Michael L. Matula

Practice Areas

Litigation, Unfair Competition and Trade Secrets, Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution

Career

Michael (Mike) Matula concentrates his practice in the areas of employment litigation and counseling. He is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and has served as Co-Chair of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association’s Employment and Labor Committee. Mike has tried over a dozen jury trials.

In addition to representing employers in a wide variety of employment matters ranging from discrimination and harassment cases to noncompetition/trade secrets disputes, Mike also has significant experience in commercial, tort, and insurance litigation, and continues to handle select matters in those areas. Mike, who has an AV Martindale-Hubbell rating, also represents attorneys in disciplinary proceedings, serves on the firm’s Ethics Committee, was appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court as a Disciplinary Hearing Officer, and is a co-author of the ABA treatise “Professional Responsibility in Litigation.” He is also on the Steering Committee for the firm’s Unfair Competition and Trade Secrets Practice Group.

Mike’s trial experience includes a case resulting in the fourth most significant defense verdict in Missouri in 2001, and being part of a trial team in one of the most significant defense verdicts in Missouri in 2006, both as reported by The Missouri Lawyers Weekly. He has argued before both the Eighth and Tenth Circuit Courts of Appeal, and taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.

Mike has authored numerous publications including “The Law of Jury Selection in Missouri State Courts,” published in the Journal of the Missouri Bar. Mike has also been selected to speak on a variety of employment law topics, notably being asked by The Federal Judicial Center to speak on employment law issues at the National U.S. Magistrate Judges’ Workshop.

Professional Memberships

Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, (former) Co-chair of Labor and Employment Law Committee

The Missouri Bar

Kansas Bar Association

Disciplinary Hearing Officer, Region IV Disciplinary Committee

Missouri Fee Dispute Resolution Committee

Adjunct Professor – University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law

Defense Employment Law Institute