David focuses his practice on complex antitrust litigation, class actions, mass torts, pharmaceutical drug and medical device litigation, and medical malpractice. David joined Paul LLP in 2022 after graduating Valedictorian from the University of Missouri-Kansas School of Law. During law school, David was a Research Assistant; worked as a legal research and writing Teaching Assistant; served as Vice-Magister of Phi Delta Phi, an international legal honors society; founded an organization; served on the UMKC Law Review staff; and competed in the Ellison Moot Court Competition, placing second overall. He interned at Copilevitz, Lam & Raney, P.C., a firm specializing in First Amendment law, and Paul LLP. Prior to law school, David participated in Boy Scouts of America and earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 2013.
Missouri, 2022
University of Missouri Kansas City School of Law
2022 J.D., Valedictorian, Summa Cum Laude
Missouri State University
B.S., Fashion Merchandising & Design, 2019, Cum Laude
Kayla focuses her practice on antitrust matters and mass torts, including toxic torts. Kayla joined Paul LLP in 2022 after graduating with honors from the University of Missouri-Kansas School of Law. During law school, Kayla served on the UMKC Law Review staff, as Membership Chair for the Association of Women Law Students, and as a tour guide for the Office of Admissions. She earned CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Labor Law, Administrative Law, and Seminar in Famous Trials. She interned with the United States Department of Labor, a criminal defense practice, and a nationally recognized workers’ compensation firm. She was involved with the UMKC Expungement Clinic which helps indigent Missourians seal their criminal records, and the UMKC Abandoned Housing Clinic which clears the title of abandoned properties in low-income neighborhoods in Kansas City’s urban core.
Missouri, 2022
U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri
University of Missouri Kansas City School of Law
J.D. 2022, Magna Cum Laude
Missouri State University
B.S., Business Management, 2018, Cum Laude
Kyle Taylor joined Paul LLP after his graduation from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 2017. Kyle focuses his practice on toxic tort litigation.
While attending the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, Kyle interned with the Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Kyle appeared on behalf of the State of Missouri on the misdemeanor criminal docket with Rule 13 certification.
Prior to attending law school, Kyle was a professionally certified tennis instructor in the Kansas City, Kansas and Colorado Springs, Colorado areas. Kyle is a native of St. Joseph, Missouri. He enjoys playing tennis and snowboarding in his free time.
Missouri, 2019
U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri
University of Missouri – Kansas City
J.D. 2017
William Jewell College
B.A., Political Science and Psychology, 2011
Honors: Dean’s List, Scholar Athlete, Varsity Tennis Team, Team Captain, School Record Holder: All-Time Wins
Amy is a native of Wichita, Kansas and has lived in the Kansas City area since graduating law school in 2006. She has a strong background in commercial litigation and construction law and has experience in all phases of litigation through appeal. Prior to joining Paul LLP in 2019, Amy practiced with two other civil litigation firms in Kansas City. Amy resides in Overland Park, Kansas with her husband, Chris, who is also an attorney, and her three young children.
Kansas, 2007
Missouri, 2006 (inactive)
Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2012
University of Kansas School of Law, Lawrence, Kansas, 2007
J.D., CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Jurisprudence
Kansas State University, 2003
B.A. in History with Distinction and Departmental Honors
Phi Beta Kappa
Special Education Advisory Council, Blue Valley School District, Overland Park, Kansas (2018 – present)
Laura C. Fellows, a native of Arkansas, located to the Kansas City area in 2010 where she attended the University of Missouri Kansas City Law School. Following her graduation from UMKC in 2013, Laura focused her practice on business litigation, wage and hour litigation, and personal injury matters at the law firms of Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP and Crimmins Law Firm. In 2018, Laura joined Paul LLP where her practice focuses on complex litigation.
Missouri, 2013
Kansas, 2014
Arkansas, 2015
U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri
U.S. District Court, District of Kansas
University of Missouri Kansas City School of Law
J.D. 2013
Missouri State University
B.A., Communications, 2010 Cum Laude in the Honors College
Rick specializes in complex antitrust, business, product liability, and consumer litigation—typically involving multi-parties, or class or mass actions. Rick graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law, where he served as Associate Managing Editor of the Missouri Law Review. After law school, Rick was a judicial law clerk at the Missouri Supreme Court and the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District. In 1996, he began private practice with a large national defense firm, where he was ultimately elected a Shareholder and Director of the firm. In 2008, Rick moved his practice to a small litigation boutique firm. In May 2013, Rick started Paul LLP.
Rick has recovered more than $2 billion for his clients through trial or settlement. Rick has been appointed by numerous courts across the country to serve as lead counsel in class actions and MDL proceedings and as special litigation counsel for bankruptcy trustees.
Rick enjoys being in the courtroom and has tried and won many types of cases in jury trials, bench trials, and arbitrations. He has repeatedly been brought in to a case shortly before trial for just that purpose. Recently, Rick served as trial counsel in the In re Syngenta Litigation pending in Minnesota state court. Rick was co-lead trial counsel for the first individual bellwether trial as well as the Minnesota class action trial. During the third week of the Minnesota class trial, the litigation was settled on behalf of all farmers (individual and classes) across the country. This is just the most recent in a string of cases where Rick has been lead trial counsel, including two class arbitrations, where he prevailed in both. He has also argued more than 40 appeals to various state and federal appellate courts and briefed over 100 appeals.
Rick is a member of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association and the American Association of Justice. As a young lawyer, Missouri Lawyers Weekly named Rick as one of eight “Up and Coming Lawyers.” He has since been named a “Missouri/Kansas Super Lawyer” for many years, and is listed on American Registry’s “Top Attorneys in Missouri/Kansas.” He has an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating with Martindale-Hubbell.
In re Syngenta MIR162 Corn Litigation (District of Kansas, MDL 2591) and In re Syngenta Litigation (Minnesota Fourth Judicial District) Appointed to Plaintiffs Executive Committee in both federal and state MDLs; trial counsel for individual bellwether and Minnesota class leading to $1.51 billion settlement.
In re: Air Crash of N51RX (Santa Fe County, New Mexico) Negotiated complex 8-figure settlement in a 5-death air ambulance crash with multiple defendants and insurance companies.
In re: Oak Hills Drilling & Operating Co. (United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma) Obtained judgment after trial for more than $1.5 million on behalf of bankruptcy estate.
Rees v. Masco Retail Cabinet Group. Successfully tried case for two weeks in arbitration on behalf of a class of current and former Masco account representatives, alleging employment misclassification in violation of the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Final award granting substantial damages to each class member.
Sanchez v. DISH Network LLC. Successfully arbitrated case on behalf of a class of nearly 3,000 current and former DISH call center employees seeking unpaid overtime wages under the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Resulting in judgment of more than $2.9 million.
In re Mountain Energy Corporation (United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Missouri) Negotiated 14 party settlement providing a recovery of more than $60 million to the bankruptcy estate.
Teeter v. NCR Corporation (United States District Court, Central District of California) Negotiated settlement for nationwide class of employees for back wages totaling more than $10 million.
In re General Motors Dex-Cool Cases (Alameda County Superior Court, California; Jackson County Circuit Court, Missouri) Negotiated cash reimbursements from $50 to $800 per class member for vehicle repair.
Stephenson v. Information Providers, Inc. (United States District Court, District of Minnesota) Settled misclassification case on behalf of certified class of current and former Premium Auditors seeking unpaid overtime wages.
In re Eclipse Aviation Depositor Litigation (County of Bernalillo, State of New Mexico) Served as co-lead counsel in litigation involving hundreds of millions of dollars in claims for the return of aircraft deposits based on negligent misrepresentations. Obtained substantial confidential settlement.
Missouri, 1995
Kansas, 1997
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri
U.S. District Court, District of Kansas
U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
Super Lawyers Missouri and Kansas (2005, 2011 through 2021)
Missouri Lawyers’ Weekly Up and Coming Lawyers (2006)
University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law, Columbia, Missouri, 1995
J.D., Assistant Managing Editor, Missouri Law Review
University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, 1992
B.A., Economics and Political Science, Honors College
Honors: MU Varsity Tennis Team, Letter winner; Academic All Big-8Copyright Paul LLP 2021. All Rights Reserved.
KCMBA Business Torts Handbook, Fiduciary Duty chapter
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association – Member
American Association for Justice – Member
Rebuilding Together – Board Member
“My proudest result was for a family that lost a loved one in a plane crash. As part of the settlement, the company instituted random, on-site inspections and year FAA training for all employees across hundreds of gas stations.”
Ashlea’s practice is driven by the complexity of matters and a rigorous devotion to detail. Spanning numerous practice areas, her cases involve multi-faceted, multi-jurisdictional commercial litigation—most often with multiple parties. Ashlea excels at fact-intensive, meaningful cases, such as:
– toxic tort actions arising out of community chemical exposure, particularly those involving migrant farmworkers, agricultural laborers, and other vulnerable populations;
– large-scale products liability litigation, representing hundreds and thousands of people against multi-national corporations to recover for personal injuries, property damage, or financial losses;
– high-stakes business disputes, such as claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, intellectual property and trade secrets, fraud, and misrepresentation;
– adversary actions to recover money for bankruptcy estates to pay back creditors after corporate malfeasance has defrauded a mass group of individuals, including claims for fraudulent transfers, aiding and abetting, breach of fiduciary duties, conspiracy, re-characterizing debt instruments as equity, equitable subordination, and director/officer liability;
– wrongful death actions caused by negligence, complacency, and a failure to care; often the victims of these atrocious acts are those most in need of our protection.
Many of Ashlea’s cases are nation-wide litigations where she works with teams of highly regarded co-counsel in multi-district litigations in both state and federal court. Ashlea specializes in cases involving highly complex, often novel scientific and medical issues. She has managed the day-to-day responsibilities of over 60 mass action suits
In 2014 Ashlea was named one of Missouri Lawyers’ Weekly’s Up and Coming Lawyers, an award that recognizes litigators under age 40 who demonstrate excellence in the legal profession and in their commitment to their communities. Ashlea has been named a Rising Star by the Kansas City Business Journal every year since 2015.
In re Syngenta MIR162 Corn Litigation (District of Kansas, MDL 2591) and In re Syngenta Litigation (Minnesota Fourth Judicial District). Ashlea represented corn farmers who were financially impacted by Syngenta’s decision to release a new corn variety before it had the permissions necessary to ship it to the US’s largest export partners. This lead to a $1.5 billion settlement on behalf of hundreds of thousands of farmers.
In re Dicamba Herbicides Litigation. Ashlea represented a group of farmers who had massive crop damage due to dicamba drift from neighboring farms, decimating their soybean crops. After the first trial in this multi-district litigation, Monsanto agreed to a $400 million settlement that would make every farmer whole from the yield losses.
In re Roundup Products Liability Litigation. Ashlea represents individuals that developed Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma after their use or exposure to the herbicide Roundup. The litigations allege that Monsanto knew of the potential risks and failed to warn the public. Ashlea has worked diligently to seek relief for her clients and their families.
Hernandez v. Wells Fargo. A class action lawsuit was filed against Wells Fargo Home Mortgage for wrongfully denying mortgage modifications to homeowners in need. Ashlea represented hundreds of homeowners who were wrongfully denied a mortgage modification. This resulted in settlements totally more than $18.5 million.
Wirth, et al. v. Phillips 66, Southwest Aviation, Ascent Aviation, and Amigos Aviation. Ashlea represented the family of a flight nurse who lost her life when an air ambulance crashed after it was mis-fueled with jet fuel instead of aviation gas. A confidential settlement was reached.
Chubb Engineering, LLC v. USA Tank Sales and Erection Company and Cameron Holdings Corp. Ashlea represented Chubb Engineering against the defendants for misappropriation of trade secrets as it relates to tank fabrication and manufacturing. A confidential settlement was reached.
Malloy v. Commerce Bank, N.A. and Bruce Humphrey.Ashlea represented the trustee for the bankruptcy estate of G. David Gordon—the mastermind behind a massive securities fraud that robbed thousands of investors of more than $40 million. Suit was filed against Commerce Bank to recover fraudulent transfers as well as claims for aiding and abetting Gordon’s fraudulent scheme, conspiracy, and violations of Oklahoma’s state securities laws. The case recently resulted in a multi-million dollar settlement.
De La Cruz, et al. v. Masco Retail Cabinet Group LLC. Ashlea represented Account Representatives in a wage and hour collective action arbitration against Masco Retail Cabinet Group. The arbitration alleged that Masco consistently violated federal wage and hour laws by misclassifying its Account Representatives exempt from federal overtime laws and thus depriving them of all the wages they were owed. After a two-week arbitration, the arbitrator ruled in favor of Ashlea’s clients, the class members.
Sanchez and Poland, et al. v. Echosphere LLC and Dish Network LLC. This case was filed on behalf of customer service representatives and other telephone-dedicated employees for unpaid wages and overtime worked at call centers operated by Echosphere and Dish Network. The Arbitrator issued a Final Award finding that Dish failed to pay its employees overtime and awarded the class members damages in the amount of $2.9 million.
Malloy v. Transportation Alliance Bank. Ashlea represented the bankruptcy trustee overseeing the Arrow Trucking Bankruptcy in an action to recover fraudulent transfers and claims for breach of fiduciary duty to Arrow Trucking. A settlement was reached in favor of the trustee.
Tenant Development Association v. Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurant. Ashlea’s client sued for tortuous interference, business disparagement, and civil conspiracy against the Dallas, Texas based defendants. TDA offers franchisees construction management services and Defendants have allegedly interfered with TDA’s contractual and future business relations resulting in significant past and future damage to TDA. The case was successfully resolved with a confidential settlement.
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Overtime Litigation. Ashlea prosecuted this FLSA case on behalf of Home Mortgage Consultants who worked for Wells Fargo. A $20 million settlement in the case was reached.
Cabreros and Refuerzo et al. v. Spansion, LLC and Spansion, Inc. A settlement was reached in this bankruptcy case in favor of all Spansion employees who suffered an employment loss as a consequence of a mass layoff, plant closing, and/or termination that occurred at Spansion’s Sunnyvale, California site and who received less than 60 days advance notice of such actions. This is in direct violation of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.
Missouri, 2007
Kansas, 2008
U.S. District Court, District of Kansas
U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri
U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Missouri Lawyers’ Weekly Up and Coming Lawyers (2014)
Kansas City Business Journal Rising Star (2015 and 2016)
Super Lawyers’ Missouri and Kansas Rising Star (2015 through 2021)
Super Lawyer Missouri (2022)
Missouri Lawyers’ Weekly Women’s Justice Award Litigation Practitioner
Kansas City Business Journal Best of the Bar (2016)
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating (2017 – present)
University of Kansas School of Law, Lawrence, Kansas, 2007
J.D., Clerked for the Honorable Judge Julie Robinson, United States District for the District of Kansas, 2005-2006.
Honors: P. Mize Award for Trial Advocacy
Honors: Robert F. Bennett Award for Public Service
Kansas State University, 2004
B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications, minors in English and German
Honors: Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Golden Key
Honors: Journalism and Mass Communication Ambassador
Honors: K-State Student Foundation Board Member
Honors: University Ambassador
ABA FLSA Midwinter Report, Contributing Author (2015 – 2018)
FLSA Arbitration Strategies, Trial Magazine, Employment Law (April 2013).
From Cooperative to Inoperative Federalism: The Perverse Mutation of Environmental Law and Policy, Wake Forest Law Review, Fall 2006
Nothing is Real: Protecting the Regulatory Void Through Federal Preemption by Inaction, Virginia Environmental Law Journal, 2008
LAKC – Member
Association for Women Lawyers (AWL) – Member; Co-chair – annual golf tournament
KCMBA – Member of the Board of Directors; Young Lawyers Section; Commercial and Bankruptcy Committee; President of the Federal Courts Advocates Section
Missouri Bar Association – Member
Kansas Bar Association – Member
American Bar Association – Member
Active member in community services at Church of the Resurrection West