BERKOWITZ OLIVER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- ASSOCIATE
- Member at the University of Kansas School of Law
Braden Lefler focuses his practice on commercial litigation and employment law.
Prior to joining Berkowitz Oliver, Braden worked at a labor and employment boutique law firm where he defended clients against employment-related claims in federal and state court, with an emphasis on employment discrimination and breach of employment agreements. Braden also developed significant experience advocating for clients before administrative agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Through his experience practicing employment law, Braden honed his ability to investigate the facts of a case, gather key evidence, and use all available information to craft strategies and solutions to the problems his clients face.
Braden is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Kansas School of Law, where he coaches students to compete in the National Labor and Employment Moot Court Competition. Braden graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law where he served as a Publications Editor for the Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy and was a member of the Moot Court Council.
Carson is a graduate of Colorado State University (B.S., magna cum laude, 2008) and the University of Kansas School of Law (J.D., 2011), where he served as a Note and Comment Editor for the Kansas Law Review.
David Oliver has tried a variety of complex business dispute cases in both state and federal court in Missouri and Kansas as well as in other parts of the country. He works regularly with attorneys from across the county whose clients find themselves in lawsuits in the Kansas City area to help their clients succeed. He and other attorneys in the firm know the judges and magistrates who handle these cases, and David provides valuable insights and assistance on local practice.
David tried one of the few class action lawsuits that have been tried in Missouri. That trial involved taking issues to the Missouri Court of Appeals as well as the Missouri Supreme Court. He regularly handles temporary restraining order/preliminary injunction matters in both state and federal court in the Kansas City area.
David understands that clients do not relish the time, expense, and unpredictability involved in handling complex business disputes in the courtroom and that our clients expect efficient work. He assembles lean trial teams that know how to handle discovery issues efficiently. He deals professionally with opposing attorneys which the judges in our area appreciate and expect.
David counsels clients on how to avoid business disputes. Lawsuits are a last resort and clients should understand how to avoid them. He is certified as a mediator and serves as a special master/discovery commissioner in cases.
David invests time in the community where the firm practices law. He is known and respected in the business and civic community. His civic activities include serving as a board member of AlignED; board member of MRIGlobal; board member of William Jewell College; board member of DeLaSalle Charter High School; board member of the UMKC Trustees; board member of Teach for America - KC; advisory board member Spencer Art Museum at the University of Kansas; and advisory board member of the AUP+D Department at UMKC. He is on the board of The Francis Family Foundation and is a trustee of the Murphy Charitable Fund.
Diamond Thomas joined Berkowitz Oliver in 2022. Diamond is a graduate of Fontbonne University (Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in Marketing). As an undergraduate, she played varsity softball, interned with the American Youth Foundation, and was employed by the federal Defense Information Systems Agency as a Budget Analyst.
Diamond participated in the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law and Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration's combined Juris Doctorate/Masters of Business Administration joint degree program and earned her J.D., with emphasis in International Law, and M.B.A. During the joint degree program, Diamond served as Vice-President of the Black Law Students' Association, Vice-President of the Business Law Association, and Co-Chair of the Diversity Student Coalition. Diamond also served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Charles H. McKenzie of the 16th Circuit of Jackson County, Kansas City, Missouri, and she enjoyed serving as a research assistant for Professor Sean O'Brien in the areas of wrongful conviction relief, death penalty cases, and expungement matters.
Away from the office, she dedicates her time to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility initiatives, and she loves being active, whether it's playing sand volleyball, slow pitch softball, or her new-found love of pickleball. She also enjoys traveling (having traveled to 7 different countries and hoping to visit more), and she loves brunching with friends.
Jennifer Wieland handles complex litigation matters for businesses and individual clients. Her practice is primarily in federal court, where she focuses on commercial disputes and employment and intellectual property matters. She represents clients from all sectors, including the financial services, higher education, and automotive industries, from small, local businesses to Fortune 500 companies.
When Jennifer takes on a case, she invests the time to learn about her client's business, to understand the facts, and to analyze and anticipate the legal issues. This hands-on approach has helped her resolve many disputes before litigation is even filed. She also has won cases around the country based on her written work including in state and federal courts in Kansas, Missouri, California, Illinois, and Florida. Jennifer is also qualified as a Missouri mediator and was selected for inclusion on the Western District of Missouri's Mediation and Assessment Program's newly created list of Category II Neutrals, effective August 1, 2023.
Jennifer is a former federal law clerk who worked on both coasts before settling in Kansas City. Her first job out of college was as a paralegal at Covington & Burling in Washington, DC. She later served as a law clerk to the Hon. Lourdes G. Baird in the Central District of California in Los Angeles. Following her clerkship, she worked in the Orange County, CA office of Latham & Watkins. She relocated to the Kansas City area in 2005, where she spent three years as an attorney at Blackwell Sanders before joining Berkowitz Oliver in 2008.
Jennifer is a Double Hoo, having received both her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Virginia. While attending UVA Law, she was both an Executive Editor of the Virginia Law Review and a founding member and Executive Editor of the Virginia Sports & Entertainment Law Journal. Jennifer's Note "Death of Publius: Toward a World Without Anonymous Speech" was published in the Virginia Journal of Law & Politics and has been cited in an amicus brief presented to the United States Supreme Court, as well as over a dozen law review articles.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Lead Trial and Appellate Counsel
John Shaw has served as lead trial and appellate counsel in a variety of commercial, product liability, and securities matters. He has also been selected as national and regional counsel by both product manufacturers and securities broker dealers. He has handled disputes before FINRA, AAA, and CFTC, as well as regulatory matters before the SEC, FINRA, and state securities commissions.
John is a frequent lecturer on mediation and arbitration and has been on the faculty for the fall and spring conferences of FINRA and regional and national seminars for the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association. Best Lawyers in America has named him 2017 Kansas City Lawyer of the Year for Litigation-Regulatory Enforcement and 2019 Kansas City Lawyer of the Year for Litigation-Securities.
John received his B.A. (1973) and M.A. (1977) in English Literature, and his J.D. (1977), all from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He was a Casenote and Comment Editor of the Missouri Law Review and was admitted to the Order of the Coif. He remains active at the University where he is a member of the Strategic Advisory Board to the Dean of the College of Arts and Science and the Missouri 100 Advisory Board to the President of the University. He was the 2003 College of Arts and Science commencement speaker and received the College of Arts and Science Distinguished Alumni Award in 2005.
His outside interests include literature (from T.S. Eliot to T.S. Garp), music (from Rockabilly to Rachmaninov), and enough exercise to fight a reasonable battle against entropy and age. His latest hobby is serving as a laborer for his wife Cynthia's gardening efforts.
Kirk Peterson focuses his practice on commercial litigation, primarily on behalf of manufacturers and distributors. Whether a multi-national corporation or a family owned business, Kirk understands his clients are not in business to litigate. He approaches each matter as if he were the business owner, looking for an efficient and practical way to resolve the dispute and get his client back to its business.
If the matter cannot be resolved, Kirk loves the strategy and advocacy awaiting him in trial and appellate courts. His passion for justice is what drove him to law school and it continues to act as a foundation for his work today.
Kirk enjoys reading, camping, and time with his wife and five children. He gives back to the community by creating and chairing Plein Air KC, an art competition that brings artists from across the country to promote the arts and help the Penn Valley Park Conservancy's efforts to protect Penn Valley Park. Kirk is also a nationally licensed soccer coach, and for 15 years he volunteered, coaching boys' and girls' soccer teams at recreational and competitive levels.
Lauren is a former federal law clerk, having clerked for the Honorable Mark S. Davis, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Lauren graduated with honors from the University of Kansas and magna cum laude from Washington & Lee University School of law, where she was on the Editorial Board of the Washington & Lee Law Review. After practicing for eight years in Virginia, Lauren relocated back home to Kansas and joined Berkowitz Oliver in 2019. Lauren has been recognized by her peers in Virginia, Kansas and Missouri as a "Rising Star" in business litigation.
Megan Costello has worked with businesses across several industries during her career, both before and after becoming an attorney. She knows there is no one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with a legal issue. Before Megan advises a client, she makes sure she understands how they operate day-to-day and what is most important to them.
Megan helps clients solve and prevent problems pertaining to their workforce. Whether it's planning an employee training session or navigating a major class-action lawsuit, Megan consumes as much information as she can about the particulars of the situation and walks decision-makers through the benefits and burdens of each choice they need to make. Megan has obtained favorable decisions for her clients in state and federal courts as well as multiple government agencies charged with enforcing employment laws.
After 13 years in Denver, Megan was thrilled to return to her native Kansas City and to be once again firmly planted in Chiefs territory. In those rare moments she's not laser-focused on work, you can find her cooking a new recipe she found online, catching up on her favorite podcasts, or making her infant son giggle.
Nick Kurt is a trial lawyer who primarily practices in the area of commercial litigation with an emphasis on securities litigation and complex class actions. Nick prides himself on understanding his clients' businesses and their objectives and factoring those considerations into securing the best outcome for them. He has represented officers, directors and corporations in state and federal security fraud matters and derivative suits. In addition to his civil litigation experience in the industry, he has also worked on regulatory matters with the SEC, FTC, FINRA and the CFTC. He has been involved in numerous SEC formal and informal investigations, as well as numerous internal investigations often related to ongoing litigation or parallel governmental inquiries. Nick also has extensive experience in defending businesses facing a wide variety of contract, tort and statutory claims, including large-scale class actions. Because of his efforts on behalf of his clients in federal and state courts throughout the country, he consistently has been recognized by his peers and colleagues as a "Rising Star" and "Super Lawyer."
An experienced trial lawyer, he has achieved numerous defense verdicts in both jury and bench trials. Nick has also crossed the aisle and represented plaintiffs in business disputes and recently obtained a seven-figure damage verdict on behalf of a business client. Nick also has a proven and consistent track record of obtaining dismissals for his clients at early stages of litigation. Nick enjoys handling his cases through appeal and he has successfully argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and the Missouri Court of Appeals.
Nick is a graduate of Loras College (B.A., maxima cum laude, 1993) where he was the recipient of the Monsignor Timothy J. Gannon Award and Scholarship. He graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law (J.D., High Distinction, 2000) where he was a member of The Journal of Corporation Law and a Moot Court student judge. After finishing law school, Nick joined the law firm of Shughart Thomson & Kilroy PC (n/k/a Polsinelli) where he practiced before joining Berkowitz Oliver.
Outside of the office, Nick enjoys traveling and spending time with his family and can usually be found on the sidelines of one of his four children's sporting events. Nick maintains an active lifestyle and supports the Royals, Cubs, and Iowa Hawkeyes. Nick is also steadfast in his mission to get his home state of Iowa (a/k/a "God's Country") the respect and recognition it deserves.
Sharon Stallbaumer is a partner with Berkowitz Oliver and has a wide range of litigation experience including complex commercial litigation, class action litigation, employment defense, product liability defense, franchise litigation and accounting-related litigation. She represents major companies and individuals nationwide, in both state and federal courts. Sharon has particular skill in legal research and in motion and brief-writing, which highlight her ability to take complex legal issues and make them both understandable and persuasive to courts and juries. In addition, Sharon regularly counsels clients on employment policies and payroll issues. Of recent note, Sharon has represented:
Job Titles:
- Butterfly Gala Event Committee Member
Stacey Gilman is an experienced civil litigator whose practice focuses on business litigation, intellectual property, professional liability, consumer, and other complex commercial matters. For more than twenty-five years, she has successfully represented clients in complex and high-profile disputes, including trademark, copyright, patent, trade secret, restrictive covenant, cybersquatting, advertising, unfair competition and class action matters, just to name a few. Recognized as a "Super Lawyer" by her peers and selected as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation for her extraordinary leadership in the legal profession, Stacey has extensive trial and arbitration experience in state, federal and international tribunals. Stacey also serves as an arbitrator, and is a member of the American Arbitration Association® National Roster of Arbitrators.
Whether Stacey's client is a Fortune 500 company, a small business, or an individual, Stacey personifies Berkowitz Oliver's people-first philosophy by staying accessible and prioritizing her clients' goals at every juncture. Her longstanding relationships with clients who routinely turn to her not only as trial counsel but also for day-to-day and pre-suit legal advice, are a testament to the care and consideration she gives every case entrusted to her.
A former newspaper editor, Stacey continues to publish work on intellectual property, the Freedom of Information Act, and notable developments in the law. She also dedicates her time to several non-profit organizations benefitting children's causes, the homeless, and the community at large; and serves as a frequent lecturer at the University of Kansas School of Business.
Tim Millman focuses his practice on employment and business litigation, with substantial experience representing motor vehicle manufacturers and distributors in employment and dealer franchise disputes. Tim's broad range of experience includes representing companies before federal and state trial and appellate courts, administrative agencies and arbitration panels throughout the country, on everything from single plaintiff administrative complaints to complex class actions.
Tim is always available to his clients. He believes in understanding his client's business needs and dedicating himself to achieving the best possible results for his clients in an efficient and timely manner.
Tim enjoys spending his free time with his family, participating in outdoor activities, and cheering on his four kids in youth and high school sports.
Tim Wallner believes that complex and high stakes business and commercial litigation calls for multi-disciplinary perspectives and strategies. Tim's background has allowed him to integrate these strategies into his practice.
While pursuing his J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from the University of Missouri at Columbia, Tim spent time lecturing in undergraduate business classes. Additionally, Tim spent summers working for a civil defense law firm in St. Louis and interning at the Missouri Secretary of State Securities Division. Following graduation, Tim served as law clerk at the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, for the Honorable Lisa White Hardwick.
Tim's practice centers on securities and business arbitration and litigation. Since joining Berkowitz Oliver in 2009, Tim has represented clients in several state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration proceedings across the country. Tim has also handled disputes and investigations before the Financial Regulatory Authority, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and state securities commissions. Tim has been recognized as a "Rising Star" in Missouri by Super Lawyers. Tim's background in business, state regulation, and government means that he is able to provide clients with an understanding of the issues relevant to them, regardless of the situation.
When not in the office, Tim enjoys spending time with his growing family, and (slowly) updating (and baby proofing) their 100-year-old home.
Yasmin Herdoiza began her career as an Assistant Public Defender in the State of Missouri and transitioned into owning her own solo practice where she has litigated in both civil and criminal matters. A central theme in her work as an attorney has, and continues to be, zealous advocacy for her clients. Yasmin strives to make her clients feel informed and educated about their cases and therefore more secure throughout the process. Her experience presenting arguments in trial court settings and negotiating with opposing counsel in both criminal and civil matters has enabled her to think creatively about legal issues and resolve legal matters in an efficient manner.
Yasmin is a graduate of the University of Kansas (B.A.s, 2017) where she received two Bachelors of Art in Spanish and Psychology and the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law (J.D., 2021). While in law school, Yasmin participated and led a number of student organizations and was a member of the Journal of American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (JAAML). As part of her membership with JAAML, she was given the opportunity to publish a comment on the authentication of digital evidence. Throughout law school, Yasmin worked for civil litigation firms and interned at the public defender's office where she gained experience in discovery review, motion writing, legal research, and trial preparation.
In her free time, Yasmin enjoys spending time with her family and friends (particularly her grandmother), cooking, trying new foods and restaurants, and traveling around the world. So far, her most memorable travel experience has been at the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador