JOHN J. GATES

816-448-8530

john@gateswestering.com

In over 25 years of practice, John has first-chaired some of the largest defense jury verdicts in Missouri and Kansas. But his real strength is breadth: he has built a practice that spans nearly every corner of civil litigation and business disputes, which lets him see a client's problem from every angle and develop practical, effective solutions.

Most of John's caseload falls into the following areas:

1. Business Litigation. Pursues and defends claims involving breach of contract, breach of warranty, misrepresentation, tortious interference, and statutory violations.

2. Insurance Coverage. Analyzes coverage and litigates bad faith claims, declaratory judgment actions, subrogation claims, and equitable garnishments.

3. Non-Competes & Trade Secrets. Represents both employers and employees in disputes involving non-competes, non-solicitation agreements, and trade secrets.

4. Construction Law. Handles claims arising from defective construction, design, and materials on residential and commercial projects.

5. Personal Injury. Represents clients in wrongful death and personal injury matters, including workplace accidents, product defects, trucking accidents, and inadequate security claims.

John has first-chaired numerous high-exposure jury trials in the state and federal courts of Missouri and Kansas. His trial experience began in law school, when he second-chaired first-degree murder and armed robbery trials for the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office in Kansas City, Missouri.

That same insurance-litigation background makes John well suited to mediate complex personal injury and construction defect cases involving difficult coverage issues.

Awards

AV® Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
"Lawyer of the Year," 2026, Construction Law, Best Lawyers
Super Lawyers® in Missouri and Kansas, Thomson Reuters
Best of the Bar, Kansas City Business Journal, 2012-2014
Fellow of the Bar, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association

Admissions

Missouri
Kansas
U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
U.S. District Court, Kansas
U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit

Education

Vanderbilt University
- BA, Philosophy
University of Kansas School of Law
- Judicial Intern, Magistrate Judge Gerald L. Rushfelt, D. Kan.
- Articles Editor, Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy

Professional Organizations

The Missouri Bar
Kansas Bar Association
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA), Construction Law Committee
Legal Aid of Western Missouri, Volunteer Attorney Project
Military Matters, KCMBF, Volunteer Attorney
The Missouri Bar Fee Dispute Resolution Program, Facilitator, Mediator & Arbitrator
Board of Directors, Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers (MODL), 2018-2019

John J. Gates