Areas of Practice:
Mr. Taylor is a partner and trial lawyer in the firm with extensive jury trial experience in state and federal courts. Mr. Taylor’s practice has been somewhat unique in that while he has considerable jury trial experience, he also has extensive bench trial experience in the area of matrimonial law. Accordingly, his experience and expertise extends to a wide range of civil disputes, such as: medical malpractice, complex commercial cases, product liability claims, personal injury actions, wrongful death claims and complex divorce litigation, including disputes involving substantial marital estates and custody litigation.
Mr. Taylor began his active law practice in the city of St. Joseph, Missouri in 1982. In 1989, at the age of 35, Mr. Taylor was the recipient of the Lon O. Hocker Memorial Trial Lawyer Award. This award is given annually by The Missouri Bar Foundation to select trial attorneys who have demonstrated unusual proficiency in the art of trial advocacy. In 1994, at the age of 40, he was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, recognizing outstanding trial lawyers in the area of matrimonial law in the United States. In 2000, for his successful representation of Plaintiffs, Mr. Taylor was certified as a member of The Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Membership is limited to attorneys who have demonstrated excellence in advocacy, and who have won million and multi-million dollar verdicts, awards and settlements. Mr. Taylor has been designated a life member of the national registry of Who’s Who. Mr. Taylor is a member of the St. Joseph, Missouri and American Bar Associations. Mr. Taylor is an “AV” rated attorney indicating the highest level of skill and integrity.
Mr. Taylor has represented a number of clients in cases involving medical malpractice against physicians and/or hospitals, including cases involving the following:
• Failure to Timely Diagnose Breast Cancer
• Failure to Timely Diagnose Brain Cancer
• Failure to Render Appropriate Psychiatric Care in a Psychiatric Hospital Setting
• Failure to Timely Prevent, Diagnose and Treat Diabetic Keto-Acidosis in a pregnant mother
resulting in the infant suffering from cerebral palsy.
• Failure to Timely and Appropriately Prevent Surgical Wound Site Infection resulting in significant pain, suffering, neurological and physical disabilities.
• Failure to Properly Manage Steroid Replacement Therapy and Failure to Properly Monitor Sodium Levels of
a minor child resulting in extensive brain damage.
Many of Mr. Taylor’s clients, following extensive trial discovery and preparation, have not gone to trial, having received substantial confidential or nonconfidential settlements. In recent medical malpractice cases, Mr. Taylor’s clients received $1,500,000 in a medical malpractice case (2001), $695,000 in a medical malpractice case (2000), $850,000 in a medical malpractice case (2000), $625,000 in a medical malpractice case (2000). In recent product liability cases, Mr. Taylor’s clients received $1,100,000 (1998) and $1,500,000 (1999).
Notable jury verdict cases representing plaintiffs that Mr. Taylor has been involved in recent years include:
Portis v. Dr. James Greenhaw. State court wrongful death action against radiologist for failure to detect and report visible sign of cancer on mammogram. The jury returned a verdict of $775,000 (1999).
Stocking v. Clark Equipment Co. Federal court product liability action involving crush injuries to a worker when a Clark forklift was backed over the Plaintiff’s leg. The jury returned a verdict of $450,000 (1998).
Hubbard v. Grayco, Inc. Federal court product liability/wrongful death action involving a paint sprayer which sparked and ignited highly flammable paint vapor and burned the victim to death. The jury returned a verdict of $1,483,000 in favor of Plaintiff (1997).
Moore, et al v. Missouri-Nebraska, Inc. State court fraud/misrepresentation action against a large interstate commercial truck carrier. The jury returned a verdict of $4,600,000 (1994).
Graves v. Atchison-Holt Electric Coop. State court wrongful death action against electric power company involving contact with an overhead power line. The jury returned a verdict of $559,000 (1994).
Sherlock v. Quality Control, et al Federal court product liability action involving a worker who suffered finger amputation while working in a meat processing plant. The jury returned a verdict of $300,000 (1994).
Crossfield v. Quality Control, et al Federal court product liability action involving a worker who suffered finger amputation while working in a meat processing plant. The jury returned a verdict of $1,250,000 (1992).
Mr. Taylor has also successfully defended a number of individuals and companies against claims involving actual and punitive damages including representation of a number of banks. Mr. Taylor has defended banks and the officers/directors against claims of fraud, misrepresentation, wrongful disclosure, etc. Mr. Taylor recently successfully defended an orthodontist against state court claims of breach of contract including an alleged violation of a noncompete clause (2001).
Mr. Taylor successfully defended nine corporate directors and officers against state court claims alleging intentional and reckless conduct in the operation of, at the time, one of the largest hog breeding facilities in the state of Missouri, wherein Plaintiff sought millions of dollars in damages. Mr. Taylor’s clients refused to settle and paid no money to Plaintiffs.
In the family law area, Mr. Taylor has handled over 600 family law matters, including contested divorces, legal separation, paternity, custody and modification trials. Mr. Taylor’s clients have prevailed in 21 of the last 25 contested custody cases Mr. Taylor has tried.
Mr. Taylor has had a number of cases profiled or noted in Missouri Lawyers Weekly and he has appeared on the CBS news program “48 Hours”, as that program profiled one of his cases.
Courts Admitted to Practice:
Mr. Taylor is admitted to practice law in Missouri state and federal courts and has been so since 1982. He is also admitted to practice in Kansas federal courts. He has been admitted to practice before numerous other United States District Courts around the country, including Wyoming and Wisconsin. He was admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in 1986; the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit in 1987; and the United States Supreme Court in 1999.
Education and Professional Associations:
Mr. Taylor graduated from Kansas City Kansas Community College, receiving an Associates degree in political science and sociology in 1977. Thereafter, he received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas with a double major in political science and sociology in 1979. Mr. Taylor received his J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1982. Mr. Taylor was a law clerk to the 29th Judicial District Court of Kansas from 1981 to 1982. Mr. Taylor began his active law practice in St. Joseph, Missouri in 1982 with a local firm. He thereafter became an equity partner in that firm in 1986. In 2002, Mr. Taylor, along with R. Edward Murphy, Joseph Elliott and Kenneth Siemens, founded the law firm of Murphy, Taylor, Siemens & Elliott P.C.
Mr. Taylor has participated as a speaker in educational seminars nation-wide for various professional organizations, including the Missouri Bar. He has presented to groups which have included attorneys, judges, medical doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health professionals, corporate personnel and human resource directors and the general public. As a speaker, he has presented on such issues as trial tactics, evidence, discovery, expert witnesses, ethics, tax considerations, employment law and other timely and relevant topics.
Mr. Taylor is the author of Chapter 18, entitled “Trial Practice” of the Missouri Family Law Fifth Edition and a co-author of Chapter 19, entitled “Discovery” of the same publication. Mr. Taylor also serves as a reviewer for the Missouri Bar of proposed CLE desktop chapter material.
Mr. Taylor served as an instructor at Missouri Western State College from 1985 – 1994, teaching classes in Tort Law, Litigation – Practices and Procedures, and Business Organizations.
Personal Information:
Mr. Taylor was born November 2, 1954, in Booneville, Missouri. Mr. Taylor grew up primarily in Blue Springs, Missouri, where he attended high school until his senior year when his family moved to Bonner Springs, Kansas. He is married, resides in St. Joseph and has three children (two daughters and a son).
Mr. Taylor is a long-standing Sunday School teacher, youth director and director of Vacation Bible School at churches where he has attended. At present, he is a member of Wyatt Park Baptist Church.
Mr. Taylor is also a contributor to St. Joseph Young Life and is extremely active in other youth activities, including coaching his children in St. Joseph boys baseball and girls basketball.
Mr. Taylor is a graduate of Leadership St. Joseph 1983. He was co-chairman of Leadership Tomorrow, an advanced leadership training program for select St. Joseph high school students. In 1985, Mr. Taylor was the recipient of the Volunteer Award of Recognition for Outstanding Volunteer Services to the St. Joseph Community. He has been very active in other civic organizations, including various fund drives for community groups and has served as a member of the United Way Allocations Committee, the Board of Directors of the Midland Empire Diabetes Association and Dual Ministry, Inc.
Mr. Taylor enjoys family, church activities and coaching his children’s sports teams.
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