Gottschalk, Don E.

KIRK J. GOZA

Mr. Goza is a founding partner of Goza & Honnold, LLC. Prior to starting Goza & Honnold, LLC, he spent eight years as a partner at a nationally recognized products liability firm and for three years was head of the firm's Tort Section.  Before that, he spent fifteen years at a major Kansas City firm where he was a director and a member of ther Hiring, Associates and Executive Committees. 

Mr. Goza has over 25 years experience trying lawsuits and managing significant pieces of litigation including class action claims of consumer fraud, antitrust violations, pharmaceutical and other mass tort product liability, toxic torts, professional negligence claims and general business litigation. During his career, he has represented both plaintiffs and defendants and has represented some of the largest corporations in America in jurisdictions around the country. His primary focus now is representing plaintiffs in personal injury and mass tort claims. Mr. Goza also works extensively as a mediator and has fulfilled the training requirements set out in Missouri Supreme Court Rule 17.

In 1993, by recommendation of Missouri Judges, Mr. Goza received the Lon O. Hocker award as one of the three outstanding young trial lawyers in the state. Ten years later, in 2003, he was inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers . In March of 2009 he was inducted into the International Society of Barristers. Mr. Goza is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and served five years on the Board of Directors of the Western Missouri/Eastern Kansas chapter of that organization, and was President of the chapter in 2003. He was Board Certified as a trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy ( Missouri has no approved certification process.) and was recently re-certified. He has been listed on numerous occasions in the Best Lawyers in America, Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers, and Kansas City 's Best of the Bar.  He is a frequent writer and lecturer on the topics of trial practice and technique.

 

BAR ADMISSIONS

Kansas Federal Court

Kansas State Court

Missouri Federal Court Western District

Missouri State Court

Ninth Circuit

 

PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS AND AWARDS

International Society of Barristers (inducted 2009)

American College of Trial Lawyers (inducted 2003)

American College of Trial Lawyers Missouri State Committee 2009

American College of Trial Lawyers Missouri State Committee 2006

2004 Board Certified Trial Advocate National Board of Trial Advocacy (Missouri has no mechanism to approve certification programs) re-certified 2009.

Member The Academy of Catastrophic Injury Lawyers

Selected The Best Lawyers in America, 2001-2009

Kansas City 2002-2009 Best of the Bar

Admitted 1995 American Board of Trial Advocates

1993 Lon O. Hocker Award for Outstanding Trial Advocacy Skills (awarded by Missouri Bar Association upon recommendation of Missouri judges and trial lawyers)

Martindale Hubbell A.V. Rating

1990 Who's Who of Emerging American Leaders

1989 Who's Who in American Law

 

PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC ACTIVITIES

2008 KCMBA Board of Directors Member At Large

2007 Chairperson KCMBA Finance Committee

2005 Chairperson Leukemia Society Ball

2004 President ABOTA

2004 Auction Chairperson Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

2003 Nominating Committee KCMBA

2003, 2004, 2005 MemberAt-Large Board of Directors Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association

2003 Board of Directors Kansas City Bar Foundation

2003 President-Elect ABOTA

2002 Treasurer Board of Directors ABOTA

2001 Secretary Board of Directors ABOTA

2001- 2003 Legal Advisor to The Kansas City Bar Foundation

2001-2004 Vice-President of Board of Directors Foundation Workshop (A sheltered workshop providing jobs for adults with special needs.)

2000 - 2004 Board of Directors Youth Service Alliance of Greater Kansas City, Inc. (Supports over 150 schools that encourage young people to engage in community service.)

1998 Chair KCMBA Tort Law Committee

1997-Present Board of Directors Foundation Workshop

1996 Co-Chair KCMBA Tort Law Committee

1994-95 Legal Advisor to the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association

1992 Delta Upsilon Alumni Board of Directors

1989 KCMBA/YLS Bench Bar Planning Committee

1985 Co-Chair KCMBA Medico-legal Hospital Committee, (Revised Interdisciplinary Code and Health Care Provider Complaint Committee)

Past Member YLS/KCMBA Continuing Legal Education Committee

Past Member KCMBA Volunteer Attorney Project

Mr. Goza is a member of the American Trial Lawyer's Association, Missouri Bar Association, and the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association.

 

ACADEMIC AWARDS AND HONORS

Associate Editor and Staff Member of University of Kansas Law Review, 1980-82.

Recipient 1981-82 Robert E. Edmonds Award in Corporations and Securities Law (highest award given to corporate and securities student).

Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (upper 10 percent of class only).

American Jurisprudence Award (highest grade given) -- Business Associations I & II.

National Spanish Honor Society of Sigma Delta Pi

Co-Captain KU Rugby Football Team

Delta Upsilon Social Fraternity

 

LAW REVIEW ARTICLES AND BOOK CHAPTERS

Co-Author       Missouri Bar Deskbook, Health Care Providers (2005)

Co-Author:      Missouri Bar Deskbook, Liability of Health Care Providers (1997).

Co-Author:      Pleadings 57 UMKC Law Review 736 (1989).

Co-Author:      Missouri Bar CLE Appellate Practice and Extraordinary Remedies (chapter supplement on mandamus).

Author:            Comment Securities Regulations:  Reliance As An Element in a Section 12(2) Action 30 Kan.L.Rev. 599 (1982)

 

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS AND PUBLICATIONS

Voir Dire, Civil Jury Trial Demonstration, KCMBA, UMKC (Feb. 9, 2009)

Winning With Experts, Trial Demonstration) Missouri Bar, Marriot Hotel, Kansas City, Mo. (June 26, 2008) 

War Stories From Leaders of the Local Trial Bar Lawyers Association (April 9, 2008)

Kansas Trial Lawyers, Trial Advocacy Seminar, Closing Argument JCCC (June 1, 2007)

Solo and Small Firm Conference, Getting Started and Keeping It Going, KCMBA, (October 13, 2006)

Effective Direct and Cross- Examination Of Lay and Expert Witnesses, MOBAR and American College of Trial Lawyers, Kansas City (June 15, 2006)

Direct Examination of the Expert Witness MoBar CLE Kansas City, MO (June 16, 2006)

KCMBA Plaintiff's Opening Statement in a Pharmaceutical Case, (February 10, 2006).

Jury Selection An American College of Trial Lawyers Presentation, Columbia, Missouri (November 29, 2005)

KCMBA, Cross-Examination Do's & Don'ts (October 28, 2005)

MoBar Annual Meeting, Collateral Source, Changes under Tort Reform Statute (September, 2005)

American Trial Lawyers, Opening Statement, Causation In a Birth Trauma Case ( Toronto, Canada , July 23, 2005)

MATA Trial Tips Seminar, Persuasion in a Birth Trauma Case, Kansas City, MO (May 6, 2005)

ACTL, Trial Skills for Public Interest Lawyers, Cross-Examination and Demonstrative Evidence, Cape Girardeau, MO (April 29, 2005)

ATLA's Litigating Catastrophically Insured Infant Cases Seminar, Persuasion in Birth Trauma Cases, Atlanta, GA (February 25-26, 2005)

UMKC, Civil Jury Trial Demonstration, (June 11, 2004)

KCMBA, Effective Techniques of Cross-Examination, (June 28, 2002)

MATA, Representing Your Client - A Perspective of What the Other Side Looks for in Cases, (June 21, 2002)

ABOTA, Masters in Trial, Trial Demonstration, (September 28, 2001)

Medical Protective, Risk Awareness, (October 5, 2000)

ABOTA, Masters in Trial, Trial Demonstration, (September 29, 2000)

KCMBA, Techniques for Effective Cross-Examination, (June 20, 2000)

Medical Protective, Malpractice Prevention-Beyond the Basics (October 12,1999)             KCMBA, Rain Making and Practice Development (February 25, 1999)

KCMBA, Federal Lifesaver, Voir Dire Issues In Federal Court (August 29, 1998)

Medical Protective Company, Risk Management for Medical Office Professionals (July 23, 1998)

KCMBA Techniques for Effective Cross-Examination (June 24, 1998)

Shook, Hardy & Bacon Daubert 1998:  An Update on the Federal Court's Standard for Admissibility of Expert Testimony, Panel Discussion (June 18, 1998)

American Hotel & Motel Association, Instructor, Hospitality Law

UMKC Mastering The Medical Malpractice Case -- Obstetrical Malpractice and Birth Trauma Litigation (October 3, 1997)

KCMBA, How To Conduct The Purposeful and Strategic Cross-Examination (June 25, 1997)

UMKC Practicing Law Institute, Examining The Expert Witness- Evidence and Technique, The Interactive Courtroom (May 30, 1997)

Clubhouse Inns Training Workshop Employment Discrimination & Sexual Harassment In The     Workplace  (May 1, 1997)

ABA National CLE Program Advisory Committee, The Experts Analyze Bad Baby Cases (April 18-19, 1997, San Francisco, CA)

KCMBA, Personal Injury Cases:  A Practical Approach - Jury Selection Strategies (April 17, 1997)

KCMBA, Effective Motions - Motions in Limine, (June 27, 1996)

KCMBA, How to Conduct the Purposeful and Strategic Cross Examination, (May 24, 1996) Medical Protective Company, Malpractice Prevention - A Lawyer's Perspective, (May 22, 1996) Greater Kansas City Medical Managers Association and HFMA, Medi-Vision 2000 Seminar,       Medical Malpractice - Exposure Control, (April 5, 1996)

KCMBA, Fair and Reasonable Damages, (April 28, 1995)

Shughart Thomson & Kilroy, P.C., Update on Labor and Employment Law, Jury Verdicts and What they Mean, (April 21, 1995)

KCMBA, Fair and Reasonable Damages, (June 16, 1994)

KCMBA, Depositions, (June 15, 1994)

OMIC, Risk Management Seminar (Westin Crown Center,  June 4, 1994).

UMKC, The New But For Test For Causation in Missouri (May 6, 1994).

KCMBA, Comparative Fault (May 21, 1993).

National Osteopathic Health Conference, Mock Trial (April 15, 1993).

UMKC Medical Malpractice Seminar; Direct and Cross-Examination of The Expert Neuroradiologist -- Trial Demonstration (September 25, 1992).

MATA's Trial Advocacy Seminar (March 6, 1992)

Second Annual Defense Tactics Institute, What Makes an Effective Cross-Examination of Both Non-Experts and Experts (February 27, 1992)

Fourth Annual Valuation & Settlement Negotiations Seminar, Medical Malpractice Defendant (November 22, 1991)

Dealing with Experts -- UMKC/KCMBA 1991 Medical Malpractice Seminar (September 6, 1991)

Preparation for Trial; Discovery; Motions, UMKC 15 Hour Review of Law (June 28, 1991)

MATA's Basic Trial Series Pleadings:  Stating the Cause of Action, the Answer, Affirmative Defenses, Motions to Dismiss (February 22, 1991)

UMKC Medical School , Depositions (April 17, 1990)

Workshop, Jury Selection, Opening Statements and Closing Arguments in Medicolegal Cases, 30th Anniversary Conference of the American College of Legal Medicine (March 14-17, 1990, Orlando, Florida)

MATA's Medical Malpractice Seminar, Case Investigation:  A Defense Perspective (March 9, 1990)

Direct and Cross-Examination of Expert Witnesses UMKC/KCMBA 1989 Litigator's Tutorial (November 10, 1989)

Trial Aspects of Liability -- A Defense Perspective -- UMKC/KCMBA 1989 Medical Malpractice Seminar (September 27, 1989)

Co-Chairperson UMKC/KCMBA 1988 Medical Malpractice Seminar (September 7, 1988)

KCMBA Bench Bar Presentation, Our Day In Court (May 14, 1988)

UMKC School of Nursing , Mock Trial, Nursing Practice and the Law (1986)

Kansas City Claims Association, Luncheon speaker on Tort Reform (1987)