Scott understands that, unless you are his older sister just checking up on him, if you are reading this website that you are likely feeling afraid and possibly vulnerable from not having the answers or information you need to make good choices and decisions. You want and need the answers to your questions so you can avoid a bad outcome with your divorce or custody case. Scott can help. He listens to you to learn what your objectives and goals are, and then together, as a team, you and Scott will find solutions and the next steps towards your objectives.
Scott handles, with honesty and integrity, all aspects of Kansas and International complex Family Law matters, including divorce, spousal and child support, child custody, and premarital agreements. Scott accepts traditional litigation, mediation, arbitration, and collaborative law cases.
He places an early emphasis on seeking creative solutions to facilitate settlement because he knows that 95% of all cases settle by an agreement of the parties. But if the case does not settle quickly, he is experienced at presenting your case at trial to the judge.
Scott strives to exceed the client’s expectations for quality legal representation in every family law representation, and to respond to each client’s needs quickly and professionally. He is both solution-oriented and results-oriented in his approach to each unique case.
Scott is highly trained, experienced, and highly focused, and because he limits his practice to family law cases, he can dedicate quality time and effort to each client and to each case. He is experienced in complex custody and financial cases, especially cases involving closely held businesses.
Scott enjoys spending time with his family and friends, his two dogs, watching the Chiefs, Royals, Sporting KC, and the Current, and if time permits, he plays golf. He is a terrible golfer, however, because as the below list of his experience, activities, publications, awards, and accomplishments indicates, he rarely has time to play.
Scott received his law degree at the University of Missouri, Columbia. He is or has been an active member of the Johnson County Bar Association (Member, Family Law Section; 2022 Chair of the Johnson County Guidelines Review Committee; 2018 Chair of Maintenance Guidelines Task Force of the Guidelines Committee), Kansas Bar Association (President, Family Law Section 2008-2009), The Missouri Bar (Member, Family Law Section), and the American Bar Association (Chair, Bankruptcy Committee of the Family Law Section, 2009-2012; Member, Editorial Board of “Family Advocate” 2011-2014).
Scott has decades of experience in Family Law, and over that time he has accumulated the following honors and distinctions. Scott is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), an organization of the top 1400 Family Attorneys in the USA that is dedicated to the advancement of the practice of Family Law. He currently serves as the AAML National President Elect for 2026. He was awarded the prestigious “Fellow of the Year” award by the AAML in 2023. He has previously served the AAML at the National level as Board Member in these roles: Membership Chair; Treasurer; Second Vice President, First Vice President; and he previously served as both the AAML Kansas Chapter President and the Kansas Chapter Delegate to the AAML House of Governors.
Scott is also a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (Board Member, USA Chapter 2020-25), and a Member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals. He was President of The River Club (2021-23), President of The Mercury Club (2004), and was a Board Member of the former Children’s’ Therapeutic Learning Center (1995-2001). He is a Member and “Master of the Bar” of the Johnson County Family Law Inn of Court.
Over the years, Scott has been fortunate to have been selected by peers for many honors, including: “Best of the Bar” (Kansas City Business Journal); the Missouri/Kansas “Super Lawyers,” including the Top 50 and Top 100 lists of that annual publication; and he is included in the peer-rated The Best Lawyers of America for Family Law published by U.S. News. The Firm has been recognized for excellence by repeatedly being included in the peer-rated The Best Law Firms of America in Family Law by U.S. News. He has been selected multiple times by U.S. News as the “Lawyer of the Year” in Kansas City for Family Law Mediation for 2021 and 2024, and for Collaborative Family Law in 2023. Scott is peer-rated “AV-Preeminent” by Martindale Hubbell, their highest level of professional excellence. He has been independently ranked by both Chambers & Partners in Kansas Family Law for High Net Worth Representation, and was independently selected as one of the Lawdragon 500 Leaders in Family Law in the USA.
Scott is a past Editor-in-Chief of the Kansas Bar Association’s “Practitioner’s Guide to Family Law,” 2nd Edition (2013) and he has been a frequent presenter at the AAML and state and local bar association continuing legal education seminars. Scott also co-authored the book “Divorce in Kansas,” and because you need answers, his book available here.
