Leawood, KS

William K Holland

The founder of Holland Injury Law, LLC, William K. Holland, has had a legal career spanning over thirty years and has distinguished himself for his exceptional services in the field of personal injury law. He was named a Top 50 St. Louis Super Lawyer among all practice fields. Bill has spent decades representing injured people and holding those responsible for harming them accountable for their behavior. Bill received both his undergraduate degree and JD from the University of Missouri. He has been named Super Lawyer for several years running. He has been a member of the American Association of Justice since 1994 and is also a member of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys. In 2019, Bill was also inducted as a fellow into the prestigious and selective Litigation Counsel of America. He currently serves on the Mizzou Law School Foundation Board of Trustees. Bill takes his commitment to fighting for his clients seriously. He is an accomplished trial lawyer who has successfully recovered over $1,000,000 in compensation in over 40 cases. He is an unfailing advocate for the rights of the injured and an involved community member, having partnered with both St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. A great settlement only goes so far; Bill strongly believes that some cases require us all to “pay it forward.” After an especially sad case against a bar for overserving a patron, Bill began sponsoring a local Mothers Against Drunk Driving event. Bill and his client insisted that the bar provide special training to each of its employees on the anniversary of the death of his client’s daughter. When babysitter neglect caused an infant to suffer a head injury, Bill partnered with St. Louis Children’s Hospital and helped sponsor a public service video on child head injuries. In addition to the babysitter’s insurance carrier paying its policy limits, Bill and his client insisted that the babysitter perform 100 hours of community service as part of the civil settlement, which is not often done. Bill and his wife reside in Webster Groves. In his spare time, Bill enjoys playing golf and rooting on his Missouri Tigers, his son’s Northwestern Wildcats, and his daughters’ TCU Horn Frogs.

Shawn Foster

Partner Shawn Foster learned early on the powerful combination of persuasion and passion. Having a dad in politics, spirited debate was the norm in the Foster household. This early influence and the desire to make a difference in in the world led Shawn from his hometown into the field of law. Shawn spent his early years of practice representing insurance companies and their insureds as well as Fortune 500 companies. Shawn received first-hand insight into the discrepancies between injured victims that had access to experienced and successful legal representation and those that were not as fortunate. Shawn has chosen to level the playing field by devoting his career to representing individuals that have been injured or wronged at the fault of someone else. This shift allows Shawn to be the voice for individuals he feels need it the most. Shawn has a clear vision of his purpose as a lawyer: “When you give everyone a voice and give people power, the legal system usually ends up in a really good place. So, what I view my role as, is making sure the legal system is freely accessible to everyone and giving people that voice and that power.” Shawn enjoys partnering with families of clients, providing support and answering questions during challenging times. He appreciates the collaboration and atmosphere that come from working as part of a team. “As a team, you get all of our experience and effort and that really gets results for our clients,” Shawn states. The team approach has been successful for Shawn and has allowed for a diverse litigation practice. He has represented individuals injured by the negligence and fraud of others throughout the world, including plaintiffs in 46 states and Canada. Shawn’s zealous representation of clients has been recognized by some of the most respected judges in the United States. He has been appointed to serve on national committees. These representations have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in recoveries for injured victims nationwide. His cases have been discussed in dozens of broadcasts, print, and online news outlets across the country. He has enjoyed landmark success throughout his career.

T.J. Preuss

Founder T.J. Preuss didn’t start life on the easy street to success. Raised in the northern suburbs of St. Louis by a single mother, T.J. grew up with truly humble beginnings but with the foundation of strong role models. As a young boy, T.J. watched his mother put herself through nursing school so they could have a better life. His mother also worked full-time as an in-home aid for quadriplegic patients who were paralyzed from the neck down. Because his mother couldn’t afford care for T.J., he often accompanied her to care for her patients. This background would pave the way for T.J.’s future. It gave him the experience to stand side-by-side with those in need and the passion to make a positive difference in the lives of his clients, many of whom suffer from severe and lasting consequences, including debilitating injuries causing devastating financial burdens to themselves and their families. T.J. finds purpose in helping these clients by giving a voice to the voiceless and restoring hope for those who feel they have none. T.J. credits the challenges and experiences of his youth for providing the determination, compassion and hard work that have become hallmarks of Preuss | Foster Law. Early in his career T.J. worked primarily on behalf of defense clients, representing companies in business disputes and negligence actions and doctors and hospitals in medical liability cases. After spending several years on the defense side, the focus of his practice shifted from representing defendants to primarily representing plaintiffs. T.J. spent a decade prosecuting nation-wide complex pharmaceutical and medical device cases against some of the largest corporations in the United States, which was the catalyst for opening Preuss | Foster in 2017. At Preuss | Foster, while still representing clients who have been harmed by pharmaceuticals and medical devices, T.J. has turned the majority of his focus towards our local community, helping victims of vehicular negligence, professional malpractice and product liability. T.J. has obtained favorable results representing plaintiffs in medical malpractice, civil rights, nursing home negligence, pharmaceutical and medical device liability and individual product liability actions. Because T.J. was given opportunities during his formative years that allowed him to succeed despite challenges, he is dedicated to making a positive difference by assisting those affected by injustice. This same devotion has led T.J. to receive numerous accolades and awards based on peer review, in addition to appointments by Courts and colleagues across the nation to represent people who have been harmed. Perhaps most importantly, T.J. remains dedicated to giving back to the local community he serves. As part of Preuss | Foster, T.J. initiated Better Community Law. Because our civil justice system only allows monetary recovery when someone has been injured or killed, as a firm Preuss | Foster wants to see more done to help remedy wrongs and to make our community a better place. Through Better Community Law, Preuss | Foster works with its clients to give back to the communities it serves. Therefore, not only does Preuss | Foster partner with its clients to obtain a monetary recovery on their behalf, but the firm also wants to give back to the community based on client interests. By providing client-specific community service, Preuss | Foster hopes to help protect others from suffering the same losses endured by its clients. Consultations and services are free of charge to all clients until compensation is awarded on their behalf. T.J. understands that taking the time to listen to the concerns of his clients, ensuring they are understood, and providing much needed hope is crucial to ensuring the best possible outcome. Remaining connected to his humble roots and strong values allows T.J. to relate well to others and inspires him to continue to fight to protect the rights of those he is honored to serve.

Ralph A. Monaco, II

Ralph A. Monaco, II is a lifelong resident of Raytown, Missouri. He graduated from Rockhurst University in 1978 and received his J.D. from U.M.K.C. School of Law in 1981. He has over 36 years of experience in private practice, covering probate administration, estate planning, civil litigation, personal injury, worker’s compensation, business law, real estate, contract law, family law, guardianship, juvenile court proceedings, entertainment law, business management, criminal law, and traffic law defense. He is a member of the Missouri Bar and Western District of Missouri Federal District Court and holds an AV rating. He has served on the Raytown School Board and as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee in the Missouri House of Representatives. Mr. Monaco is also an author of six non-fiction books and is active in historical organizations.

Nick Schmiemeier

Nick Schmiemeier is a competitive, passionate, and promising up-and-coming lawyer in the legal community. Prior to joining Preuss | Foster Law, Nick focused his litigation practice on personal injury, truck crash litigation, and insurance coverage disputes. Nick spent the first years of his career working closely with insurance companies and the adjusters who evaluate liability and value personal injury claims. Nick now uses that knowledge to prosecute these same types of claims to achieve the most favorable outcome for his clients. Nick received this Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law, the same school family members before him attended. Nick is competitive in all aspects of life, and law school was no different. During law school, Nick focused his attention on civil litigation and was a Regional winner in the AAJ National Mock Trial Competition. As an attorney at Preuss | Foster Law, Nick focuses his practice on personal injury, wrongful death claims, and medical malpractice. Nick knew at some point in his career he would represent those who have been injured or wronged in some way. Nick understands that being seriously injured and participating in a lawsuit can be one of the most stressful times in a person’s life. Nick enjoys carrying the burden for his clients, communicating with them, and making the litigation process as stress free as possible.

Patrick M. Reidy

Patrick M. Reidy is an attorney specializing in Civil Litigation and Personal Injury, with 100% of his practice devoted to litigation. He was admitted to the bar in Missouri (1980) and Wisconsin (1978), and is also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts for Western District of Missouri and District of Kansas, and the U.S. Courts of Appeals 8th and 10th Circuits. He earned his J.D. from the University of Denver College of Law in 1978 and a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame in 1975. He has served as Past President for the Rockhurst High School Alumni Association, Notre Dame Club of Kansas City, and St. Thomas More Home and School Association.

Daniel T. Ryan

Daniel T. Ryan sees each client as a person to be helped - not just another case. He started practicing law in 1991 and has dedicated his career to advocating for the rights of injured people. As a diplomatic negotiator and fierce litigator, Daniel has secured multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts for clients who have been gravely injured by the negligence of others.