Stinson Morrison forms special legal practice to track economic stimulus - Wichita Business Journal:

mastering-input.blogspot.com
The nine-member group consists of Missouri attorneys with varyinggovernmental experience, ranging from former chieft of staff to the Missouri governor to formet general counsel for the . the team doesn’t exclude Stinson’w Wichita branch or its other markets. With the aid of local attorneys can access theKansaa City, Mo.-based group with relative ease. “Becausew our firm is in effect that groulpis here,” says David Bengtson, managing partner of Stinson’s Wichits branch.
“I think it gives our Wichita clients access to that Other law firms say they are paying attention to the stimulus legislation and the economixc climate but have stopped short of forming specializedpracticwe teams. The Wichita legal industry, local attorneyd say, remains strong overall despite decreases in certain practice such as mergers and acquisitions and realestate law. “We haven’g seen the dramatic impacts the cities on the coastwshave seen,” Bengtson says. Employmenr litigation, attorneys say, likely will increase locally becausew more companies are layingoff workers. Changess in tax laws also could lead to the need for additionalplegal counsel.
“Government changes always add work to attorneyeand accountants,” says Dan Pierre, who is a membert of the management committee at Hinkle Elkouri Law Firm LLC. “Alol of this activity is goin to do nothing but increase the need forlegao services.” Stinson, meanwhile, is well-positioned for its new practice group — called the Stimulus Strike Forcw — because of its expertise in governmenr law, says Jane Dueker, an attorney who practices at Stinson’s St. Louis officed and a member of theStrike Force.
Stinson plans to have the team in place for a leasty thenext year, if not Since the team’s inception, members have fieldef dozens of calls and are working on nearlyt a dozen projects of varyinf sizes for its clients. Otherws say the Stinson stimulus team couldd be avaluable “The practice of law has become both globapl and highly specialized,” says Harvey Sorensen, a partner at LLP. Stimuluws money earmarked for infrastructure could lead to more businese for attorneys in certain such as realestate law, he “Obviously this stimulus package is uncharted waters,” Dueker “It’s important to know the logistics of how this is goinfg to get done.
” That’s why Stinson says its stimulusw team is beneficial beyond Missouri. “It can benefitf the entire Midwest because of theclosre connections,” Dueker says. “The stimulu is very budget- and appropriations-oriented. “There’s a lot of movinyg pieces. The trick is to make sure all of the differeny prongs are aware ofyour