Husch Blackwell Sanders attorneys Hayley E. Hanson, Patrick D. Kuehl, Crystal G. Lovett-Tibbs, Steven F. McCandless, Fang Shen and Richard E. Walters were named as six of Missouri Lawyers Weekly’s “Up and Coming Lawyers.” In total four dozen attorneys were profiled as “Up and Coming Lawyers” in the July 28 issue.
According to Missouri Lawyers Weekly, the attorneys profiled represent determination – in legal work, community betterment and improving their own law firms. Missouri Lawyers Weekly editors examined nominations without regard to practice area, race, gender or geographic area.
Partner Hayley Hanson, Kansas City, Mo., focuses her practice in education law, representing school districts, colleges and universities. She has successfully argued cases before the 8th Circuit and the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District. Hanson played a pivotal role representing the Kansas City, Missouri School District in the final unitary status hearing in the decades-long school desegregation case. Recently Hanson was named “Young Alumni of Year” by Northwest Missouri State University.
Partner Patrick Kuehl, Kansas City, Mo., is a licensed patent attorney practicing in the firm's Commercial Litigation Division. His background in chemical engineering led him to focus on intellectual property law. Kuehl has experience prosecuting and defending patent, trademark, and copyright infringement cases in federal courts throughout the country as well as registration and opposition proceedings before the United States Patent & Trademark Office. According to the article Kuehl, “… loves trials, but the challenge is finding a solution other than litigation that helps the client’s corporation progress, and a solution that does not turn disputes into another cost of doing business.”
Associate Crystal Lovett-Tibbs, St. Louis, Mo., focuses her practice in environmental law. It was an Earth Day celebration in the mid-80s that sparked her interest in the environment. Now Lovett-Tibbs assists large corporations that are ordered to pay for environmental cleanup by seeking the smaller companies that also contributed to the matter, making sure everyone “pays their fair share.” In addition to her work at the firm, Lovett-Tibbs has been an active volunteer with Barack Obama’s campaign, and in August she will attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver as an elected delegate at large.
Partner Steven McCandless, St. Louis, Mo., focuses his practice in commercial finance. McCandless’ work includes projects involving both historic and new markets tax credits. Most rewarding are those projects that have a positive impact on their communities, such as the development of a Native American Health Center in Oakland, California, and the development of a facility in Los Angeles dedicated to helping abused and neglected children. McCandless is also an adjunct professor at Washington University School of Law.
Fang Shen, Kansas City, Mo., is an associate in the firm’s Business Services Division and focuses her practice in international law, with an emphasis on China-related business transactions. Shen has played a key role in the formation of Husch Blackwell Sanders’ China practice, which offers a unique service among Midwestern firms to clients. In that role Shen represents businesses in China-related sourcing and distribution, set-up of operations, loan and investment, acquisition and other transactions. A frequent speaker on issues related to doing business in China, Shen also serves on a number of boards including The Society for Friendship with China, through which she is assisting Kansas City to develop trade relations with Chinese cities.
Partner Richard Walters, Springfield, Mo., represents developers, contractors and lenders in a wide variety of projects. He has represented lenders and owners on the financing of numerous historic rehabilitation projects in in downtown Springfield. He also represented The Killian Group, in their capacity as general contractor, on the Branson Landing project. He represented the developers on the construction and syndication of the Washington Senior Housing Project which generated both historic and low income housing tax credits. According to Walters, one of the aspects of his work he enjoys is “watching your work come to life.”
Founded in 1972, Lawyers Weekly, Inc. publishes state-specific weekly publications in Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Virginia. The papers cover legal news, appellate decisions, verdict and settlement reports, and passed and pending legislation.