“The addition of the Kansas City office was a natural step for us. And adding an attorney of Michelle’s caliber will allow us to better serve clients in the Kansas City metropolitan area and in Western Missouri,” said Herren.

Stewart will also be joined by one of the firm’s current associates, Jennifer R. Johnson, who will move from Hinkle Elkouri’s downtown Wichita office to the new Overland Park location and continue her role in the firm’s litigation department with an emphasis on commercial litigation and insurance defense.

The Kansas City office will start with two employees while the main Wichita offices employ 105 staff members, including nearly 40 attorneys.