Departments

Phone: 816.374.0575
Fax: 816.817.0263

William E. Quirk

Shareholder

Approaching legal issues from the perspective of appellate judges is of key importance to William E. Quirk.  Mr. Quirk, who chairs the firm's Appellate practice group, attributes much of the success in appellate practice to choosing and framing the issues. He believes familiarity with appellate procedures and conventions, and experience in presenting arguments to which appellate judges are likely to respond, can be invaluable to clients.  

Mr. Quirk has over 34 years of experience, with over 20 years concentrating on appellate cases. He represents businesses and individuals at both the state and federal appellate levels who want to either preserve or overturn trial court judgment. He also applies his appellate knowledge to issues arising at the trial level, particularly in business litigation matters.

Memberships and Affiliations

  • The Missouri Bar
  • Supreme Court of Missouri Appellate Practice Committee, 2002-present
  • United States Supreme Court Bar, Member
  • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
    • Appellate Court Committee Chairman, 1987, 1997, 2000
  • The Pembroke Hill School
    • Board of Trustees, 2005-present

Distinctions

  • Mr. Quirk has been recognized as a Missouri/Kansas Super Lawyer: 2005-2007
  • Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2007-2012
    • Appellate Practice
    • Commercial Litigation
  • Selected for inclusion in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers 2008, Appellate Law
  • Instructor, Elwood Thomas Appellate Practice Institute (2001, 2003)

Experience

  • Coffer v. Wasson-Hunt (Missouri Supreme Court en banc 2009).  Retained after adverse court of appeals opinion. Successfully obtained transfer and reversal of circuit court opinion, thereby reinstating client's decision to terminate employee. Reported at 281 S.W.3d 308.
  • Skaggs v. City of Kansas City, Missouri (Missouri Court of Appeals 2008).  Successfully represented majority of city council in opposing effort to terminate city manager's contract. Reported at 264 S.W.3d 694.
  • State ex rel. Parsons v. Board of Police Commissioners. (Missouri Court of Appeals). Successfully represented respondent in extraordinary writ proceeding challenging its internal personnel policies.  Appeal dismissed.  Reported at 345 S.W.3d 851.
  • Doran v. Eckold. (United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit en banc 2005). Retained by appellant after unsuccessful trial and appeal from $2 million adverse judgment. Obtained rehearing en banc and presented en banc oral argument. Judgment reversed and judgment directed for client in 8-4 opinion; certiorari denied. Reported at 409 F.3d 258.
  • Vaughters v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas City (Missouri Court of Appeals 2004). Represented defendant-appellant in appeal from judgment in excess of $5 million in breach of contract and breach of fiduciary relationship suit.  Court reversed $2.5 million punitive damages award. Case settled and opinion withdrawn.
  • H&R Block v. America Online, Inc. (Missouri Court of Appeals 2004). Successfully represented respondent in briefing on appeal. $20 million verdict affirmed in full. Reported at 148 S.W.3d 878.
  • Doebele v. Sprint Communications (10th Circuit 2003). Represented in effort to keep summary judgment in employment discrimination case where plaintiff argued disputed facts instead required a trial. Judgment affirmed in part and reversed in part. Reported at 342 F.3d 1117.
  • Jenkins v. KLT (United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit 2002). Represented appellee corporation in appeal from breach of employment contract judgment in its favor. Judgment affirmed. Reported at 308 F.3d 850.
  • Transit Casualty Co. v. Selective Ins. Co., (United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit 1998). Represented appellant reinsurer against an insolvent insurance company in a reinsurance contract dispute. Judgment reversed in part, allowing the client to take claimed offsets against the insolvent insurer. Reported at 137 F.3d 540.
  • Sanders, L.P. v. Twin Oaks Investors (Kansas Court of Appeals 1998). Retained on appeal to represent appellant in appeal from adverse interpretation of real estate lease. The trial court judgment was reversed, and the state supreme court denied review. Unpublished opinion.

Publications & Presentations

2008
Missouri Bar Annual Meeting
2006
David Prager Advanced Appellate Institute
2005
Missouri Bar Appellate Practice Seminar
2004
David Prager Advanced Appellate Institute
2002
Missouri Appellate Practice and Extraordinary Remedies, Fifth Edition
2002
David Prager Advanced Appellate Institute
2000
Missouri Bar CLE