BLAKE & UHLIG - Key Persons
Amanda Rhodes joined Blake & Uhlig, P.A. in 2015 and became a partner in 2023. Ms. Rhodes focuses her practice on the representation of multiemployer defined benefit and defined contribution plans and health and welfare plans. Ms. Rhodes has extensive experience in drafting plan documents and negotiating various agreements with plan service providers. She is well-versed in issues arising under ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, HIPAA, COBRA, and healthcare reform. Prior to joining Blake & Uhlig, Ms. Rhodes was in private practice with a small Kansas City firm where she also practiced employee benefits law.
Ms. Rhodes received her B.S. in History from Truman State University in 2010. She graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law in 2013, earning multiple CALI Excellence for the Future Awards and a certificate in dispute resolution. During law school, Ms. Rhodes was an editor for the Journal of Dispute Resolution and served as an officer of the Women's Law Association. She also spent a summer abroad studying comparative law in Cape Town, South Africa.
Education
B.S., Truman State University, cum laude (2010)
J.D., University of Missouri (2013)
Brandon Wood joined Blake & Uhlig as an associate in 2017.
Mr. Wood graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri School of Law in 2017. While in law school, Mr. Wood was an Associate Editor and member of the Missouri Law Review, and served as President of the Equal Justice Law Association, a student organization dedicated to advancing interest and participation in public interest law at the University of Missouri and in the Mid-Missouri community. Mr. Wood received a bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Missouri - Kansas City in 2014.
Education
B.A., University of Missouri - Kansas City (2014)
J.D., University of Missouri School of Law (2017)
Carolyn Haglof joined Blake & Uhlig as an associate in 2023. Ms. Haglof's practice is focused on employee benefits, including representation of multiemployer defined benefit and defined contribution plans and health and welfare plans.
Cayla Rodney joined Blake & Uhlig, P.A. as an associate in 2021.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Rodney advocated for workers' rights as an intern. During the summer of 2020, Ms. Rodney was awarded a Peggy Browning Fellowship to work for a union-side law firm in New York. Ms. Rodney also interned for two non-profits in North Carolina and South Carolina to provide legal assistance to migrant farmworkers.
Ms. Rodney graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 2021. While in law school, Ms. Rodney was a member of the UNC Pro Bono Board in which she helped facilitate pro bono services for her community and encouraged classmates to get involved. She also participated in the Civil Legal Assistance Clinic, served as the notes and comments editor for the North Carolina Journal of International Law, and was a research associate for the Prosecutor and Politics Project.
Ms. Rodney received her bachelor's degree in Communications from East Carolina University in 2018 and was on the university's track and cross country team.
Education
B.S., East Carolina University, summa cum laude (2018)
J.D., University of North Carolina School of Law (2021)
Charlie Yang, an associate at Blake & Uhlig since 2023, earned his J.D. from Cornell Law School in 2023 and a B.A. in Music Performance from Dickinson College in 2016. Prior to joining the legal profession, he gained valuable experience in venture capital. This unique background enriches his expertise at the intersection of law and entrepreneurship. Charlie's practice is focused on employee benefits law, where his combination of legal knowledge and creative thinking provides exceptional client service.
Education
B.A. Dickinson College (2016)
J.D. Cornell Law School (2023)
Eric Beckemeier joined Blake & Uhlig in 2018. Mr. Beckemeier focuses on representation of unions and their fringe benefit funds in labor and ERISA litigation. His practice includes both federal and state court litigation. Mr. Beckemeier also has experience litigating Title VII claims in trial and appellate courts.
Mr. Beckemeier is a 2011 graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and a 2007 graduate of the University of Central Missouri.
Frederick Zarate joined the firm in 2012. Mr. Zarate focuses on the representation of unions and their fringe benefit funds located in labor, ERISA, and bankruptcy matters. His practice includes litigation before federal and state courts. Mr. Zarate also has experience counseling union officials and trustees of multi-employer ERISA funds.
Prior to joining Blake & Uhlig, Mr. Zarate represented unions and their fringe benefit funds in New York.
Mr. Zarate is a 2010 graduate of the Brooklyn Law School and a 2007 graduate of the Industrial and Labor Relations School at Cornell University.
Education
B.A., Cornell University (2007)
J.D., Brooklyn Law School (2010)
Garrison Howell joined Blake & Uhlig as an associate in 2023 after graduating from the University of Missouri School of Law.
While in law school, Mr. Howell volunteered with the Amazon Labor Union, the Midwest Innocence Project, and served on the Board of Missouri Law's American Constitution Society. Garrison received his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Missouri in 2020.
Outside the profession, Mr. Howell has a passion for football, basketball, and organizing with the local citywide tenants' union.
Education
B.S., University of Missouri (2020)
J.D., University of Missouri School of Law (2023)
Ms. Glasgow primarily helps clients solve complex labor issues that impact working families. She has a strong litigation resolution background, previously representing large national and international entities in complex commercial disputes in both state and federal court.
Ms. Glasgow graduated magna cum laude from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 2016, where she served as a Comment Editor for the UMKC Law Review. While in law school, she published a comment entitled Is Right-to-Work Wrong For Missouri? A Constitutional Analysis of the Feasibility of Right-to-Work in the Show-Me State. She also served on the Board of Governors for the ABA Law Student Division and was awarded the ABA Gold Key-the highest award presented to law students. Ms. Glasgow received her B.A. in Political Science summa cum laude from the University of Missouri in 2013.
Outside of the profession, Ms. Glasgow is active in progressive causes. Ms. Glasgow also enjoys walking her two dogs-Rocky and Drogo.
Education
B.A., University of Missouri (2013)
J.D., University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law (2016)
Luke Doherty joined Blake & Uhlig as an associate in 2023.
Mr. Doherty graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law in 2023. While in law school, Mr. Doherty served as a Comment Editor for the Business, Entrepreneurship and Tax Law Review. During this time, he published a comment entitled Chapter 11 and Corporate Accountability: How Large Economic Players Use Reorganization as a Liability Shield. Mr. Doherty received a bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Kansas in 2020.
Education
B.S., University of Kansas (2020)
J.D., University of Missouri School of Law (2023)
Marisa Gates joined Blake & Uhlig as an associate in 2022. Ms. Gates graduated from the Tulane University School of Law in 2022. While in law school, Ms. Gates was a member of the Tulane Journal of Law & Sexuality, where her comment, Transgender Pregnancies and the PDA, was published. Ms. Gates was also the President of the Tulane Women in Law Society and participated in the Civil Rights Clinic. Ms. Gates interned for the ALCU of Missouri before interning at Blake & Uhlig. Ms. Gates received a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Arkansas in 2019.
Education
B.A., University of Arkansas (2019)
J.D., Tulane University School of Law (2022)
Michelle Levine Graves joined Blake & Uhlig in 2008. Her practice focuses on representation of the firm's trust fund clients. In her current role, she regularly attends trustee meetings and advises trustees and service providers on all aspects of the funds including ERISA compliance, health care reform, HIPAA, COBRA, and DOL and IRS compliance programs. In addition, Ms. Levine Graves drafts the fund's governing documents, including Plan Documents, Trust Documents, and Summary Plan Descriptions.
Ms. Levine Graves received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Kansas in 2003. She attended law school at the University of Kansas where she was the recipient of a tax certificate and a CALI Excellence for the Future Awarded in Torts II. During law school Ms. Levine Graves assisted low-income taxpayers with the filing of federal and state tax returns as a volunteer with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. After graduating from law school, Ms. Levine Graves earned a Master of Laws degree in Taxation from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. While receiving her Master of Laws degree, she participated in the Advanced Tax Fellowship Program and the Kansas City Tax Clinic.
Education
B.S., Business Administration, University of Kansas (2003)
J.D., University of Kansas (2006)
LL.M., Taxation, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law (2008)
Nathan Hill joined Blake & Uhlig in 2009 and has been a Shareholder since 2015. Mr. Hill has focused his practice on the representation of multiemployer defined contribution and defined benefit retirement plans, health & welfare plans, and apprenticeship funds. Mr. Hill regularly attends trustee meetings and advises trustees and service providers on all aspects of employee benefits law, including ERISA and Internal Revenue Code compliance, fiduciary responsibility, healthcare reform and HIPAA. Mr. Hill also drafts governing documents for multiemployer benefit funds, including plan Documents, trust documents, and summary plan descriptions.
Mr. Hill received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from Iowa State University in 2004 and a MBA from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2009. He received his Juris Doctorate in 2009 and his Master of Laws in Taxation in 2010 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. He graduated law school cum laude, was a member of the Law Review, and received a CALI Distinguished Achievement Award for employee benefit law. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Hill worked for Union Pacific Railroad in Omaha. Mr. Hill is admitted to practice law in Missouri and Kansas.
Education
B.S., Iowa State University (2004)
J.D., University of Missouri-Kansas City (2009)
LL.M., Taxation, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law (2010)
M.B.A., University of Missouri-Kansas City (2009)
Since joining Blake & Uhlig in 2006, Mr. Terry has focused his practice on the representation of collectively bargained defined contribution and defined benefit retirement plans and health & welfare plans. Mr. Terry has experience in all aspects of employee benefits law, including ERISA and Internal Revenue Code compliance, fiduciary responsibility, investment issues, collection matters, plan qualification issues, benefit claims and appeals processing, benefit disputes, drafting of plan documents, amendments, and summary plan descriptions, negotiation of service provider agreements, and requests for determination of tax-exempt status. Mr. Terry regularly attends trustee meetings and advises trustees and administrative staff on all legal aspects of fund administration. Mr. Terry is admitted to practice law in Kansas and Missouri. Prior to joining Blake & Uhlig, Mr. Terry served as a Research Attorney for the Kansas Court of Appeals, providing advice and counsel to the Court on appellate matters.
Mr. Terry received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Kansas. He attended Washburn University School of Law on a full-tuition merit scholarship, where he was the recipient of three CALI Distinguished Achievement Awards. Mr. Terry graduated from Washburn Law cum laude in May 2002. Upon graduating from law school, Mr. Terry entered the Graduate Tax Program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, where he was selected to participate in the Advanced Tax Fellowship Program. In May 2003, Mr. Terry graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law with a Master of Laws degree in Taxation.
Education
B.A., University of Kansas
J.D., Washburn University, cum laude (2002)
LL.M., Taxation, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law (2003)
Scott Brown has been with Blake & Uhlig since 2004. Mr. Brown's practice is focused on the representation of labor organizations and their members in federal and state courts and before government agencies and arbitration panels. Mr. Brown also provides his clients with assistance and counsel regarding collective bargaining, contract administration, union governance, and strategic planning.
Prior to joining Blake & Uhlig, Mr. Brown served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable John Torrence of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit of Missouri.
Mr. Brown graduated from the University of Colorado-Boulder in 1996, and received his law degree in 2001 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he was a member of the UMKC Law Review.
Education
B.A., University of Colorado (1996)
J.D., University of Missouri-Kansas City (2001)
Victoria Henley joined Blake & Uhlig, P.A. as an associate in 2022. Ms. Henley focuses her practice on employee benefits, including representation of multiemployer defined benefit and defined contribution plans and health and welfare plans. Prior to joining Blake & Uhlig, Ms. Henley was in private practice with a small Overland Park firm where she represented teachers and students. Ms. Henley also has previous experience with benefits law as a result of internships with several law firms and the U.S. Department of Labor.
Ms. Henley received a bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Missouri in 2018 with departmental honors. She graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 2021. While in law school, Ms. Henley was a staff member for the UMKC Law Review and a recipient of multiple CALI Excellence for the Future Awards, including an award in Estate Tax. Ms. Henley enjoys reading and going for walks in her free time.
Education
B.A., University of Missouri (2018)
J.D., University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law (2021)