KANSAS

John G. Simon

St. Louis, MO

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.

Throughout his career, managing partner Merrida Coxwell has developed a reputation as a fierce critic of social and legal injustice. He has accepted many criminal cases that others shunned and believes in providing aggressive legal representation. He has distinguished himself in personal injury law with significant verdicts, including a $144 million product liability case and a $2.1 million civil rights case. His criminal defense work has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for over ten consecutive years and Super Lawyers of the Deep South. He is also an AV rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating for skill and ethical conduct. He represented 18 death penalty clients and successfully defended two major alleged drug conspiracies in Federal Court.

Grant L. Davis

Kansas City, MO

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.

Taylor King

Little Rock, AR

Taylor King is the founding attorney of Taylor King Law, practicing for over 30 years since opening the firm in 1994. He received degrees in political science and history from Ouachita Baptist University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas. He is proud to work alongside his children, Austin and Maggie, and enjoys spending time with family and his golden retriever, Honey.

Alan LeVar

Little Rock, AR

Alan LeVar has over 20 years of experience practicing law, serving as lead counsel in over 50 jury trials and obtaining over $59 million in verdicts, settlements and judgments. He is the author of 'There Are No Accidents, Only Collisions'. He was a former judge, prosecutor, and defense attorney. He focuses on accident, personal injury, and wrongful death cases. He was raised in Arkansas by a constitutional law professor and secured his law degree from the University of Arkansas. He is currently the attorney for the city of Amity, Arkansas.

Larry V. Swall is a family law attorney, licensed in Kansas and Missouri, serving the entire Kansas City Metropolitan area through our offices in Overland Park and Liberty. His private practice is concentrated in areas of family law and domestic relations, including domestic mediation. Practicing for over 30 years, in 2009, Mr. Swall was twice honored by the Missouri Bar Association, first as the Roger Krumm Family Law Practitioner of the Year Award; and second with the distinguished President's Award for extraordinary service to the Bar. Mr. Swall is an active member in both the Missouri Bar Association and the Kansas Bar Association. Mr. Swall has been a family law mediator since 1994; and was the architect of what became the M.A.R.C.H. Mediation program, expanding its reach from seven original counties to serving the entire State of Missouri for over 20 years before passing the reins to new leadership, training professionals in family mediation all across Missouri starting in 1999. He is a member of the Missouri Bar Family Law Section, having served as Section Chair for four years, as well as serving on the Family Law Legislative Review Committee. Mr. Swall consulted with legislators to pass seminal family law bills including the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA); child support laws including promoting a child’s ability to seek education beyond high school; and laws that give children better access to their parents, to strengthen family relationships, despite the conflict that often surrounds the process. Mr. was founder and Planning Chair for the Missouri Bar Annual Family Law Conference for eight years beginning in 1999; and has continued to serve on the planning committee and guiding professional family law training for over twenty years. Mr. Swall has been an active member of the Missouri Supreme Court Child Support Guideline Review Committee since 2008, and most recently reappointed in 2019. Mr. Swall was a founding member of the Missouri Association of Family Law Advocacy, helping to educate state legislatures about court system and the array of laws affecting the daily lives of families who find themselves in court. He is a member of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Family Law Section and the Clay County Bar Association. Mr. Swall has presented over 100 professional trainings for family lawyers and mediators in how to better serve family law clients and effectively work in family courts. Mr. Swall has testified before the Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri Senate on family law related bills and statutes, continually trying to improve the law and better the court system in which families appear. Mr. Swall is a founding member of the Missouri Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (Mo-AFCC), having served as President, and 10 years as a director. He also served on the Board of Directors for the international Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), serving as publication chair, a member of the Resource Development Committee and Host/Auctioneer for the Annual Conference fundraising auction. He is a member of the American Bar Association Family Law Section, and a General Member of Association of Conflict Resolution. He has also served on the Board of Directors for Overcoming Barriers, an organization providing services to families torn apart by family conflict. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law, 1990, where he participated in the joint degree program in philosophy towards a master’s degree. He is a graduate of San Diego State University, BA-Philosophy, 1987. Mr. Swall was formerly a professor for over ten years with Drury College (Springfield, Missouri) where he taught in areas of law, including family law, and philosophy, and at Maple Woods Community College (Kansas City, Missouri) in the Department of Social Science, Philosophy.