Charles has litigated cases in more than 35 states across the country. He has represented clients in various types of litigation, including matters concerning alleged product liability defects, premises and commercial disputes, construction defects, intellectual property, pharmaceutical matters, insurance disputes, and commercial vehicle accidents involving serious injury or wrongful death. Charles has extensive experience handling lawsuits involving fires, fire suppression systems, construction disputes, alarm systems, CPVC products, metallurgical failures, electrical equipment products and valve systems. He also has significant experience representing restaurants and hospitals in personal injury and wrongful death matters.
Charles is committed to serving the community. His pro bono work focuses on various civil rights matters and matters concerning children.
Representative Matters
Jury trial in Putnam County, New York (second chair) involving admitted-liability automobile accident and alleged catastrophic injuries. (Defense verdict).
Jury trial in Seattle, Washington, (first chair) in property damage case involving an alleged failure in a fire protection system product. (Defense verdict).
Jury trial in Livingston, Louisiana, (second chair) in case involving allegations of wrongful death from heating equipment. (Favorable outcome).
Jury trials in civil rights cases in the Western District of Missouri and pro bono trials in Missouri State Court.
Arbitrations in matters in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina; Maricopa County, Arizona; Fulton County, Georgia; and Riverside County, California. (All awarded to the defendants).
Summary judgment in Lake County, Illinois (in matter involving severe burns/property damage from explosion).
Summary judgment in Scott County, Minnesota (spoliation).
Summary judgment on all tort claims (economic loss doctrine issue) in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Summary judgment in Harris County, Texas (on RICO claims).
Presentations
Press conference with Mayor James, featured in Business Wire, Kansas City, Missouri (July 2014).
NHS Past, Present & Future, Kansas City, Missouri (June 2014).
Financial Leadership—Do You Have the Right Team?, NeighborWorks® Executive Director Symposium, Washington, D.C. (April 2014).
Experts in Litigation, Kansas City, Missouri (Fall 2011).
Punitive Damages Strategies and the Supreme Court, Kansas City, Missouri (August 2003).