Jackson Lewis Expands into Kansas City

WHITE PLAINS, NY (February 10, 2014) – Jackson Lewis P.C., one of the largest workplace law firms in the world representing management, is pleased to announce the opening of its Kansas City Regional Office.  The office – Jackson Lewis’ 55^th – will be led by Managing Shareholder Brian J. Christensen, joined by Shareholder David M. Kight and Of Counsel Kyle Russell.   All were formerly with the firm of Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP.

“We wanted to expand into the Kansas City market for a long time, due to increasing demand from our clients in the region,” said Vincent A. Cino, Firm Chairman.  “We are honored to have attorneys of this caliber plant the Jackson Lewis flag in Kansas City. They are skilled practitioners with excellent reputations for representing and defending companies in labor and employment-related matters on a regional and nationwide basis.  We look forward to having them team-up with our other offices in the region and deliver a unique and dynamic skill-set to our Central U.S. client-base.” 

“We are eager to join forces with Jackson Lewis’ exceptional team of workplace law attorneys and are excited about the opportunity to draw upon the firm’s extensive resources and deep knowledge to serve the needs of our existing clients,” said Christensen. 

Mr. Christensen’s practice includes representing management in traditional labor relations matters and employment litigation. His clients include local, regional and national employers in an array of industries such as meat packing, transportation, health care, not-for-profit, charitable institutions, retail, construction, professional athletics, public education and various public entities. 

He received his B.A. from Brigham Young University and his J.D. from the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific.  He is admitted to practice in Kansas, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Washington. 

Mr. Kight, who served as Leader of Spencer Fane’s Labor and Employment Law Practice Group and was a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, has a diversified practice that includes traditional labor relations matters, human resources counseling, and all aspects of employment litigation, including non-compete agreements and contract disputes. 

Mr. Kight has obtained his SPHR© certification and is a frequent speaker on employment, labor, and social media matters.  He serves as a Contributing Editor to several publications, including the Bureau of National Affairs’ “Trade Secrets: A State by State Survey,” “Covenants Not to Compete: a State by State Survey” and “The Developing Labor Law.”

Mr. Kight received his B.A. from the University of North Carolina – Charlotte and his J.D. from the University of Louisville’s Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, where he served as Managing Editor of the Brandeis Brief.  He is admitted to practice in Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri.

Mr. Russell’s practice is focused on labor law and employment litigation.  Prior to joining Spencer Fane, he spent eight years as in-house counsel of a Fortune 500 diversified financial services company.    He received his B.S. from the University of Missouri-Columbia and his J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Arkansas.  He is admitted to practice in Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas.

“Jackson Lewis’ growing presence in the Kansas City region is an exciting development,” said Kelvin (Kelly) C. Berens, Managing Shareholder of the firm’s Omaha office.  “I look forward to working closely with the new team as we grow the region’s resources and continue to deliver top-notch services to our clients.”

Jackson Lewis’ Kansas City office can be reached by calling (913) 981-1018.

About Jackson Lewis

Founded in 1958, Jackson Lewis is dedicated to representing management exclusively in workplace law. With over 770 attorneys practicing in 55 locations throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Jackson Lewis is included in the AmLaw 100 and Global 100 rankings of law firms. U.S. News - Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" named Jackson Lewis the 2014 "Law Firm of the Year" in the Litigation-Labor and Employment category. The firm was also named a Tier 1 National “Best Law Firm” in Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; and Litigation – Labor & Employment. The firm’s wide range of specialized areas of practice provides the resources to address every aspect of the employer/employee relationship. Jackson Lewis has one of the most active employment litigation practices in the United States, with a current caseload of over 6,500 litigations and approximately 550 class actions.

Jackson Lewis is a founding member of L&E Global Employers’ Counsel Worldwide, an alliance of premier employment law boutique firms and practices in Europe, North America, and the Asia Pacific Region.

Additional information about the firm can be found at www.jacksonlewis.com.