Kansas City, MO

John G. Simon

John G. Simon’s work as Managing Partner at the firm has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars for past clients. Well-respected in his field, John’s career includes several published works, frequent community involvement, and the role of adjunct professor at Saint Louis University School of Law. During more than three decades of practicing law, John Simon has built a remarkable record of courtroom victories and incredible settlements for thousands of clients - oftentimes when the odds are not in his favor. The National Law Journal named the firm he founded in 2001 as one of the “winningest firms” in the U.S. In 20 recent months alone, John’s firm achieved four nine-figure verdicts totaling nearly $2 billion. The firm now has more than 50 dedicated professionals, with a focus on plaintiff’s litigation including personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, business litigation and class action cases. John’s approach is simple: The client always comes first and prepare every case as if it’s headed to trial. These principles have driven unparalleled success in the courtroom including record setting verdicts in multiple states. It has also inspired meaningful change across multiple industries and has helped Simon Law become known as the firm where cases become causes. John’s verdicts have held some of the largest corporations in the world accountable for their misconduct and shined a national spotlight on critical, often ignored industry safety issues. That’s what John means when he says his firm is where cases become causes. John’s honors and awards reveal what John’s clients already know - he stands among the best litigators in the United States.

Gary Patterson

Gary Patterson is the managing member of Patterson Legal Group, L.C., representing injured people for over 20 years. He earned his J.D. from Washburn University (1989), an M.A. in Criminal Justice Administration from University of Central Missouri (1981), and a B.S. in Psychology from Missouri Western State University (1976). He previously worked as a probation and parole officer for the State of Missouri and clerked for the Kansas Department of Administration and Shawnee County District Court Judges. He is recognized as a Super Lawyer and one of the Top 100 Kansas Trial Lawyers (2009-2020), having successfully litigated wrongful death, medical malpractice, and automotive product liability cases, recovering millions for clients.

Johnny M. Simon

By joining Simon Law in 2015, Johnny continues a proud tradition of excellence in the art of advocacy on behalf of people and businesses in need. A tradition that was established by his father-a tradition he intends to uphold. Johnny is now a nationally recognized trial attorney with a reputation for results in some of the most complex and consequential cases in the country, including $745 million and $462 million verdicts along with individual settlements reaching $50 million. Johnny’s clients describe him as someone who listens with intensity, works vigorously and always stays true to what’s in their best interest. His peers say they would never want to be on the other side of a deposition with him, and knowing Johnny is not afraid to take a case to the courtroom sets the tone from the beginning with the opposition. Johnny’s passion is driven by righting the wrongs his clients have faced, holding companies and individuals accountable and sending a message that injustice will not be tolerated. His cases often involve catastrophic injury, wrongful death, product liability and institutional failures. He is a frequent speaker on trial strategy for medical negligence, trucking and auto crashes and civil rights cases. Practicing law, he will tell you, is not job, but a vocation-a privilege that he takes very seriously.

Grant L. Davis

During his career, Grant L. Davis has represented people harmed by negligent or intentional acts. He feels a calling to fight for his clients’ rights and obtain justice. Grant chose plaintiffs law because it allowed him to fight for those who had been harmed by wrongdoers. He found people were often coming to him in their darkest hour, and being able to help his clients gave meaning to his practice of law. Grant is best known for his track record of winning large jury verdicts. Over time, his record of obtaining significant jury verdicts has caused defendants to propose larger settlement offers for his clients before trial. Grant met Scott S. Bethune and Thomas C. Jones while in law school. The three formed a solid friendship and worked together for many years before establishing DBJ in 2001. If Grant isn’t busy in the courtroom, you can find him with his family or giving back to the community. Grant L. Davis has developed a remarkable track record of success in his legal career. In spending time with him, however, it’s not difficult to see how he achieves such stellar results. Grant believes in his clients and works very hard. Whether representing the families of victims of physical injury or death due to defective products, train or plane accidents, tractor-trailer crashes, or medical negligence, Grant can be counted on to turn over each stone, track down every lead, interview each witness and identify all evidence that will lead to the best possible result for his client. Grant has obtained billions of dollars in jury verdicts and settlements. Defendants and insurance companies know Grant will go to trial and obtain the best possible results. Grant’s success in injury and death cases may be unparalleled. In addition to these injury-case results, his ability to win in high-stakes business and farming-related disputes is also noteworthy. DBJ has represented farmers throughout the country. Grant has taken on cases against some of the world’s largest agricultural companies, including Bayer Crop Science and Archer-Daniels-Midland Company. Grant has helped other clients in business settings, including representing two dedicated medical scientists who had their company stolen from them. No matter the circumstances, Grant will fight hard to obtain justice for his clients.

Tyler Patterson

Tyler Patterson is a trial attorney with Patterson Legal Group, L.C., representing accident victims and their families. He graduated from Washburn Law School with awards for trial advocacy and as the top Health Law student. He also holds an MBA from Acton School of Business and a B.S. in Health Administration from Truman State University. His experience includes working with the Texas Medical Association and the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) in Washington, D.C., contributing to "Lemon Laws" and highway safety standards. He is a contributing editor for Westlaw’s Automotive Design Liability. An avid runner, he has completed over twenty marathons, ultra-marathons, and 100-mile races.

Derek H. Potts

Mr. Potts is nationally known for his leadership of mass litigations involving environmental disasters such as Hurricane Harvey, the Texas Freeze and Hurricane Ida. He also has been leading complex litigations on behalf of people injured by dangerous medical devices and pharmaceuticals for over a decade and is regularly appointed by judges to lead these mass cases and multi district litigations. As a member of the PSC, he was one of the leaders of the litigation on behalf of all plaintiffs and was one of the lead trial counsel in the first bellwether jury trial that resulted in a finding of defective design of the medical device. Mr. Potts successfully resolved class actions in 2022 in Texas against a power company and a natural gas company for overcharging thousands of Texas businesses related to the Texas freeze. In 2023, Mr. Potts successfully settled a class action with Live Nation and other defendants related to the Astroworld concert disaster. Throughout his career, Mr. Potts has been lead counsel in jury trials representing catastrophically injured clients. Examples of some of his jury verdicts include the $3.0 million verdict in Novogradac vs. Shirshekan, a nursing home negligence case tried in Platte County Missouri Circuit Court which was appealed and sustained by the Missouri Supreme Court and Millard v. Gard, M.D. a medical malpractice case tried in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas which resulted in a $12.1 million verdict for a minor injured due to medical malpractice. Mr. Potts began pursuing cases for women injured by transvaginal mesh products in 2009. He was one of a handful of plaintiffs’ lawyers from around the country who spearheaded the establishment of what would become the largest medical device MDL consolidation in history. He would be appointed by the Judge overseeing the litigation as one of 8 members of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Executive Committee and Plaintiffs’ Co Lead Counsel of 3 transvaginal mesh MDLs. He and his partners in the litigation would ultimately resolve over $1,000,000,000 in transvaginal mesh settlements. Mr. Potts has also been involved in numerous mass pharmaceutical litigations including being appointed the Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel of the Los Angeles Country Superior Court’s consolidation related to the drug, Xarelto. Mr. Potts has also been involved in multiple class actions including being class counsel for the states of New York, New Jersey, and Arkansas in the In Re ATT Mobility MDL which resulted in over $1,000,000,000 in settlements nationwide relating to the improper charging of sales tax. Mr. Potts also spearheaded a series of state court consolidations against General Motors related to its ignition switch auto defect in certain model cars. Mr. Potts successfully resolved thousands of personal injury and wrongful death cases with General Motors through his state court consolidations. After Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in August 2017, Mr. Potts spearheaded litigation against the United States Army Corp of Engineers related to its intentional release of water during the storm which flooded tens of thousands of homes and businesses in the City. Mr. Potts was appointed as Plaintiffs’ Class Counsel by the United States Court of Claims to lead the prosecution of the case. In 2020, Mr. Potts spearheaded the formation of the In Re Generali Travel Insurance MDL and was appointed Plaintiffs’ Class Counsel to represent the thousands of individuals who were improperly denied their travel insurance benefits as a result of Covid-19 related travel restrictions. In 2021, Mr. Potts filed a $1 Billion Class Action against the electricity retailer Griddy related to its overcharging of Texas customers during Winter Storm Uri.

James Thompson

James Thompson, a founding partner, has secured multiple multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements, focusing on personal injury, serious truck and auto accidents, and product liability. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.