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PATRICK M. GAVIN is a partner in the Kansas City law firm of Husch Blackwell, LLP. He has more than 16 years experience successfully representing employers in administrative proceedings; litigation; jury trials; collective actions; arbitration; mediation; and appeals of matters involving discrimination, harassment or retaliation based on sex; race; religion; national origin; age; disability; military status; and claims under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Fair Labor Standards Act, non-compete, and other employment agreements. Mr. Gavin also proactively counsels clients regarding a variety of employment issues ranging from hiring to discharge, including employment policies and handbooks; wage, hour and overtime exemptions and compliance; drug testing, non-solicitation and severance agreements; executive employment contracts; employee privacy; workplace violence; the FMLA; the Americans With Disabilities Act; the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act; the Warn Act; the National Labor Relations Act; and state laws across the country. He is certified as a mediator and meets the requirements under Missouri Rule 17. Frequently, Mr. Gavin has been asked to speak at local, regional and national educational conferences for attorneys and human resource professionals. He has published numerous articles on a variety of employment issues. Mr. Gavin also was voted as a 2007, 2010 and 2011 Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyer in the area of employment and labor. A graduate of the United States Military Academy, he earned his J.D. degree from the University of Missouri in Kansas City. He is a member of the American Bar Association, The Missouri Bar, the Kansas Bar Association, the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (chair, Labor & Employment Law Committee, 2009) and Defense Research Institute. NANCY M. LEONARD is a partner in the law firm of Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP, where she represents management in cases involving claims of sexual harassment; retaliatory discharge; disability, age, race, and sex discrimination; and equal pay violations. She represents employers in state and federal courts, as well as before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and state and local administrative agencies. Ms. Leonard assists employers in problem prevention and legal analysis of complex employment issues. She helps clients develop effective employee handbooks, employment-related policies, investigation procedures and training materials. She frequently presents seminars and lectures on employment law issues. Ms. Leonard is licensed to practice law in Missouri, Kansas, Arizona and Illinois. She earned her journalism degree from the University of Missouri - Columbia and her J.D. degree from Washington University School of Law. Ms. Leonard is a member of the American Bar Association (Employment Section) and the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association. UZO N. NWONWU is an attorney in the law firm Seyferth Blumenthal & Harris LLC. Ms. Nwonwu's practice focuses on employment litigation and counseling. She has represented companies in all stages of discrimination and retaliation claims, including race, age, national origin, gender and disability discrimination. As part of her employment litigation practice, Ms. Nwonwu has represented clients during the administrative phase of discrimination, retaliation and other employment claims. She has also counseled employers on a variety of issues, including employment agreements, employee policy manuals and other individual employee issues. In addition, Ms. Nwonwu has experience drafting policy manuals and employee handbooks for employers with employees across the country. Prior to joining Seyferth Blumenthal & Harris LLC, she was an associate in the labor & employment practice group at Polsinelli Shughart PC. During law school, Ms. Nwonwu had the honor of serving as a legal intern to the Honorable Robert E. Larsen, magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri and was also a legal intern for the Missouri State Public Defender, Kansas City Office. She is a member of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association and the Jackson County Bar Association. Ms. Nwonwu earned her B.A. degree and her J.D. degree, cum laude, from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she was a member of the National Moot Court team and was inducted into Order of the Barristers. KIMBERLY F. SETEN is a partner in the Kansas City, Missouri law firm of Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP, where she practices in the area of labor and employment law. She co-wrote a chapter in the Kansas Employment Law Handbook and has lectured to various professional groups on labor and employment law, FMLA, ADA, and wage and hour issues. Ms. Seten is a member of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (past co-chair, Labor and Employment Law Committee) and the Western Missouri Society for Human Resource Management. She earned her B.S. degree from the University of Illinois and her J.D. degree, cum laude, from the University of Miami.
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