Hays, KS

Matthew L. Bretz

Matthew L. Bretz is a trial lawyer whose life's mission was shaped by the tragic loss of his sister. He grew up with a single mother and three sisters, earning the rank of Eagle Scout and graduating college by 20. He attended Pepperdine University School of Law and worked at Engstrom Lipscomb & Lack, learning trial law. The death of his sister in 1992 profoundly influenced his dedication to helping seriously injured individuals and families who have lost loved ones. He is a faculty member of the Keenan Trial College, teaching other lawyers, and serves on the MADD National Board. He also volunteers with United Way, Red Cross, Interfaith Housing, ABATE, and the Training and Evaluation Center of Hutchinson. He handles motor vehicle, premises liability, dangerous and defective products, and nursing home cases. He has an 'AV' rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible for professional ability and ethics, and has won over 98% of his cases since 1991, recovering over $300 million for clients.

Ron Pope

Ron is an experienced personal injury attorney in Topeka who is dedicated to representing those injured by another’s negligence. He attended Emporia State University, where he received his Bachelors before going to Washburn University School of Law in Topeka to earn his Juris Doctor. Ron is an active member of the legal community - throughout the years of his career, he has been involved a number of associations including the American Board of Trial Advocates, the American Association for Justice, the American Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Bar Association. Ron's outstanding legal work has earned him numerous awards and accolades, including: AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, 2000- Present; Law Dragon Best 3000 Lawyers in America, 2005-Present; Super Lawyers® in Kansas and Missouri, 2006-Present; Top 100 lawyers in Kansas - 2007-Present; Best Lawyers in America® for Personal Injury - 2006-Present; Marques Who’s Who for Lawyers - 2006-Present.

Kevin Diehl

Kevin L. Diehl is a founding partner of Ralston, Pope & Diehl. Born and raised in Hays, Kansas, Kevin worked throughout high school and college, while being very active in school sports and outdoor activities. He attended Thomas Moore Prep-Marian High School and received a BS in Finance from Ft. Hays State University in 1982, graduating summa cum laude. After graduation, Kevin went on to attend Washburn University School of Law and graduated magna cum laude in 1985. Kevin’s entire legal career has been devoted to the area of personal injury, which includes: Automobile, Motorcycle accidents, Large semi truck accidents, Medical negligence, Brain injury, Spinal injury, Fire injury. Kevin is licensed to practice law in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas. He has also practiced in front of the Kansas Court of Appeals, Kansas Supreme Court, 10th Circuit United States Court of Appeals, and Federal District Courts in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Kevin is also able to practice in Tribal Courts, including Prairie Band Pottawatomie Nation, Kickapoo Tribal Court and Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska. Professional service is also a large part of Kevin’s practice. He has served on the Shawnee County Local Rules Committee, the Topeka Bench Bar Committee, the Topeka Medical Legal Committee, and has been a Master of the Inns of Court. Throughout the years of his career, Kevin has gained recognition for his outstanding legal work. Some of his impressive accomplishments include: Super Lawyers Missouri and Kansas: Top Attorneys Personal Injury; National Academy of personal injury Attorneys: Top Ten Attorney Award; National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers; National Association of Distinguished Counsel; Nations Top 1%; U.S. News and World Report; First Tier Ranking Best Law Firms in Kansas; American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys, One of the 10 Best in Client Satisfaction. Kevin has also served as an adjunct professor at Washburn University School of Law and has participated in their Mentor program. He has given numerous legal presentations at various seminars involving the area of personal injury litigation, medical negligence, auto law, and general personal injury law. Kevin has also given presentations to insurance companies regarding the plaintiff’s perspective and has also given presentations to school groups involving the general practice of law and law as a career.

James R. Howell

Partner James R. Howell is a personal injury and medical malpractice attorney with over $25 million in settlements and verdicts. He litigates cases including medical malpractice, product liability, wrongful death, construction accidents, and motor vehicle accidents. He is a frequent lecturer and writer on legal topics and serves on the Board of Trustees of Butler Community College.

Tom Diehl

Thomas B. Diehl is an attorney with Ralston, Pope & Diehl, LL. His practice focuses on plaintiff’s personal injury, with an emphasis in complex medical negligence, trucking accidents, and products liability cases. Born and raised in Hays, Kansas, he attended Thomas More Prep-Marian High School. His father, Robert Diehl, is also an attorney and his uncle, Kevin Diehl, is a partner at RPD. Tom is a 2004 graduate of the University of Kansas, where he received a B.A. in Mathematics with Distinction and University Honors along with a minor in economics. During that same year, he was also selected as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. In 2007, he earned his J.D. from the University of Kansas. In January 2007, Tom started working for Ralston, Pope & Diehl, LLC, as a legal intern. On September 28, 2007, Tom was admitted to the Kansas Bar. Soon after, he began litigating and working cases full-time. He has given presentations on the Kansas Health Information Technology Exchange Act (KHITE), K.S.A. § 65-6821, et seq., which is intended to bring Kansas law in harmony with HIPAA. He also regularly speaks to how technology can aid in all phases of litigation, from investigation of claims, through the demand process and litigation, up to and including trial. He also lectures on dealing with Medicare liens and Medicare Set-Aside Accounts in liability cases. During his spare time, Tom enjoys coaching youth basketball across Topeka.

Bradley J. Prochaska

Founding Partner Bradley J. Prochaska is a personal injury and medical malpractice attorney specializing in catastrophic injury cases. He has a track record of winning tough medical malpractice cases, with six settlements in Kansas exceeding $4 million each. He is a former president of the Kansas Association for Justice and national co-chairman of the Birth Trauma Litigation Group and Professional Negligence Group.

Attorney Brian C. Wright has represented victims of personal injury and automobile accidents in counties throughout the western part of the state since 1987. With more than 30 years of experience practicing law, he is a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) and is AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®.