COOLING & HERBERS, P.C. - Key Persons
Brandy A. Ochoa is the Front Office Coordinator at Cooling & Herbers. Ms. Ochoa came to Cooling & Herbers team in May 2007 with over 14 years of administrative experience.
Ms. Ochoa is client service orientated and manages the firm's communications. She also supports the accounting department and performs a broad range of administrative duties throughout the firm.
Job Titles:
- People Staff Member
- Executive Legal Assitant
Job Titles:
- People Staff Member
- Corporate Legal Assistant
Job Titles:
- People Staff Member
- Firm Administrator
Heidi R. Albers has over seventeen years of experience in business aviation transactions. She concentrates her law practice in the areas of acquisition, sale, registration, leasing, fractional ownership, chartering, management, and financing of corporate aircraft and related insurance and regulatory matters.
Ms. Albers represents and advises aircraft owners and operators, corporate flight departments, and other aviation related businesses nationally and internationally. She is committed to providing comprehensive, vigorous, and effective representation for every client.
Ms. Albers has contributed to NBAA's Journal of Business Aviation Management and the Aviation Youth Academy Summer Camp at the University of Central Missouri. She is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri and the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.
Mr. Herbers is admitted to practice in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the Western and Eastern Districts of Missouri, the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and the Supreme Court for the State of Missouri.
He has extensive trial experience in state courts and federal courts in six states, and appellate experience including more than 20 published opinions. He has authored articles in the Missouri Bar Journal, the Missouri Bar CLE series on both Aviation Liability and Evidence, the Missouri Law Review and the SMU Journal of Air Law and Commerce. He has spoken before numerous groups including the Aviation Insurance Association, National Business Institute, NBAA (Insurance and Financial Risk Management), the Organization of Flying Adjusters, and the SMU Air Law Symposium, on litigation, corporate and fractional aircraft ownership issues.
Mr. Herbers is a former chairman of the Missouri Transportation Committee and is a licensed private pilot.
James E. Cooling is the managing partner of the firm. He is an aircraft owner and pilot holding commercial, instrument, multi-engine and flight instructor ratings with a Cessna Citation jet type rating.
James E. Ramsey serves as Partner to Cooling & Herbers, P.C. and has over 34 years of legal experience. He concentrates his practice in litigation involving defense of general liability, product liability and contract claims against aircraft owners, operators, FBOs, manufacturers and airports, as well as general insurance defense coverage claims, and appeals. Mr. Ramsey's practice also includes administrative law including appeals to the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Transportation, the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Appellate Courts. The scope of these matters includes hazardous materials transportation; Federal Aviation Administration Rules, Certifications and Regulatory matters; Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs and airport matters including accidents, airspace, easements, environmental issues, funding and grant assurances and obstructions to airspace and airports.
Mr. Ramsey is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska, the U.S. District Court for the Western and Eastern Districts of Missouri, the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He has reported appellate decisions in the Alaska and Kansas Supreme Courts and the U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and the Eighth Circuit. Mr. Ramsey has also worked on the staff of a United States Senator in Washington D.C.
Mr. Ramsey is a decorated Naval Aviator. His military career included service as an experimental test pilot for the United States Navy after graduation from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. He has flown, as pilot-in-command, numerous types and models of single and multi-engine turbo jet, turbo prop and piston-driven aircraft.
Mr. Ramsey graduated from the Aviation Safety School at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California, after which he became actively involved in aviation accident investigation.
Mr. Ramsey is a past Chairman of the Aerospace Law Committee of the Defense Research Institute.
serves as Of Counsel to Cooling & Herbers, P.C. and represents individuals with employment discrimination claims, personal injury claims, real estate claims, and parties involved in municipal finance matters. Clients rely on Mr. Glover for his expertise and dedication to success.
Mr. Glover has extensive public service experience in Kansas City, Missouri. He served as a City Councilman for sixteen years helping to promote the redevelopment of urbans areas and was appointed by the Governor of Missouri to serve as a Commisioner for the Missouri Housing Development Commission. He is also a past Chairman on the City Market Oversight Committee, Neighborhood Development Committee and Economic Development Committee. Mr. Glover served as a member for eight years on both the Total Transportation Advisory Committee Mid-America Regional Council and the Truman Medical Center Board of Directors. He is also a former Vice Chairman on the Plans, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee and past member of the Plans and Zoning Committee, Neighborhood Development & Housing Committee, and Legislative, Rules and Ethics Committee.
James Glover III serves as Of Counsel to Cooling & Herbers, P.C. and represents individuals with employment discrimination claims, personal injury claims, real estate claims, and parties involved in municipal finance matters. Clients rely on Mr. Glover for his expertise and dedication to success.
Kathleen H. Breckenridge has represented private and corporate aircraft owners and operators for over fourteen years. She concentrates her practice in the areas of business and tax planning, U.S. aircraft export and import, acquisitions and sales, leasing, fractional ownership, and chartering and management of corporate aircraft. Ms. Breckenridge's world-wide clients have benefited from her invaluable experience with complex international transactions. Ms. Breckenridge has authored articles for Business Aviation Advisors, World Aircraft Sales Management, China Daily, and Asia Weekly.
Ms. Breckenridge is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, the District of Kansas and the District of Illinois.
Ms. Breckenridge is a second-generation aviation attorney. Her father, Philip Hogan, was an aviation attorney for 30 years and finished his career as General Counsel for United Airlines in the early eighties. Ms. Breckenridge is also Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Airline History Museum in Kansas City and a member of Women in Corporate Aviation.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Paralegal
- Legal Assistant
- People Staff Member
Mr. Leffel works in the setup of small businesses and their ongoing entity management and contract issues. He also represents clients on the purchase, sale, and lease of real estate and probate management matters.
Mr. Leffel is admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, and the Supreme Court of the State of Kansas.
Mr. Leffel is a former President of the Johnson County Bar Association and continues to be active in this association.
Job Titles:
- Director of Client Relations
Leslie L. Rose is the Director of Client Relations as well as the Senior Corporate Paralegal and has been with the firm since 2006. Ms. Rose provides administrative support to James E. Cooling and Jessica L. Pownell in the areas of acquisition, sale, leasing, registration, fractional ownership, charter, finance and international operations of private and corporate aircraft along with related insurance and regulatory matters.
As Director of Client Relations, Ms. Rose is the daily business liaison of the organization and is responsible for the success, satisfaction, and growth of our clients. Ms. Rose's paralegal duties include preparing documentation for aircraft transactions, coordinating with parties to facilitate transactional closings and providing post-closing support.
Ms. Rose is conversant in Spanish.
Lisa Holt has over twenty years experience in federal taxation. Ms. Holt concentrates her practice in the areas of purchase, sale, leasing and financing of corporate aircraft, and business and tax planning. Ms. Holt joined the Kansas City law firm of Cooling & Herbers, P.C. in November 2003. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Holt represented clients on corporate, partnership, trust and estate, and individual tax planning and preparation in both a law firm settings and in a national accounting firm.
Job Titles:
- People Staff Member
- Litigation Paralegal
Job Titles:
- People Staff Member
- Front Office Coordinator
Paul V. Herbers is a member and director of Cooling & Herbers, P.C. He has concentrated his practice since 1979 in aviation litigation, business litigation including distributor terminations, trucking litigation, product liability, insurance defense, and coverage.
Peggy E. Gelinas joined Cooling & Herbers, P.C. as the Firm Administrator in January 2017. She brings with her 20 years of prior legal experience with 10 years as an Administrator, and a strong background in human resource management. She spent most of her legal career working in the Washington, D.C. area, before relocating to Kansas City.
As Firm Administrator, Ms. Gelinas is responsible for all financial and accounting functions, and oversees client billing. Additionally, she manages all HR functions including benefits administration, recruitment and staff management. As a small firm Administrator, she also oversees facility and equipment needs.
In her spare time, Ms. Gelinas enjoys spending time with her family, enjoying outdoor activities and travelling. She is an animal lover with a Miniature Schnauzer and an awesome rescue cat. She also volunteers at her children's schools and various charitable organizations within the Kansas City community.
Memberships:
• Association of Legal Administrators, National Chapter
• Kansas City Association of Legal Administrators
• Society of Human Resource Management
Education:
University of Maryland, University College - B.S. in Business Management, HR Concentration
Robert Morris University, Chicago, IL - A.S. in Legal Administrative Studies
Robin Hansen is a paralegal with a background working in corporate legal departments and within the judicial system. Ms. Hansen provides administrative support to Heidi R. Albers in the areas of acquisition, sale, management, ownership, chartering, international operations, registration, and insurance and tax regulatory matters.
Ms. Hansen's paralegal duties include preparing documentation for aircraft transactions, coordinating with parties to facilitate transactional closings and providing post-closing support.
Education and Training:
B.A. - Flagler College
Job Titles:
- People Staff Member
- Dir. of Client Relations and Sr. Corp. Paralegal
Russell (Rusty) C. Leffel served as Of Counsel to Cooling & Herbers, P.C. from 1985-2017. Mr. Leffel has over 40 years of experience in small business, real estate and probate matters.
Ms. Elizabeth Vasseur-Browne concentrates her law practice on defending aircraft manufacturers, aircraft systems manufacturers, airports, general aviation operators, business and corporate jet operators, FBOs, flight departments, aircraft completion businesses, pilots, aerial applicators and mechanics, against claims of wrongful death, personal injury and property damage claims in state and federal courts.
She counsels insurance companies on coverage issues and advises aviation business clients regarding regulatory compliance pursuant to Parts 61, 91, 121, and 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. Ms. Vasseur-Browne also defends certificate holders against FAA and DOT administrative sanctions and enforcement actions and represents clients before the NTSB.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Vasseur-Browne had an extensive career in command and control/operational control and air operations in the United States Air Force. During law school she clerked for the Honorable Lizbeth González in the Bronx County Civil Court, Bronx, New York and interned with the Federal Aviation Administration, Eastern Region, General Counsel's Office in Jamaica, New York.
Ms. Vasseur-Browne is a private pilot.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our longtime partner, Joe Whisler. He was a great friend and colleague to us all and his larger than life presence will be sorely missed. For any questions regarding current or future legal matters, please contact Paul Herbers at pherbers@coolinglaw.com. Please read about Mr. Whisler's many career accomplishments below.
William Borgmeyer's practice focuses on assisting clients with acquisition, sale, leasing, and financing of aircraft and related business and tax planning. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Borgmeyer spent five years working for KPMG LLP in their State and Local Tax practice where he assisted clients with indirect and direct tax preparation and planning.