Attorney Misty Watson Discusses Air Travel for Persons with Disabilities

With all of its security precautions, flight delays, connecting flights, etc., air travel for any passenger is stressful. Just imagine the difficulties of air travel for persons with special needs.

Attorney Misty Watson discusses the legal rights of passengers with disabilities with Christine Buck on KPLR11-TV.

Watch the video:

For more information on travel for persons with special needs, read Misty’s blog post “Lessening the Stress of Travel for Travelers with Disabilities.”

More:

• KPLR 11 News – Making Travel Easier For People With Disabilities
• Click here to read 2013 Special Needs Community Newsletter

James Heffner Gets Mention for Helping with Success of One of St. Louis’ Fastest Growing Companies

Innovative Construction and Roofing has been named St. Louis’ second fastest growing company for 2013 by the St. Louis Business Journal. Innovative was one of  25 companies recognized as St. Louis’ Fastest Growing Companies for 2013. Each privately-owned company was evaluated for growth based on revenue increases over the past three years.

Since its inception in 2008, Innovative Construction and Roofing has never stopped growing. Revenue growth over three years is 248.03%. According to Patrick McNichols, who is an owner/principal along with Christian Larson and Brian Benson, Innovative’s growth is the result of planning (infrastructure and job management), marketing and referrals.

McNichols gave the key to Innovative’s success:

The principals stay in communication and work through the planning process…. Attorney James Heffner with Danna McKitrick PC has been helpful in that process, as well as customers in different industries who lend ideas. Other customers include Habitat for Humanity and area churches, including parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

Read the full article here.

Successful Legal Malpractice Litigation Leads to Award for Attorneys Dan Tobben and Kara Helmuth

In recognition of receiving a summary judgment and prior dismissal on claims worth $28 million, Missouri Lawyers Weekly honored Danna McKitrick, P.C. Attorneys Daniel G. Tobben and Kara D. Helmuth, along with the rest of the defense team, as “Missouri Attorneys Securing the Largest Defense Verdicts in 2012” at the 2013 Missouri Lawyers Awards.

In June 2012, Tobben and Helmuth were part of a team that successfully represented an attorney against a legal malpractice lawsuit brought by Coin Acceptors, Inc.

In Coin Acceptors Inc. (“Coinco”) v. Haverstock, Garrett & Roberts et al., Judge Robert H. Dierker Jr. granted summary judgment in favor of the lawyers and law firms on the claims related to one of the disputed patents where the attorneys involved had allegedly mishandled patent infringement litigation. The claims related to alleged malpractice concerning a different patent were previously dismissed by Judge Dierker due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.

Collectively the claims were for $28 million against the attorneys and law firms who represented Coinco in the original litigation, which began in 1990, and involved multiple Mars Inc. patents on two coin acceptor designs. Coinco ultimately lost its patent-infringement case, paying Mars a total of $27.7 million. Continue reading »

Patrick Murphy, Attorney and CPA, on “Fiscal Cliff” Legislation

Attorney and CPA Patrick J. Murphy updated KPLR News anchor Christine Buck on the “fiscal cliff” and what the last-minute legislation passed by the Senate and the House means to businesses and individuals – now and down the road.

Click below to watch the interview:

 

Attorney Misty Watson on Planning for the Care of Your Pets

People love their pets, and often treat them as they would their own children.

However, as estate planning attorney Misty Watson has observed, difficulties arise when a pet owner is no longer able to care for a pet – and no legal provisions have been made for the care of the pet.

See below for recent interviews Watson provided on planning for the care of your pet if/when you are no longer able:

• KMOX – TIAM Weekend – Pets in Your Will
• KPLR 11 News – Planning for Pets in Your Estate

Attorney James Heffner on the Revival of Banking

James M. Heffner, real estate, banking and finance law attorney with Danna McKitrick, P.C., recently commented on the state of banking in the St. Louis Business Journal.

In “Kruszewski Bets on Banking Revival,” the Business Journal reported on the acquisition of boutique investment bank/broker-dealer KBW (Keefe, Bruyette & Woods) by Stifel Financial Corporation. KBW advises banks and other financial institutions on mergers and acquisitions.

Leadership for Stifel and KBW and their analysts believe trends are showing that traditional banking services are improving. Stifel Chairman Ron Kruszewski told the Business Journal that the merger will help as they try to “build the premier middle-market investment bank.”

When asked about the turnaround in the banking industry,

[Heffner] said Stifel’s optimism does not appear misplaced. “We’ve seen a marked increase in business loans, ranging from community banks to regional banks,” he said. “It’s difficult to overstate the number of loan transactions our firm has been involved in this year compared with 2009.”

Read the full article … St. Louis Business Journal

Joplin Firefighters Pension Ruling: Judge Says Disabled Workers Entitled to Half-pay

A Jasper County circuit judge has issued his ruling in a lawsuit involving a disabled Joplin firefighter. Judge David Mouton has ruled that Joplin firefighters “are entitled to half-pay without a reduction from the city pension fund if they are disabled or killed in the line of duty,” according to The Joplin Globe.

Attorney Dan Tobben represented Tom Robertson, the disabled firefighter, as well as the firefighters union, Local 2618, International Association of Fire Fighters, which joined the lawsuit in December 2011.

At the hearing, held in May, neither side disputed the facts of the case involving Robertson’s disability; rather the dispute involved language within the pension itself regarding disability payments to workers who have not served a full 20 years of employment with the City of Joplin. Continue reading »

Tobben on Injunction Against City of St. Louis

Attorney Dan Tobben commented in the St. Louis/Southern Illinois Labor Tribune on the injunction issued against the City of St. Louis recently regarding proposed changes to the Firemen’s Retirement System.

“It’s a win for the firefighters,” said Firemen’s Retirement System (FRS) attorney Dan Tobben. “[Judge Robert Dierker] ruled the proposed ordinance authorized by Board Bill 12 was illegal on a number of grounds and threw it out.”

Tobben is claiming the ruling as a “total victory” for FRS and the firefighters, “pointing out that Judge Dierker ruled that the basic [tenets] of the City’s new law were all invalid and unconstitutional,” according to the Labor Tribune.

Continue reading »

KMOX Interviews Jeff Michelman about Trademarks

Listen as Doug McElvein and Debbie Monterrey interview Jeff Michelman, an intellectual property attorney with Danna McKitrick, about the importance of registering trademarks and why it it helps to protect brands. They also discuss the move by athletes to protect their “catchphrases.”

Click here for the full interview:  Total Information AM on KMOX
(Click the “Play” button to begin the audio stream.)

Sophy Raza on Summer Vacations for Families of Divorce- Ladue News

Sophya Qureshi Raza, family law attorney with Danna McKitrick and board member for Kids In The Middle, was interviewed along with Judy Berkowitz, executive director of KITM, regarding the importance of divorced parents working together on summer vacation planning for their children in the “Legal Corner” column for the July 27, 2012 issue of  Ladue News.

Here is just some of the advice Raza offers in “Share the Good Times:”

With regard to major vacations, plans should be finalized and communicated months in advance for the comfort of the children, as well as their parents. When couples divorce, it is standard procedure to create a plan that includes when each parent can take a vacation with the children, Raza says. “Keep in mind that you cannot schedule your vacation around other special days where the other parent has custody, such as Mother’s or Father’s Day or the other parent’s birthday,” she adds. Annual summer holidays, such as the Fourth of July, also should alternate between parents. And if scheduling conflicts or other issues arise, make an effort to be flexible and avoid negative discussions around the children.

Read the full article … Ladue News