Current Employment Position(s)

Partner

Lawyer Overview

Mr. Bales has over 35 years of experience handling construction claims, litigation, risk management, and contract negotiation, representing design professionals, owners, contractors, sureties, and suppliers. He also frequently serves as a mediator or arbitrator in construction and other disputes. Mr. Bales has handled virtually every type of claim arising from a commercial project, i.e., defects in all design disciplines, delay and impact, job site safety, wrongful termination, liquidated damages, cardinal change, differing site conditions, and other contract disputes. He has tried more than one hundred cases (jury trial, bench trial, and arbitration) and participated in hundreds of mediations and settlement conferences. Before concentrating on construction law, Mr. Bales handled a variety of cases, including personal injury, wrongful death, product liability, premises liability, insurance coverage, arson and fraud.

Click here to see Mr. Bales' experience as a Neutral in Arbitration and Mediation.

Areas of Practice

• Construction
• Business Litigation
• Construction and Design Industry
• Professional Liability

West Practice Categories

Business & Commercial Law, Construction Law, Litigation & Appeals, Other Professionals Malpractice

Bar Admissions

• Kansas, 1974
• Missouri, 1987
• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Chair of Lathrop & Gage's Construction Department
• American Bar Association, Construction Industry Forum (Steering Committee, Division 3)
• The Missouri Bar, Construction Law Committee
• Kansas Bar Association, Construction Law Committee
• Johnson County, Kansas, Bar Association (former Director and Treasurer)
• Johnson County Bar Foundation (former Trustee)
• Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Construction Law Committee (former Chair)
• Defense Research Institute, Construction Law Committee
• American Institute of Architects, National Allied Member
• American Institute of Architects, Kansas City Chapter, Professional Affiliate Member
• The Associated General Contractors of America

Honors and Awards

• Selected among The Best Lawyers in America®, 2008-2010
• Selected as one of Missouri/Kansas Super Lawyers, 2006-2007, 2009
• Construction Arbitrator Master Panel of AAA (top 100 in the country)
• Martindale-Hubbell® "AV" Rating

Education

• University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, 1974
  J.D.
  Honors: with distinction
• Rockhurst University, 1971
  B.S.B.A.

Published Works

• 56 Lathrop & Gage Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America, 2009
• Collecting Professional Fees in a Recession, 2009
• Firm Obtains Success in Professional Liability Matter, 2009
• What Every Design Professional Needs to Know About ConsensusDOCS, 2008
• 52 Lathrop & Gage Attorneys Named Super Lawyers, 2008
• National Best Lawyers Roster Includes 50 Lathrop & Gage Attorneys, 2008
• ABA Construction Seminar Features Jerome Bales on "Owners and Architects", 2008
• 45 Lathrop & Gage Attorneys Named Super Lawyers, 2007
• Lathrop & Gage Attorney Tapped as Editor for ABA Publication, 2007
• The “Betterment” or Added First Benefit Defense, 2005
• Lathrop & Gage Construction Focus-Litigation Insert No. 3--Summer 2005, 2005

Address

2345 Grand Blvd.
Suite 2800
Kansas City, MO 64108

Phones

(816) 460-5747 (Business Phone)

Faxes

(816) 292-2001 (Business Fax)

Emails

Contact Us (Business Email)

Websites

http://www.lathropgage.com/