Mike Saunders is a member of the firm's executive committee and has served as firm Chairman since 1998. Mike concentrates his practice in the area of complex civil litigation, including class actions, securities, antitrust, contract enforcement, and patent litigation. Mike has specialized in resolving high-stakes commercial litigation in a variety of areas, including antitrust, securities, and patent enforcement. In a case of national significance, Mike successfully defended before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals the right of regulated public utilities to assert federal price fixing claims on behalf of their customers. After that right was affirmed by the United States Supreme Court, Mike was instrumental in achieving a substantial settlement that resulted in refunds for every purchaser of natural gas in Missouri and Kansas.
Mike also has worked with a number of companies and trade associations to help design and implement effective antitrust compliance programs. Following a comprehensive procedural audit, Mike authored and helped implement an antitrust compliance policy for a regional electric utility company. Mike also has assisted the Attorney General’s Office for the State of Missouri as Special Counsel on antitrust matters, has chaired a subcommittee on antitrust and trade regulation for the American Bar Association, and has presented numerous antitrust compliance training sessions for a variety of businesses.
In addition to serving as firm Chairman, Mike is a member of both the litigation and health care practice groups. Mike is a member of the Litigation and Antitrust Section of the American Bar Association and has chaired an ABA subcommittee on Antitrust and Trade Regulation. Mike currently serves on the boards of the Women’s Foundation of Greater Kansas City and the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City.
Prior to joining Spencer Fane, he served as a law clerk to Chief Judge Russell G. Clark, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.