Abrams, Michael J.

Current Employment Position(s)

Partner

Lawyer Overview

Mr. Abrams has dedicated more than 19 years to working for clients in a variety of commercial litigation matters including substantial jury trial practice in federal and state court, appellate practice, and alternative dispute resolution. Mr. Abrams has extensive experience in all phases of business and contract law, accounting law, insurance matters, and media and communications law. Mr. Abrams has successfully defended and prosecuted jury and bench trials involving business torts, fraud, consumer protection claims, trade secrets, covenants not to compete, and professional liability and insurance coverage.

Mr. Abrams chairs the firm's Business Disputes department.

Reported Decisions:

• Clay County Realty v. City of Gladstone, 254 S.W.3d 859 (Mo. 2008)
• Safeco Ins. Co. of America v. Stephenson, Slip Copy, 2008 WL 351006, W.D. Mo., February 6, 2008 (No. 06-4294-CV-C-NKL) 
• Maxus Realty Trust, Inc. v. RSUI Indem. Co., Slip Copy, 2007 WL 4468697, W.D. Mo., December 17, 2007 (No. 06-0750-CV-W-ODS) 
• Building Owners & Managers Ass’n of Greater Kansas City v. City of Kansas City, 231 S.W.3D 208, 2007 WL 1672489, Mo. App. W.D., June 12, 2007 (No. WD 66618) 
• Safeco Ins. Co. of America v. Stephenson, Slip Copy, 2007 WL 1558585, W.D. Mo., May 25, 2007 (No. 06-4294-CV-C-NKL) 
• First Specialty Ins. Corp. v. NAIS, Inc., 459 F. Supp. 2d 1094, 2006 WL 3059920, D. Kan. October 27, 2006 (No. 05-2399-JWL) 
• Star Ins. Co. v. Berry Ins. Agency, Not Reported in F. Supp. 2d, 2006 WL 2460646, D. Kan., August 23, 2006 (Civil Action No. 01-21280-CM) 
• State ex re. General Motors Acceptance Corp. v. Standridge, 181 S.W.3d 76, 2006 WL 44371, Mo., January 10, 2006 (No. SC 86948) 
• All American Wines, Inc. v. Greenfield Wine Co., Not Reported in F. Supp. 2d, 2005 WL 2436466, W.D. Mo., October 3, 2005 (No. 04-4269 CV C NKL) 
• Lamb v. Rizzo, 391 F.3d 1133, 2004 WL 2823309, 33 Media L. Rep. 1078, C.A. 10 (Kan.), December 9, 2004 (No. 03-3179) 
• CST Industries, Inc. v. Randall, Not Reported in F. Supp. 2d, 2004 WL 2282906, D. Kan., October 6, 2004 (No. 04-2334-JWL) 
• Mease v. City of Shawnee, Not Reported in F. Supp. 2d, 2004 WL 957857, D. Kan., February 24, 2004 (No. Civ. A 03-2041-CM) 
• Kiley v. PetSmart, Inc., 32 Kan. App. 2d 228, 80 P.3d 1179, 2003 WL 23006640, Kan. App., December 24, 2003 (Nos. 89,893, 90,248) 
• Lamb v. Rizzo, 242 F. Supp. 2d 1032, 2003 WL 245393, 31 Media L. Rep. 2513, D. Kan., January 31, 2003 (No. 02-1282-JTM) 
• Travel Marketing Associates, Inc. v. Theatre Direct Int’l, Not Reported in F. Supp. 2d, 2002 WL 31527737, D. Kan., October 8, 2002 (Civil Action No. 01-2579-CM) 
• State ex rel. Dotson v. County Comm’n of Clay County, 941 S.W.2d 589, 1997 WL 39632, Mo. App. W.D., February 4, 1997 (No. WD 52567)

Areas of Practice

• Media
• Agribusiness
• Equine
• Business Litigation
• General Business & Complex Commercial Litigation
• Professional Liability
• Class Action or Multi-Party Litigation
• Trade Secrets/Covenants Not to Compete
• Insurance Analysis and Recovery for Policyholders
• Environmental
• Insurance Analysis & Recovery for Policyholders
• Insurance

West Practice Categories

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

Bar Admissions

• Kansas, 1992
• Missouri, 1991
• U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Member, Independent Citizens Advisory Board Regarding Racial Profiling, Overland Park, Kansas
• Board of Trustees, Johnson County Library Foundation
• President, 2007-2009, Kansas City Chapter, American Jewish Committee
• Board of Directors, Village Shalom
• The Missouri Bar
• Kansas Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Centurions, 1999-2001

Honors and Awards

• Selected for Benchmark Litigation, the Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys 2011
• Selected for Missouri Super Lawyers, 2008-2010
• Martindale-Hubbell® "AV" Rating
• President, Student Body - Brandeis University
• Order of the Barristers
• 1st Place Southeast Regional New York Bar Association National Moot Court Competition, 1991
• 2nd Place in Giles Rich Intellectual Property National Moot Court Competition, 1990

Education

• Emory University School of Law, 1991
  J.D.
• Brandeis University, 1988
  B.A.
  Honors: cum laude

Published Works

• 62 Lathrop & Gage Attorneys Recognized by Super Lawyers Magazine, 2010
• Benchmark Litigation Selects Five Lathrop & Gage Attorneys as Litigation Stars, 2010
• Firm Obtains Success for Bank of America in U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 2010
• 52 Lathrop & Gage Attorneys Named Super Lawyers, 2008
• Firm Obtains Success on Constitutional Claim in Missouri Supreme Court, 2008
• Litigation Newsletter, In-Court Report No. 5 -- Fall 2006, 2006
• Litigation Newsletter, In-Court Report No. 4 -- Winter 2006, 2006
• Lathrop & Gage Trial Technology Focus-Litigation Insert No. 4-Winter 2006, 2006
• Litigation Newsletter, In-Court Report No. 2 -- Winter 2005, 2005
• Litigation Newsletter, In-Court Report No. 1 -- Fall 2004, 2004
• Subdivision Proves City Restrictions Unconstitutional, 2003

Address

2345 Grand Blvd.
Suite 2800
Kansas City, MO 64108

Phones

(816) 460-5530 (Business Phone)

Faxes

(816) 292-2001 (Business Fax)

Emails

Contact Us (Business Email)

Websites

http://www.lathropgage.com/