Farris Law Firm, LLC

Attorney Profile: Denise E. Farris

Attorney Denise Farris, a litigator specializing in construction, equine and business litigation, is a 1991 graduate of the University of Missouri School of Law. During law school and through 1992, Ms. Farris clerked with The Miller Law Firm, a firm nationally recognized for its prominence in construction law. In 1992, Ms. Farris joined the law firm of Lathrop & Norquist, currently known as Lathrop & Gage, L.C., where she continued her practice in construction law and business litigation. In February 1996, Denise formed the Farris Law Firm, where she continues her practice in the areas of construction law and business litigation. In 1997, the firm became one of the only 47 firms nationally listed to specialize in equine law.

In February of 1994, Ms. Farris was named by the Honorable Emanuel Cleaver to the City’s Fairness in Construction Board, where she served as Board Member until March of 1996. In November of 1995, Ms. Farris was named Distinguished Alumni of the Year by the State of Missouri’s Metropolitan Community Colleges. In addition to regular speaking engagements and teaching an introductory business law class at the Metropolitan Community Colleges, Ms. Farris regularly writes for various legal and trade publications, and serves on numerous boards and committees. Ms. Farris has served on the Construction Law Committees of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, the Missouri and Kansas Bar Associations, and the American Bar Chapter Association since 1991. In 1997, she was appointed as Vice-Chairperson of the Missouri Bar Construction Law Committee, and the Chairperson of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association. Through attendee evaluations, Denise was selected as one of the Missouri Bar Association’s twenty-five best educational presenters. Denise also serves as a speaker for the MO & KS Equine Councils.

Ms. Farris’ publications include serving as Editor for the Equi-Law Journal, a quarterly publication used by the Farris Law Firm as well as the following: “Risk Management Through Contract Negotiation and Written Communication: Or How to Create a Most Excellent Paper Trail,” Mo-Kan Environmental Balancing Board Re certification Seminar (9/26/97); “The Supreme Court’s Impact on Affirmative Action in Public Contracting: What’s going On Here?”, MBE/WBE/DBE Construction & Design Contracting (MoBar 1997); “City of Kansas City, Missouri Affirmative Action Technical Compliance Manual”, Rev. 11/1/96; “Building Regulations”, Chapter 6 Missouri Construction Law Practice Handbook Update, (MoBar 1996); “Introducing 960063: Kansas City, Missouri’s New Affirmative Action Ordinance”, Plumblines, Vol. 32, Issue 8 (May, 1996); “Supreme Court Alters Playing Field for Affirmative Action,” Modern Builder (July/August, 1995) (S. Botts / D. Farris); “Beware of Front Companies,” Modern Builder (May/June, 1995) (S. Botts/ D. Farris); “Supervision, Rehabilitation, and Liquidation of Troubled Insurance Companies”, Chapter 2, Missouri Insurance Practice Deskbook, 4th Edition (1194) (coauthor; Subsequent Remedial Measures: An Analytical Model for Product Liability Cases, 26 TORT & INS. L.J. 74 (Fall, 1990)(coauthor); and Casenote: City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson, 21 URB LAW. 385 (Spring 1989.)

Ms. Farris is currently licensed to practice in the state courts of Missouri and Kansas, the U.S. District Courts of Missouri and Kansas, the 8th and 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

Attorney Profile: Attorney Michael Beethe

Attorney Michael Beethe, a litigator specializing in equine and construction law, is a 1997 graduate of the University of Missouri School of Law. Mike previously received his Masters degree in Business Administration. From 1994 through 1997, Mike clerked with Hubbell, Sawyer, Peak & O’Neil, a nationally recognized litigation firm. In 1997, Mike joined the Farris Law Firm, where he continues to specialize in equine, construction and business litigation. Mike is currently licensed to practice in the state court of Missouri and U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri.

In 1996, Mike was the Editor-in-Chief of The Urban Lawyer, the American Bar Association’s national publication on State and Local Government. The Urban Lawyer has the third largest circulation of all legal journals in the United States. Mike served as a Staff Member of the U.M.K.C. Law Review, as well as being a member of the Ellison Moot Court Team in 1996-1997.

Mike’s publications include: “Railroads Suing Injured Employees: Should the Federal Employers’ Liability Act Allow Railroads to Recover From Injured Railroad Workers for Property Damages?”, 65 U.M.K.C. Law Review 231 (1996); and “Case Digest, Walz v. Town of Smithtown, 27 Urban Lawyer 391 (1995.) Mike also serves as a speaker for the Kansas and Missouri Equine Councils

Mike is also an accomplished equestrian, competing in Arabian and Half-Arabian shows for nearly 18 years. He has won numerous United States and Canadian National Championship Titles in eight different disciplines. For several years, Mike served as business manager for Beethe Arabians, a family owned business. Mike continues to compete as an amateur exhibitor, and enjoys heavy involvement with the breeding program at Beethe Arabians, which has produced several regional and National Champion foals.