Paul Kavanaugh – Kansas City, Missouri, Attorney Profile

Skill & Knowledge to Get You a Positive Outcome

Paul was the first in his family of 8 to graduate from High School, College and Law School. He graduated from Westminster College in Fulton, Mo where he attended on a full ROTC Scholarship. Paul then went on to graduate from the Univ. of Mo. Kansas City School of Law graduating with distinction after having been the Managing Editor of the Law Review and having been published twice while in school. He also attended the Judge Advocate General School at the University of Virginia graduating with honors in Trial Advocacy.

After law school Paul served in the US Army as a Judge Advocate General Corp attorney specializing in criminal trial work with the Trial Defense Service. Paul left the service as a Captain having received the Meritorious Service Medal for his exemplary service.

In 1987 Paul began his career with Kansas City Legends Lantz Welch, James Bartimus and Max Foust. He was one of the founding members of the firm of Bartimus, Kavanaugh and Mallory. As a member of various firms including Kenner James and Kavanaugh, and Rollins Kavanaugh Paul has dedicated his life to taking care of those injured by medical negligence and personal injury.

Paul was a member of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys Board of Governors for 15 years. During his career he has lectured at medical schools, nursing schools and pharmacy schools on medical negligence around the country. He has published  and spoken on the topic of medical malpractice to health care providers to try and help them limit the damage caused by their actions. Paul also has lectured across the country on the subject of medical negligence to attorneys.

Paul has been named “Best of the Bar”, a Super Lawyer a dozen times, and is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell its highest ranking. Paul  is recognized for his lifetime of work in the medical negligence field. Other cases of note include his verdict, along with Grant Davis and Scott Bethune in the Berthelsen vs URS Corporation, a trucking case, that at the time was the largest individual jury verdict upheld on appeal at the time in Missouri. Paul was also one of the members of the Plaintiffs Steering Committee that helped bring justice to the many victims of the Robert Courtney pharmacy debacle.

Over a lifetime of work in medical negligence Paul has handled nearly every type of case in medicine and wrongful death. He has handled numerous cases in the areas of Birth Injury, Spinal surgery, stroke, all types of cases involving cardiology, cancer, orthopedics, Neurology, Ophthalmology, Brain surgery, Radiology, Anesthesia, Pulmonary embolism, Pediatric cases of all types, Urology, Infectious disease, Pharmaceutical malpractice and products liability, Vascular surgery, Internal medicine, Nursing Malpractice of all types, Urology, General, Neurosurgery, Cardiac Surgery, Plastic and all types of surgery complications, Obstetrics and gynecology. There is not a specialty of medicine Paul has not been involved in from a legal perspective.

Another area of great interest is in Nursing Home litigation to protect our seniors. Paul has been handling these types of cases since he left the service in 1987. Paul also is active in protecting our Service Members by handling cases involving the Veterans Administration Hospitals and Military Hospitals.

In addition to practicing law Paul and his wife Debbie have established a Charitable Foundation that supports scholarships at Westminster College, the UMKC School of Law and the UMKC School of Pharmacy. They support causes both in the USA and around the world. They have delivered 2,000 wheelchairs to those in need around the world and established schools in Cambodia that educate nearly 900 students. The first school was built in 2007 and their 5th school building is being dedicated soon.

Areas of Practice

• Medical Negligence and Wrongful Death
• Nursing Home Litigation
• Auto and Trucking Litigation
• Pharmaceutical Products Liability

Education

• Univ of Mo. KC School of Law 1984 (with distinction)
  • J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence
• Westminster College 1981

Awards and Honors

• AV rated by Martindale Hubbell
• Missouri Super Lawyer over 10 years.
• Best of the Bar KC Business Journal
• Recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal US Army
• Order of the Bench and Robe

Memberships and Associations

• Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys
• Million Dollar Advocates Forum
• Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
• Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children for many years