KC Lawyer

The Kansas City office of Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. (SHB) is located in the Crown Center complex near the downtown business district. Established in Kansas City in 1889, the firm's historic presence in the community has forged enduring client relationships built on superior legal services. It is only fitting that a prestigious KC lawyer like John F. Murphy chairs the firm.

John has served as the chair of Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. since January 1, 2002. As chair, he has led the evolution of the Firm in its quest to be "the best in the world at providing the clients creative and practical solutions at unsurpassed value." SHB has honed its ability to deliver the promise of its vision statement by focusing on such areas as science and technology, knowledge management, litigation support, operational efficiency, and a culture that causes diversity to thrive.

Prior to his appointment as chair, John was a KC lawyer actively involved in the management and trial of significant lawsuits for a number of corporate clients. His 25 plus years of experience involves many facets of trial activity, including discovery, trial, appellate practice, and mediation.

John's achievements as a KC attorney include the following national products liability litigation:

Obtained a defense verdict in March 2000 in a case involving a 1991 Ford F-150 pickup truck. The plaintiff alleged the roof of the F-150 was defective in both design and manufacture. The plaintiff was a 9-year-old who sustained a severe brain injury with over $10 million in future economic damages.

Obtained a defense verdict for Ford in a "lap-belt" only case in May 1999 in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. The plaintiff was a five-year-old girl who sustained a lumbar fracture and torn vena cava in the accident.

In 1995, successfully obtained a defense verdict in his representation of Conoco, Inc., in a multi-death action arising out of a propane explosion in rural Missouri.

Every KC lawyer in town remembers the Kansas City Hyatt Regency skywalk collapse. Mr. Murphy was actively involved in the 1984 skywalk collapse litigation and was trial counsel in the licensing actions against the structural engineers on that project.

Although he is considered a KC lawyer, John has practiced before United States courts in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Texas, South Carolina, and Maryland and state courts in Missouri, Kansas, Indiana, Iowa, Florida, Texas, Alaska, California, Montana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Illinois, New York, Arizona, Washington, and Louisiana. John was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1979 and the Supreme Court of the United States in 1991.

To learn more about SHB, contact us today!