Jeffrey A. Kennard
Shareholder, Scharnhorst Ast Kennard Griffin PC
Kansas City, MO
- Education University of Kansas
- Experience 27 years of experience year
Similar Lawyer In the Area
Please See the FEES Section; Fees may apply
+1 (816) 268-9403
Practice Areas
Construction Law
Arbitration & Mediation
Construction Law
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
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KansasSince 1994
Spoken Languages
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English: Spoken, Written
Biography
Jeff chairs the Firm’s construction and design practice group. Since 1994, Jeff has had the privilege to represent owners, design-builders, design professionals, general contractors, construction managers, and subcontractors of all types and sizes, ranging from publicly-traded international companies to small local businesses, on a wide variety of projects, including: petroleum and bio-fuel refineries; fossil-fuel and geothermal power plants; industrial and food processing facilities; military facilities and government housing; earthen dams; sports stadiums; commercial office towers; heavy highway, transportation, and civil; distribution facilities; retail developments; and condominium developments. Although Jeff assists clients at all phases of a construction project, litigation is the principal focus of his practice. Jeff has tried or arbitrated more than 20 construction disputes to verdict or award, and he has been recognized as one of the leading construction attorneys in Kansas and Missouri. The nature of the disputes he has litigated is varied and includes: claims for delays, disruptions, lost productivity, and acceleration; claims for additional compensation due to unknown or changed site conditions; claims for wrongful termination; claims for defective design drawings and specifications; construction defect claims; claims under the Miller Act and similar state statutes; and mechanic’s lien claims.
Professional Experience
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PresidentConstruction Law Section of Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association2013 - Current
Professional Associations
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Fellows of American Bar FoundationFellow2014 - Current
Education
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University of KansasJ.D. (1994) | Law1991 - 1994
Awards
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Selected for Inclusion in Super Lawyers, Construction LitigationSuper Lawyers2014
Publications
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Construction Law Update, Chapter 10 — Midwest RegionAspen Publishers2013
Speaking Engagements
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Electronic Discovery and the New Federal Rules, 8+4 Review of the Law , Overland Park, KS
Fees
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Rates, Retainers and Additional Information Although we handle most litigation matters on an hourly-fee basis, SAKG has entered into and successfully utilized alternative fee arrangements on several matters. Some examples include: (i) we defended a construction dispute under a phased flat-fee arrangement where we divided the case into four discrete phases – pre-discovery investigation and analysis, discovery, dispositive motions, and trial – and SAKG received flat fees for each phase of work; (ii) we represented the claimant in a commercial arbitration under a pure contingent-fee arrangement; (iii) we represented a client in a commercial dispute in federal court under a hybrid contingent-fee and hourly-fee arrangement, whereby the firm received a discounted hourly fee along with a contingent “success fee” upon conclusion of the case; (iv) we recently handled an appeal in a commercial matter on a fixed-fee basis; and (iv) since 2007, we have defended all premises liability matters for one client under a blended hourly-rate arrangement.
