Wagstaff & Cartmell

Firm Overview:
Wagstaff & Cartmell is a litigation boutique focused on handling high-stakes and complex litigation matters nationwide. The firm's practice spans a wide range of matters, from professional liability to business litigation to product liability, mass actions, class actions, and catastrophic personal injury.

In all areas, the firm thrives in the courtroom and in preparing to get there. It has served in leadership roles in major, multi-district litigation and has been lead counsel in bellwether and other jury trials in prominent cases, nationally and locally. The firm has been selected to represent state governments and other public entities.

The firm values efficiency, creativity, and most of all, credibility. The team includes many lawyers trained in large law firms, former federal law clerks, and attorneys consistently recognized by peers as among the best in the profession.

The team zealously pursues best-possible outcomes for our clients in high-stakes, complex cases in a wide spectrum of industries and areas of the law.

Main Areas of Practice: 

Mass Actions & Personal Liability:

Defending the masses with record breaking results
In its work on some of the nation’s largest mass action cases, the firm has helped thousands of clients across the country achieve record-breaking results. These mass actions often involve thousands of cases consolidated before one judge into multi-district litigations (MDLs), and the firm's attorneys are regularly appointed to leadership positions within the MDLs. The team has recovered more than a billion dollars on behalf of clients in these cases, involving a wide range of subject matters, including dangerous drugs, defective medical devices or wrongful actions that harmed a large group of people. The firm has also achieved historic results on behalf of individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries or wrongful deaths as a result of negligence or intentional wrongdoing by corporations or other individuals. These cases have resulted in seven and eight figure settlements and verdicts for clients of the firm.

Class Actions & Commercial Litigation:  

Translating decades of experience into leading settlements
The firm's attorneys are recognized for their decades of commercial litigation experience and strong work ethics, which have resulted in seven to eight figure settlements and dismissals of eight to nine figure disputes.

The firm has experience in a wide range of subject matters, including:
-Antitrust
-Breach of contract
-Business torts
-Franchise litigation
-Professional malpractice
-Financial and investment fraud
-SEC whistleblower/qui tam actions

The team also has deep knowledge in prosecuting class action cases and has recovered more than $800 million from its clients in class actions alone. As a result of the firm's expertise, it has been appointed to leadership positions in major, nationwide class actions ranging from federal statutory violations of the Sherman Act, RICO Act or ERISA, and various state law claims.

Healthcare & Professional Liability:  

Defending those who serve the firm's communities
Wagstaff & Cartmell’s longstanding expertise in healthcare defense has made it one of the most highly respected healthcare defense practices in the Midwest. The firm values its clients and is proud of its long-lasting relationships with many Midwest healthcare institutions. The firm recognizes the important work and sacrifice of members of the medical community and is proud to represent them across a variety of healthcare defense cases. The firm's expertise stems from decades of experience with area judges, juries and adversaries. It routinely handles pre-suit investigations; lawsuits throughout Missouri, Kansas and other states; and matters involving issues of licensing, disciplines, staff privileges and other similar matters before administrative agencies and regulatory boards.

Appellate Practice:  

Available to help even after the trial
At Wagstaff & Cartmell, the firm anticipates the needs of its clients beyond the trial court level. It understands many cases are appealed and there is sometimes the need for petitions for extraordinary writs in the appellate courts on matters that are not immediately appealable. Wagstaff & Cartmell provides appellate expertise for its clients through its appellate specialists. These specialists ensure that the factual and legal issues are properly preserved and presented to the appellate panel. They are also available to assist with appellate brief work originating in trials outside of Wagstaff & Cartmell. Matters routinely handled by the firm’s appellate practice group include motion practice, monitoring of trials to ensure preservation of the record, post-trial motions, appellate briefing and argument.