Gene has also been honored as a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Kansas School of Law for his contributions to the community and the legal profession. He has completed more than 1,000 pro bono adoptions of foster children. His pro bono work with children has been featured by the American Bar Association Journal (July 2010), The Kansas City Star (March 2015), the Journal of the Kansas Bar Association (April 2015), Kansas Alumni (May 2015), Journal of the American College of Trial Lawyers (Summer 2015), NBC Nightly News (July 20, 2015), and KU Law Magazine (Fall 2016). Gene was also chosen as KMBZ's Person of the Week in July 2015.
Representative Matters
Represented defendants as Kansas counsel in state court action alleging an industry-wide antitrust conspiracy to restrict supplies and fix the prices of eggs.
Represented major tobacco company in industry-wide class action involving antitrust claims alleging price fixing of cigarettes at the wholesale level.
Lead counsel for Mid-America Pipeline in major litigation concerning a claim of restricted supply of pipeline space.
Represented defendants in class action brought under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act alleging “blast faxing” claims to recover statutory damages and attorneys’ fees. A favorable class settlement was negotiated and approved by the court.
Defended a rural Kansas telephone company in a case involving antitrust, tortious interference and other claims. The plaintiffs’ antitrust and tortious interference claims were dismissed by the court on the defendants’ 12(b)(6) motion.
Lead counsel in the defense of massive federal and state court actions in Brownsville, Texas, where several hundred Mexican children claimed catastrophic injury as a result of their mothers’ exposure to solvents in a plant in Matamoros, Mexico. After several years of intense litigation, all cases were successfully mediated to a conclusion. Also lead counsel in actions against numerous insurance companies who refused to defend these cases, resulting in a full recovery for the client.
Lead counsel in a pro bono action brought by high school students alleging violation of their First Amendment rights as a result of the removal of a controversial book from the school library. A trial in federal court resulted in a victory for the students. The court allowed attorneys’ fees, which were donated by the firm to a foundation which promotes student education concerning the First Amendment.
Representation of Enterprise Products in landowner disputes and condemnation cases.
Defended Columbia Hospital Corporate of America in an antitrust claim brought by the largest physician-owned clinic in Kansas. The plaintiffs claimed Columbia attempted to monopolize physician services in Wichita, Kansas, and that it tortiously interfered with the clinic’s physician contracts in acquiring primary care practices. The case was won on summary judgment, avoiding a scheduled five week trial.
Acted as liaison counsel for approximately 250 third-party defendants in the Conservation Chemical Superfund case in Kansas City.
