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Admitted: 2007: Kansas (State and Federal Courts) and U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
Law School: 2006: University of Kansas, J.D.
Member: Wichita Bar Association (CLE Committee); National Employment Lawyers Association; Kansas Employment Lawyers Association; Kansas Bar Association; Kansas Association of Defense Counsel; Defense Research Institute; Wesley E. Brown Inn of Court (Wichita, KS)
Biography: Phi Beta Kappa; Attorney at Withers, Gough, Pike, Pfaff & Peterson, LLC since April, 2007.
Born: Wichita, Kansas, October 11, 1980.
Personal Background: Sean grew up in Topeka, Kansas and went to K-State, where he participated in his fraternity Pi Kappa Phi and student government. Sean enjoys spending time with wife Megan, Henry (pug), and Rudy (shih tzu). Golf is Sean's favorite hobby.
Professional Background: In his defense practice, Sean defends individuals, businesses, attorneys, and governmental entities in many types of lawsuits such as personal injury, product liability, and business cases. He devotes a substantial amount of time to employment law, where he represents both employers and employees in disputes involving wage and hour laws, reasonable accommodations, FMLA, contracts restricting competition, and retaliation. In addition to litigation, Sean assists employers with labor department issues (examples: wage claims, unemployment claims, and classification issues), handbooks, policies, and other needs unique to employers.
Sean regularly represents individuals in long-term disability (“LTD”) insurance claims and litigation, which are usually governed by the federal ERISA law. He has represented individuals in disputes with most major LTD insurance companies including: Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company, CIGNA Group Insurance/Life Insurance Company of North America, Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company/Matrix Absence Management, UNUM, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, and Prudential. Sean also helps clients with disability retirement issues. Through this experience, Sean is familiar with the ERISA claims and litigation process, which allows him to effectively prepare and advocate LTD claims.
While in law school, Sean worked as a research assistant on both a Law & Economics text and a Law Review article addressing motions to compel arbitration under the Federal Arbitration Act. He clerked at Frieden, Haynes & Forbes during his first year of law school. He clerked at Withers Gough Pike Pfaff & Peterson, LLC after his second year and has been with the firm full time since 2007.
Relevant Experience:
Clopton et al v. TSS, Inc. et al, Case No. 10-CV-1229-JAR-JPO, U.S. Dist. Ct., District of Kansas (lead plaintiffs' attorney for a 27-plaintiff class conditionally certified under the Fair Labor Standards Act seeking unpaid compensation due to misclassification; settled in 2011, with plainitff class members receiving 100+ cents on the dollar for unpaid wages, plus attorneys fees).
Hubbard v. Logi Warehousing and Transportation, LLC et al, Case No. 09-CV-02266-JPO, U.S. Dist. Ct., District of Kansas, 2010 (second chair trial counsel representing defendants; defense jury verdict in wrongful death case arising from double tractor trailer collision).
Ron L. Wills v. Mike Steven Motors, Inc., Case No. 06 CV 4542, Sedgwick County District Court, Kansas, 2008 (second chair trial counsel representing plaintiff; plaintiff’s jury verdict finding breach of employment contract and willful Kansas Wage Payment Act violations).
Presenter: “The New FTC Red Flags Rule Casts A Broad Net: Are You Prepared?” October 21, 2009 Wichita Bar Association Continuing Legal Education seminar.
Presenter: “Pleading Claims and Affirmative Defenses After Twombly and Iqbal,” April 1, 2011, Wichita Bar Association Continuing Legal Education seminar on federal practice.
Community Involvement: Guardianship Assistance Program, Wichita, Kansas; Push America "Journey of Hope," Charlotte, NC.
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