Atty. John J. Gates
John handles a wide variety of legal issues ranging from disputes between business owners to personal injury lawsuits to non-compete allegations to defective construction claims to interpreting insurance policies. It is his broad practice that enables him to see all sides of a client’s problems and help develop effective solutions.
Profile Summary
About John J. Gates at a glance
John J. Gates is a construction and insurance attorney based in Kansas City, Missouri, practicing at Gates Westering LLC. They have 26+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 2000. Admitted to practice in Missouri (2000) and Kansas (2001). Educated at University of Kansas (J.D., 2000) and Vanderbilt University (B.A., 1997). Recognitions include Lawyer of the Year — Construction Law, Kansas City (MO) (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Construction Law (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Construction (2026). Serands clients in Kansas City, MO and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- John handles a wide variety of legal issues ranging from disputes between business owners to personal injury lawsuits to non-compete allegations to defective construction claims to interpreting insurance policies
- It is his broad practice that enables him to see all sides of a client’s problems and help develop effective solutions
- He has litigated a number of high-exposure wrongful death and personal injury claims from workplace accidents, product defects, trucking accidents, and insufficient security, but he also handles cases with less severe injuries in the areas of premises liability, automobile accidents, and property damage
- Aside from his business and personal injury practice, John handles insurance claims, defective construction, and non-compete matters
- With regard to insurance claims, he performs coverage analysis and litigates bad faith claims, declaratory judgment actions, subrogation claims, and equitable garnishments
- John’s defective construction cases involve the design, materials, and construction in residential and commercial projects
- John has tried several high-exposure jury trials in Missouri and Kansas, including two of the largest defense verdicts in Missouri in the last fifteen years
- He has also obtained dismissals in large-loss personal injury and commercial litigation cases
Practice Areas Explained
John J. Gates's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases John J. Gates handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
John J. Gates is one of 40,689 construction attorneys indexed nationally. Browse construction attorneys in Missouri →
Insurance attorneys for coverage disputes, bad faith claims, denied claims, and policy disputes.
John J. Gates is one of 121,912 insurance attorneys indexed nationally. Browse insurance attorneys in Missouri →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Missouri
Practicing law in Missouri. Legal matters in Missouri are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Kansas City are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Missouri state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Missouri brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Missouri courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Missouri attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Kansas City or all attorneys in Missouri.
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