The Winston
Churchill quote hanging above the desk in Lantz Welch’s law office reads,
“Never give in. Never give in.
Never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty;
never give in.” This phrase
characterizes every aspect of the life of Lantz Welch.
Whether representing a personal injury victim, fulfilling the presidency
of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, or pursuing philanthropic
interests, Lantz Welch exemplifies preparation and perfectionism in everything
he does.
Lantz Welch
was recognized by the Missouri House of Representatives and the Kansas City
Metropolitan Bar Association as one of the top trial lawyers in the world.
Lantz is also responsible for one of the largest single person injury
verdicts ever obtained, $45 million.
“When I started practicing law, I operated in a city where large
verdicts were unheard of,” said Welch as he described the beginning of his law
career. .
His
professional colleagues regard him with great esteem, “The stunning results
you routinely acquire for your clients have skewed the conceptions of the bar so
that all clients benefit from you even though they may not have the fortune to
be represented by you.” Today,
the majority of Lantz’s cases are settled out of court.
A graduate
of the University of Missouri School of Law, Lantz became president of the
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association in 1977.
Feeling it important to give something back to the profession, during his
tenure as president, he instigated and promoted passage of a new constitution
and bylaws that achieved, among other things, an open election process for
future bar officers.
Extending
beyond the recognition of the dollar figures alone, Lantz has received The Trial
Lawyers for Public Justice award given to the private practice attorney who most
exemplified the organization’s ideals by winning a landmark case; one that had
and will have significant impact for the public good. This 10-year lawsuit on behalf of 31 residents of Sedalia,
Mo., against the Alcolac chemical company ended with a four and one half-month
trial and jury verdicts totaling more than $49 million. Welch has displayed his cutting edge preparation and
perfectionism in many other cases as well.
He represented the plaintiff in the case in which the Missouri Supreme
Court first permitted an award of punitive damages against a health care
provider, and he represented the plaintiff in the case in which the state’s
high court abolished the practice of remittitur.
Lantz has
been listed in The Best Lawyers in America since the book’s inception
in 1983.
His noteworthy success allowed Lantz
to create the Lantz Welch Charitable Foundation in 1985.
The foundation is led by Lantz’s wife, Laura Welch, and has funds
totaling over $3 million. The Lantz
Welch Charitable Foundation donates over $250,000 per year to a variety of
programs, including those that help the homeless and troubled youths.
Meara, King & Co.’s association
with Lantz Welch began when their firms were both located City Center Square
over twenty years ago, when a personal relationship developed between Lantz and
partner John Meara. Although Meara,
King & Co. has since relocated to the Plaza, we have had the privilege of
providing a variety of tax and audit work for Lantz, his law firm and the
charitable foundation for many years.