The law firms of Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice (BSCR) and Williams Venker & Sanders (WVS) will be merging July 1, 2018.

The merged firm will continue to be known as Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice and will be headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Scott Kreamer will remain managing member, responsible for the day-to-day operations and long-term planning of the firm. Mike Hunter will serve as the manager in charge of the merged firm’s St. Louis and Illinois offices.

The merger brings together two very successful regional trial firms with similar histories, practices and philosophies.  BSCR, headquartered in Kansas City, was founded in 1982, and has additional offices in St. Louis and Kansas. WVS, headquartered in St. Louis, was founded in 2001, and has additional offices in Kansas City and Illinois.

While both firms have grown considerably since they were founded, each has remained true to the common objective of defending professionals and companies across the country in civil, commercial, and complex litigation, in a personal, efficient and cost-effective manner. The merged firm will continue to focus its efforts on defending clients in courtrooms across the country. 

With clients of all sizes, from individual professionals to Fortune Global and US Top 10, 100, 500 and 1000 companies located all over the world, the two firms have compatible trial practices and excel in many of the same areas

In 2017, BSCR was recognized by U.S. News & World Report “Best Law Firms” as a Kansas City Metropolitan area “Tier 1” ranked law firm in the practice areas of Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions-Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation-Defendant. BSCR has also been recognized as a high ranking firm in General Commercial Litigation in Kansas City & Surrounds by Chambers USA.   

Likewise, WVS was recognized by U.S. News & World Report “Best Law Firms” as a National “Tier 1” ranked law firm in Railroad Law and a St. Louis Metropolitan area “Tier 1” ranked law firm in the practice areas of Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation, Product Liability Litigation, and Railroad Law, and also recognized as a high ranking firm in General Commercial Litigation in St. Louis & Surrounds by Chambers USA.

In addition to the recognition received by the two firms, many BSCR and WVS attorneys have been recognized in a variety of civil litigation defense categories by Best Lawyers^®, Chambers USA and other legal publications. Lawyers in both firms are involved with prominent professional legal organizations such as the American Board of Trial Advocates, American College of Trial Lawyers, Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, International Association of Defense Counsel, Lawyers for Civil Justice, and Product Liability Advisory Council.

The combination increases the number of attorneys at BSCR to over 50.  It also increases the number of locations to 5 cities in Kansas, Missouri and Illinois.  Kansas City area attorneys and staff will operate out of BSCR’s Crown Center office location in Kansas City, Missouri.  St. Louis area attorneys and staff will operate out of WVS’s downtown office location in St. Louis, Missouri.