Kelly A. Campbell

Partner
Contact
P 816.292.8885 | F 816.474.3216
Spencer Fane attorney Kelly Campbell

Overview

Kelly Campbell is a trial lawyer who helps her clients make the best decision to reach their goals. She goes to trial when her clients want to be vindicated in a court of law. She resolves their cases when her clients decide for business reasons that it’s the right decision.

She has defended her clients against wrongful death claims, multiple serious personal injury claims, toxic torts, and products liability claims. She has defended her clients against executive compensation claims, all types of discrimination and retaliation claims, and breach of contract claims. She prepares her clients to comply with regulatory requirements and assist with proactive programs and policies to better serve their business goals. She works with her clients to understand their legal needs and resolve their issues.

Kelly has significant experience in defending manufacturers on products liability claims. She assists her clients with forensic investigations, the results of which often vindicate her clients before a lawsuit is even contemplated. She aggressively defends against claims and lawsuits to reduce her clients’ exposure to risk. She assists with programs and policies to prevent product claims and supervise recalls or retrofits when necessary.

Kelly also pursues claims on behalf of financial institutions and asserting their creditors’ rights, through courts, foreclosures, and bankruptcy. She has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of her clients. She has also defended bank officers and directors in multiple cases involving claims of breach of fiduciary duty, fraudulent misrepresentation, tortious interference with a business expectancy, and violations of banking regulations. She has succeeded in obtaining dismissals of multiple counterclaims.

Kelly also defends companies against employment discrimination and retaliation claims. She has successfully defended multiple employers against claims of sexual harassment, discrimination on the basis of sex, race, national origin, religion, and disability and earned dismissals of claims by motions to dismiss and motions for summary judgment. She has also defended FLSA collective actions involving multiple regions, thousands of opt-in plaintiffs, and individual claims of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

Credentials

Education

  • University of Notre Dame
  • University of Kansas School of Law

Bar Admissions

  • Missouri, 1992
  • Kansas, 2016

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri

  • Secured complete dismissal of a wrongful death claim against two co-employees, upheld on appeal in first Missouri appellate court decision to reinstate “something more” requirement for co-employee liability.
  • Won complete defense verdict in a jury trial alleging breach of lease and waste of property involving expert valuation testimony, upheld on appeal.
  • Achieved favorable jury verdict for an insurance company following two-week trial involving executive compensation for real estate developer who claimed fraud and punitive damages.
  • Obtained defense jury verdict on behalf of a window manufacturer in first mold toxic tort personal injury trial in the District Court of Johnson County, Kansas.
  • Coordinating counsel for manufacturers, supervise all product liability cases, investigations, expert coordination, testing, product recalls, warnings, and product manuals and instructions.
  • Secured dismissal without settlement of a component parts supplier in wrongful death suit in which two surviving plaintiffs were rescued from the top of a burning smokestack under construction and one man died inside.
  • Represented a component parts manufacturer in pre-lawsuit investigation into cause of crane accident resulting in death; convinced plaintiff’s counsel not to sue client in wrongful death case filed because client bore no responsibility.
  • Supervised defense of a wrongful death mining accident case against manufacturer, secured favorable MHSA report exonerating client.
  • Secured dismissal without settlement of a trucking parts manufacturer against lawsuit involving head injuries resulting in quadriplegia.
  • Secured extremely favorable settlement through aggressive defense strategy in a crane accident case involving leg amputation.
  • Successfully obtained dismissal without payment of a component parts supplier in Texas wrongful death lawsuit in which worker was crushed in sand line drum on oil derrick.
  • Secured early favorable resolution pre-lawsuit of claims by the family of 26-year-old construction worker killed in crane accident.
  • Supervised international investigation and coordinated legal strategy on forum non conveniens motion to dismiss Texas wrongful death case involving three Mexican oil platform employees.

  • Navy Commendation Medal, Two Stars
  • Navy Achievement Medal
  • Best Lawyers in America, 2024

  • American Bar Association
  • Missouri Bar Association
  • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Sedona Conference, member of Working Groups
    • WG11: Data Security and Privacy Liability
    • WG6: International Electronic Information Management, Discovery, and Disclosure
    • WG1: Electronic Document Retention and Production
  • Spencer Fane Professional Responsibility Committee (Ethics) 2013-present