Patrick (Pat) McInerney

Pat McInerney is a partner in the Spencer Fane White Collar and Government Investigations practice. He brings over two decades of experience as a trial lawyer, having first-chaired many high profile and complex cases in federal and state courts. As a former state and federal prosecutor, last with the Organized Crime Strike Force Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri, Pat’s background prosecuting organized crime and public corruption give him a unique understanding of investigative and prosecution priorities, and allow him to counsel individuals and companies facing federal criminal or civil investigation.

Pat’s experience includes cases involving allegations of business disputes, healthcare and tax fraud, commercial merchandising practices act violations, criminal trade secret violations, and general criminal violations and civil disputes. He provides representation to people and companies in the private and public sectors, in matters ranging from high stakes civil and criminal litigation to government proceedings and internal investigations. Pat is retained by clients to design and execute internal and parallel investigations, develop crisis response protocols, and to coordinate defense tactics and strategy. He also advises individuals in private and public leadership positions regarding regulatory and law enforcement response. Most recently, Pat concluded the successful representation of a group of businesses that were the target of a federal criminal investigation by the Internal Revenue Service and the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. The investigation – which lasted nearly seven years – closed with no charges or penalties.

Presentations and Publications

• Author, “Commentary: DAG Lisa Monaco Announces Additional Corporate Enforcement Priorities,” Missouri Lawyers Weekly, October 2022
• Presenter, “Internal Investigations: Planning and Other Best Practices,” Thomson Reuters Practical Law Compliance, August 2021
• Presenter, “Price Gouging and COVID: Consumer Protection and Criminal Enforcement Concerns,” June 2020
• Presenter, “Government Investigation Webinar: COVID-19 – Potential (and/or) current enforcement and investigation actions,” April 2020
• Presenter, “Best Practices for Crisis Communications,” Association of Corporate Counsel, Kansas City, MO, April 2019
• Author, “Internal Investigations Policy,” Practical Law Commercial Transactions and Securities Litigation & White Collar Crime, July 2018
• Presenter, “White Collar Crime & Government Investigations: The First 72 Hours – Plan + Response,” Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, June 2018
• Presenter, “Bankruptcy Fraud and Bankruptcy Crimes,” ABI Midwest Bankruptcy Institute, October 2017
• Speaker, “Internal Investigations from the Inside and the Outside,” KCMBA Corporate House Counsel Institute, June 2017
• Speaker, “Regulatory Crimes and Internal Investigations,” Kansas Bar Association, November 2016.
• Speaker, “Navigating Parallel Criminal and Civil Proceedings,” CLE Seminar for In-House Counsel, St. Louis, MO, May 2016
• Speaker, “A Brand New Day For Risk Analysis,” Association of Corporate Counsel Mid-America Chapter, Kansas City, MO, December 3, 2014
• Speaker, “Advanced Investigative Strategies: Investigating to Win in Litigation,” Association of Corporate Counsel Mid-America Chapter – CLE, August 2013
• “Corporate Response to Government Investigations,” National Association of Corporate Directors Heartland Chapter, 2012
• Seminar speaker, “Investigation Techniques and Prosecution of Organized Crime and Public Corruption,” Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 1999

Memberships

• Executive Committee, Rockhurst High School Alumni Board, 2019-present
• Member, Criminal Justice Act Committee, Western District of Missouri, 2018-present
• Member, WDMO Magistrate Merit Selection Panel, 2020
• Co-chair, Blue Ribbon Commission on Kansas City Police Department Governance, 2013
• Advisory council, Child Protection Center, 2012-present
• President, Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, 2010-2012
• Commissioner, Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, 2009-2013
• Co-chair, Jackson County Ethics Task Force, 2009
• Board of directors, Carondelet Health, 2006-2009
• Operation Breakthrough/St. Vincent’s Family Services Center
  • President, 2002-2005
  • Board of Directors, 1998-2007

Distinctions

• Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation; Criminal Defense: Non-White-Collar; Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2007-2023
• Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year, Commercial Litigation; Criminal Defense: General Practice; and Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2017; Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2020; Criminal Defense: General Practice, 2022
• Missouri Lawyers Media, POWER List, White-Collar Defense, 2020-2022
• Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers, Criminal Defense: White Collar, 2005-2022
• Chambers USA, Litigation: White Collar Crime and Government Investigations Law, 2010-2016, 2020-2022
• Kansas City Business Journal, Best of the Bar, 2008-2009, 2011, 2013
• Benchmark Litigation, Future Star, 2010
• Ingram’s magazine, 40 Under 40
• Kansas City Bar Foundation, Certificate of Excellence, Voice of Justice Program

Contact Patrick McInerney at 816.292.8358 or pmcinerney@spencerfane.com.