Foulston News

Efflandt Named Charter Fellow of American College of Environmental Lawyers

Charles Efflandt, a partner of Foulston Siefkin LLP, and the firm’s Environmental and Natural Resources Law Practice Group Leader, has been named a Charter Fellow and elected a Founding Regent of the American College of Environmental Lawyers. Mr. Efflandt is one of only 22 attorneys from across the United States (and the only Kansas lawyer) named as Charter Fellows of the American College of Environmental Lawyers. “Some of the best known and most experienced environmental lawyers from across the nation are coming together to form this new college, the first of its kind in environmental law,” said Rick Glick, newly-elected president of ACOEL and an environmental attorney in the Portland, Oregon office of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. “Forming the College will allow us to build a strong fellowship, share best practices and continue to strengthen this thriving practice area.” Membership in ACOEL is by election only, and eligibility is limited to those who are recognized as leaders in their field and have predominantly practiced environmental law for 15 years or longer.

More information, including the latest national and local environmental legal news, is posted on the ACOEL’s website at www.acoel.org.

Mr. Efflandt’s practice encompasses environmental litigation, regulatory enforcement and compliance matters and environmental issues related to business acquisitions and property transactions.

American College of Trial Lawyers Installs Mikel Stout as President

The American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL), widely considered to be the premier professional trial organization in America, installed Mikel L. Stout of Foulston Siefkin LLP (Wichita, KS) as the 57th president of the organization at its annual meeting in Denver, Colorado. The American College of Trial Lawyers is a professional association of lawyers skilled and experienced in the trial of cases and dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice, and the ethics of the profession.

The College’s Fellowship represents all branches of trial practice, enabling the organization to speak with a balanced voice on important issues affecting the legal profession and the administration of justice. The organization’s current membership includes over 5,700 lawyers and Judicial Fellows. Fellowship is extended only by invitation, after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Membership can never be more than 1% of the total lawyer population of any state or province. For more information on the American College of Trial Lawyers, visit www.actl.com.

48 Foulston Siefkin attorneys selected as 'Best Lawyers In America'

The Best Lawyers in America, one of the preeminent legal referral guides in the U.S., selected 48 attorneys from Wichita-based Foulston Siefkin as Best Lawyers, the most of any law firm in Kansas. The list includes thirty-six Foulston Siefkin attorneys in Wichita, seven Foulston Siefkin attorneys in Overland Park, and five Foulston Siefkin attorneys in Topeka.

Foulston Siefkin attorneys selected in the Wichita office include: Stanley G. Andeel, (Corporate Law; Health Care Law; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates), James M. Armstrong, ( Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation; Legal Malpractice Law), Gary L. Ayers, (Commercial Litigation; Health Care Law), Mark A. Biberstein, (Commercial Litigation), Boyd A. Byers, (Labor and Employment Law), Terry C. Cupps, (Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law), Jeff R. DeGraffenreid, (Labor and Employment Law), Charles P. Efflandt, (Environmental Law), Richard D. Ewy, (Commercial Litigation), Jack Focht, (Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Legal Malpractice Law; Personal Injury Litigation; White-Collar Criminal Defense), Jay F. Fowler, (Commercial Litigation), Jim Goering, (Energy Law; Intellectual Property Law; Mining Law, Natural Resources Law; Oil & Gas Law), Frederick L. Haag, (Workers' Compensation Law), Douglas L. Hanisch, (Employee Benefits Law), Wyatt A. Hoch, (Construction Law), Robert L. Howard, (Appellate Law; Commercial Litigation), Christopher M. Hurst, (Tax Law), Jeffery A. Jordan, (Commercial Litigation), Stephen M. Kerwick, (Appellate Law; Commercial Litigation), Eric K. Kuhn, (Workers' Compensation Law), Amy S. Lemley, (Medical Malpractice Law; Personal Injury Litigation), William Matthews, (Intellectual Property Law), Timothy P. O'Sullivan, (Elder Law; Trusts and Estates), Jay M. Rector, (Labor and Employment Law), David E. Rogers, (Personal Injury Litigation), Harvey R. Sorensen, (Corporate Law; Tax Law), Douglas L. Stanley, (Labor and Employment Law), Mikel L. Stout, (Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation; Personal Injury Litigation), Todd N. Tedesco, (Labor and Employment Law), Trisha A. Thelen, (Labor and Employment Law), David M. Traster, (Environmental Law; Water Law), Darrell L. Warta, (Commercial Litigation; Personal Injury Litigation; Product Liability Litigation), Stewart T. Weaver, (Trusts and Estates), Craig W. West, (Personal Injury Litigation), William R. Wood II, (Banking Law; Mergers & Acquisitions Law; Real Estate Law), Charles J. Woodin, (Energy Law; Mining Law; Natural Resources Law).
Seven Foulston Siefkin attorneys in the Overland Park office were selected including: Vaughn Burkholder, (Workers' Compensation Law), James K. Logan, (Tax Law; Trusts and Estates), James D. Oliver, (Appellate Law; Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law), R. Douglas Reagan, (Corporate Law), William P. Trenkle, Jr., (Corporate Law; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates), Wyatt M. Wright, (Labor and Employment Law).
Five Foulston Siefkin attorneys in the Topeka office were selected including: Robert A. Fox, (Energy Law), Charles R Hay,. (Health Care Law), James P. Rankin, (Employee Benefits Law; Government Relations Law), Kyle Steadman, (Medical Malpractice Law), Thomas L. Theis, (Health Care Law; Personal Injury Litigation),

Foulston Siefkin attorneys selected as 2007 MO/KS Super Lawyers

Foulston Siefkin was recognized again for its strong Kansas legal reputation and presence. Twenty lawyers from Foulston Siefkin are listed in the new edition of Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers. Only 5 percent of the lawyers in each state or region are named Super Lawyers.

Foulston Siefkin, with the greatest number of Super Lawyers in the State of Kansas, had attorneys recognized in the areas of Administrative Law, Bankruptcy & Creditors' Rights, Business/ Corporate, Business Litigation, Class Action/Mass Torts, Civil Litigation Defense, Criminal Defense: White Collar, Elder Law, Employee Benefits & ERISA, Employment & Labor, Environmental, Environmental Litigation, Estate Planning/Trusts, General Litigation, Health Care, Insurance Defense: Personal Injury, Intellectual Property Litigation, Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury Defense: Professional Malpractice, Labor & Employment, Mergers & Acquisitions, Professional Liability Defense, Securities & Corporate Finance, and Tax.

Attorneys selected as Super Lawyers include:
Overland Park:
William P. Trenkle, Jr., Securities & Corporate Finance, Business/ Corporate;

Topeka:
Charles R. “Dick” Hay, Health Care, Bankruptcy & Creditor Rights, Employee Benefits/ERISA; Thomas L. Theis, Personal Injury Defense, Medical Malpractice, Health Care, Personal Injury Defense;

Wichita:
Stanley G. Andeel,Tax, Health Care, Estate Planning & Probate; James M. Armstrong, Business Litigation, Class Action/Mass Torts; Gary L. Ayers, Business Litigation, Health Care, Criminal Defense: White Collar; Mark Biberstein, Business Litigation, General Litigation, Personal Injury Defense; Terry Cupps, Bankruptcy & Creditor Rights, Business Litigation; Charles Efflandt, Environmental, Environmental Litigation, Administrative Law; Richard Ewy, Business Litigation; Jack Focht, Criminal Defense: White Collar, Employment & Labor, Business Litigation; Jay Fowler, Business Litigation, Civil Litigation Defense; Douglas Hanisch, Employee Benefits/ERISA; Christopher Hurst, Tax, Business/ Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions; Amy Lemley, Professional Liability: Defense, Civil Litigation Defense; Timothy O'Sullivan, Estate Planning & Probate, Tax; Harvey Sorensen, Securities & Corporate Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions, Tax; Douglas Stanley, Employment & Labor; Mikel Stout, Business Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation, Employment & Labor; and Darrell Warta, Civil Litigation Defense, Business Litigation.

Patricia Voth Blankenship Selected to 2007 Leadership Wichita Class

Wichita, KS. – Twenty-four Wichita area citizens have been chosen to participate in the Leadership Wichita class of 2007, a leadership training program presented by the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Members are selected through a nomination process; the program’s Board of Trustees selects 24 participants from the candidates who have submitted a formal application.

Class of 2007 members:
Hector Cortez, Spirit AeroSystems; Patricia Crowell, LSI Corp.; John DeCesaro, Armstrong/Shank; the Rev. Junius Dotson, St. Mark United Methodist Church; Daniel Eilert, Intrust Bank; Debra Franklin, Wichita State University Center for Economic Development and Business Research; Mark Gehrer, Key Construction; Rick Griffin, Martin Pringle; Heather Hogan, Value Place; Gail Jordan, Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas; Welsley Kight, Hawker Beechcraft; Angela Landwehr, Cessna Aircraft; Col. Leonard Mattingly, Kansas Air National Guard; Roger McClellan, Sherwood Construction; Jamil Moody, Commerce Bank; Kenneth Rohling, Bombardier Aerospace-Learjet; Jamee Ross, Botanica; Victor Scott II, Westar Energy; Charlene Stevens, Sedgwick County; Tom Stolz, Wichita Police Department; Kylie Stupka, Greater Wichita Convention & Visitors Bureau; Alicia Thompson, Wichita Public Schools; Patricia Blankenship Voth, Foulston Siefkin; and Van Williams, city of Wichita.

Since its inception in 1983, nearly 500 community leaders have participated in the Leadership Wichita program. The focus of Leadership Wichita is to identify, inform and inspire leaders in the Wichita metro area for greater involvement in the community.

Chambers USA ranks Foulston Siefkin Among Kansas’s Top Law Firms

Chambers USA, a national research publication, released its rankings of law firms in Kansas for 2007. Chambers USA rates lawyers and law firms based on exhaustive research including interviews with practicing attorneys, their clients, and other industry leaders familiar with the legal market. Foulston Siefkin was once again ranked as the leading law firm in the state of Kansas in the key practice areas of Corporate/M&A, Employment Law, General Commercial Litigation, and as a leading law firm in Real Estate.

Chambers USA also included 12 Foulston Siefkin attorneys in its rankings of leading individual attorneys: Boyd Byers, Employment Law; Chuck Efflandt, General Commercial Litigation; Jack Focht, General Commercial Litigation; Jay Fowler, General Commercial Litigation; Doug Hanisch, Employment Law; Jay Rector, Employment Law; Harvey Sorensen, Corporate/M&A; Douglas Stanley, Employment Law; Mike Stout, General Commercial Litigation; William Trenkle, Corporate/M&A; Darrell Warta, General Commercial Litigation; and Bill Wood, Corporate/M&A and Real Estate. Foulston Siefkin’s complete Chambers USA rankings and profile are available on the Chambers and Partners website at www.chambersandpartners.com

Foulston Siefkin welcomes Charles R. "Dick" Hay to the Firm

Foulston Siefkin LLP, the largest law firm in Kansas, is pleased to announce that Charles R. "Dick" Hay has joined the firm in our Topeka office. "We feel very fortunate to have him now as a part of our team", said Doug Stanley, Managing Partner for Foulston Siefkin. "Foulston Siefkin has grown to be the largest law firm in Kansas through its ability to attract attorneys like Dick who have become recognized by national organizations as among the leading health care lawyers in the United States. Dick's skill and experience in working with health care clients throughout Kansas gives Foulston Siefkin another resource to provide our health care clients excellent legal services promptly and efficiently."
Dick Hay graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1974. He was initiated into the Order of the Coif at K.U., an honor marking outstanding scholastic achievement, and was a member of the Kansas Law Review. Dick has been recognized for outstanding legal work by his peers, being selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America, recognized as a MO/KS Super Lawyer in Health Care Law, receiving Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory's highest "AV" rating for lawyers, and being elected a past president of the Kansas Association of Hospital Attorneys. Dick has spent his entire career representing hospitals, physicians, and other health care clients. He has extensive experience representing clients in health care matters including litigation, hospital and physician regulation, reimbursement, and many other compliance related issues. Dick Hay can be contacted at 785.233.3600 or dhay@foulston.com.

Foulston Siefkin moves to new Topeka address

To provide the space and resources to support our growing number of Topeka attorneys and area client base Foulston Siefkin LLP has moved our Topeka office to the Bank of America Building, across the street from our old offices. Our telephone numbers and email addresses will remain the same. Our new address is:

Bank of America Tower, Suite 1400
534 South Kansas Ave.
Topeka, Kansas 66603-3436

We are proud of our firm’s history and excited about our future in Topeka.

Patricia Voth Blankenship in Business Journal's 2007 40 Under 40 Class

Wichita, KS. – Forty Wichita area individuals, including Patricia Voth Blankenship, a partner with Foulston Siefkin LLP, have been selected to the Wichita Business Journal's 2007 40 Under 40 class. Members are selected through a nomination process and are evaluated on leadership, community involvement and contributions to their work place. Ms. Voth Blankenship assists clients with a wide range of commercial, agricultural and residential real estate matters, focusing and limiting her practice to real estate law.

"We had some great, great candidates," says Molly Edwards, vice president for the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce and a member of the selection committee. "I could have seen us having twice as many candidates make it."

The honorees will be recognized Sept. 27 at the 40 Under 40 banquet at the Hyatt Regency Wichita. This year's event will be the 10th anniversary of what has become a tradition for the Wichita's business community.

Kyle Steadman Appointed to SCEDC Board of Directors

The City Council of Mulvane appointed Kyle J. Steadman, Special Counsel with Foulston Siefkin LLP, to serve as the City of Mulvane’s appointee to the Board of Directors of the Sumner County Economic Development Commission (SCEDC) beginning January 1, 2008. The purpose of the SCEDC is to further economic development of Sumner County and the communities within Sumner County.