Kutak Rock opens Springfield office

Kutak Rock formally launched its new office in Springfield on July 27 with 11 attorneys who joined from Lathrop Gage.

Lathrop announced on July 6 that it was closing its 20-year-old Springfield operation after partners there announced their intention to leave.

Joining Kutak Rock from Lathrop are Randell Wallace, James Jeffries, Jim Meadows, Mike Textor, Dan Nelson, Joseph Reid, Taylor White, Jarica Oeltjen, Josh Christensen, Amanda Cochran and Elijah Haahr.

Their practice areas include intellectual property, banking, construction, litigation, bankruptcy, and corporate and real estate transactions. In addition, Haahr is a Republican state representative from Springfield and the speaker pro tem of the Missouri House.

Wallace, who had served as the Lathrop office’s managing partner, said the move presented new opportunities for the attorneys and their clients.

“Kutak Rock has particular strengths in certain areas of practice, including corporate and municipal finance expertise, which we have never really been able to offer our clients in the past,” Wallace said in a statement. “Kutak Rock is a major player among law firms in the Midwest and nationally, and its broad range of expertise will provide a great benefit to our clients who we believe will appreciate Kutak Rock’s commitment to cost-effective client service.”

The new office will be located at 300 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway, Suite 800. It is Omaha-based Kutak Rock’s 18th office nationwide, with an overall attorney count of 530.

“As we continue to identify growth opportunities which respond to the needs of our clients, our focus remains the same — hiring talented, experienced and personable attorneys while honoring and upholding our values and maintaining the culture of the firm,” said Jay Selanders, chair of Kutak Rock, who is based in Kansas City.

“Our new team in Springfield represents who we are as practitioners and as a firm, and we are delighted to welcome them,” he said. “We also look forward to becoming an integral part of the Springfield business community, an expansion that makes sense for us given our strong presence in the Midwest.”