Preview PDF
Overview
John Mullen is a Partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP's Kansas City office. He is a member of the Labor & Employment and Insurance Coverage & Extra-Contractual Liability practice areas Mr. Mullen specializes in complex commercial and insurance coverage disputes, extra-contractual liability litigation and complex commercial litigation. He also has significant litigation experience representing insurance companies in third-party insurance coverage disputes as well as defending disputes for insureds that involve EPL, E&O, D&O and miscellaneous professional liability.
Mr. Mullen also has significant experience in transportation and trucking litigation and his clients include some of the largest trucking companies in the country. He is member of the Transportation Lawyers Association and has been named as one of America's Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators. He has additional significant experience in representing financial institutions in regulatory enforcement actions and related white collar criminal defense. He is a frequent lecturer to bar associations, insurance companies and claims associations on insurance extra-contractual liability, insurance bad faith litigation, insurance coverage and fraud. His practice has include testifying as an expert witness in a civil case pending in Stockholm, Sweden and representation before the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Mr. Mullen has been named a Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyer every year from 2008 to 2026 in the area of Insurance Coverage and has been named “Best of the Bar” on numerous occasions. He has been named a Fellow by the International Institute of Law and Medicine. He has tried to verdict in excess of 130 civil jury trials in both Federal and State courts throughout the country. He is rated by Chambers in the area of Insurance Coverage and he recently received an ICON Award from Missouri Lawyers Media recognizing his distinguished legal career. He received his undergraduate degree in political science from Missouri State University in 1988 and his Juris Doctor from Loyola University in 1991.
Bar Admissions
Kansas
- Kansas State Courts
- U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
Missouri
- Missouri State Courts
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
TRIBAL & INTERNATIONAL COURTS
- Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation
U.S. Courts of Appeals
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Wisconsin
Representative Cases & Clients
Reported Cases:
- Progressive Ins. Co. v. Reece, 498 S.W.3d 498 (Mo. App. 2016)
- Progressive Northwestern Ins. Co. v. Handshumaker, et al., 2:15-CV-02324, US Dist. Ct., District of KS
- Sexton v. American National Property & Casualty, 2015 WL 4523823
- KC Ravens, LLC v. Micah Energy Corporations, et al., 2014 WL4471395
- American Nat’l v. Wyatt, 400 S.W.3d 417 (Mo. App. 2013)
- Alfa Specialty Ins. Co. v. Ellis, 2013 WL 4833472 (W.D.Mo.,2013)
- Jefferson Acquisition, LLC v. CCSB Financial Corp., 406 S.W.3d 119 (Mo. App. W.D. 2013)
- Clark v. Progressive Ins. Co., 390 S.W.3d 208 (Mo. App. 2012)
- Charles v. Consumers, Ins., 317 S.W.3d 892 (Mo. App. W.D., 2012)
- JF Enterprises, LLC v. Fifth Third Bank, 824 F.Supp.2d 818 (N.D.Ill.,2011)
- Willis v. Quad Lakes Enterprises, L.L.C., WL 3957339 (W.D. Mo. 2011)
- Agnello v. Walker, 306 S.W.3d 666 (Mo.App. W.D. 2010)
- Capital Resources, LLC v. Pointer, WL 982420 (D. Kan. 2009)
- Hayes v. Price, 313 S.W.3d 645 (Mo. 2010)
- Hopper v. Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance, 220 S.W.3d 399 (Mo. App. 2007)
- Hardcore Concrete, LLC v. Fortner Insurance Services, Inc., 220 S.W.3d 350 (Mo. App. S.D. 2007)
- Shelter Insurance Co. v. Ballew, 203 S.W. 3d 789 (Mo. App. 2006)
- Bartell v. Govoreau, 2005 WL 5989792 (W.D. Mo. 2005)
- Roberts v. Progressive Northwestern Insurance Co., 151 S.W. 3d 891 (Mo. App. 2004)
- Nodaway Valley Bank v. E.L. Crawford Construction, Inc., et al., 126 S.W.3d 820 (Mo. App. W.D. 2004)
- Shelter Mutual Ins. Co. v. Crunk, 102 S.W.3d 560 (Mo. App. 2003)
- Peckels v. Wyatt Farms, Inc., 112 S.W.3d 54 (Mo.App. W.D. 2003)
- Hall v. Progressive Ins. Co., 41 P.3d 303 (Kan. Ct. App. 2002)
- Lines v. Mercantile Bank, 710 S.W.3d 676 (Mo. App. S.D. 2002)
- Crisswell v. Short, 70 S.W.3d 592 (Mo. App. 2002)
- Overcast v. Billings Mutual Ins. Co., 11 S.W.3d 62 (Mo. 2000)
- Elmahdi v. Ethridge, 987 S.W.2d 366 (Mo. App. W.D. 1999)
- Guidant Specialty Ins. Co. v. Duncan, 71 F.Supp. 2d 1090 (D. Kan. 1999)
- McKown v. Wright, 956 S.W.2d 465 (Mo. App. W.D. 1997)
- Vermillion v. Pioneer Gun Club, 918 S.W.2d 827 (Mo. App. W.D. 1996)
- U.S. v. Warfield, 97 F.3d 1014 (8th Cir. 1996)
- Life Ins. Co. of North America v. Centennial Life Ins. Co., 927 F.Supp. 1476 (D.Kan. 1996), 133 F.3d 932 (C.A. 10 Kan. 1998)
- Thomas E. Johnson v. Centennial Life Insurance Company, 885 F.Supp. 227 (D. Kan. 1995)
- Gabriel v. Shelter Mut. Ins. Co., 897 S.W.2d 119 (Mo. App. S.D. 1995)
- Stuart v. Mills, 899 S.W.2d 156 (Mo. App. S.D. 1995)
- Inter-City Beverage Co., Inc. v. Kansas City Power & Light Co., 889 S.W.2d 875 (Mo. App. W.D. 1994)
- In Interest of DDA, 864 S.W.2d 363 (Mo. App. 1993)
Speaker/Lecturer/Publications:
- Missouri Tort Reform & Extra-Contractual Liability Exposure (2017, 2018)
- Emerging Trends in Extra-Contractual Liability Litigation (2014, 2015, 2016)
- Emerging Issues in Bad Faith Litigation (2013, 2014)
- Bad Faith (2012)
- Bad Faith (2011)
- Bad Faith (2010)
- Litigating Bad Faith Insurance Claims (2009)
- Bad Faith Litigation in Missouri (2008)
- Trends in Insurance Coverage Litigation (2007)
- How to Avoid Bad Faith (2006)
- Tort Reform (2006)
- Missouri Construction Defect & Mold Litigation (2003)
- Recent Developments in Mold Litigation and General Liability Insurance (2003)
- Claims Evaluation Seminar (2002)
- Claims Litigation Seminar (2002)
- The Definite Guide to Settling Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Cases (2002)
- Missouri Bad Faith Litigation (2002)
- General Liability Insurance (2001)
- Directors and Officers Liability Insurance Coverage (2000)
- Wrongful Death Valuation (1999)
- Trial Strategies in Defense of Soft Tissue Injury Cases (1997)
- Bad Faith: What It Is and How to Avoid It (1995)
Affiliations
- Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
- Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association
- Kansas City Claims Association
- Springfield Claims Association
- Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers
- International Institute of Law and Medicine
- Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists
Classes/Seminars Taught
- Missouri Tort Reform & Extra-Contractual Liability Exposure (2017, 2018)
- Emerging Trends in Extra-Contractual Liability Litigation (2014, 2015, 2016)
- Emerging Issues in Bad Faith Litigation (2013, 2014)
- Bad Faith (2012)
- Bad Faith (2011)
- Bad Faith (2010)
- Litigating Bad Faith Insurance Claims (2009)
- Bad Faith Litigation in Missouri (2008)
- Trends in Insurance Coverage Litigation (2007)
- How to Avoid Bad Faith (2006)
- Tort Reform (2006)
- Missouri Construction Defect & Mold Litigation (2003)
- Recent Developments in Mold Litigation and General Liability Insurance (2003)
- Claims Evaluation Seminar (2002)
- Claims Litigation Seminar (2002)
- The Definite Guide to Settling Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Cases (2002)
- Missouri Bad Faith Litigation (2002)
- General Liability Insurance (2001)
- Directors and Officers Liability Insurance Coverage (2000)
- Wrongful Death Valuation (1999)
- Trial Strategies in Defense of Soft Tissue Injury Cases (1997)
- Bad Faith: What It Is and How to Avoid It (1995)