Experience
After being admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1982, Mr. Stitt served for nearly four years in several capacities with the Missouri Supreme Court. He first served as a member of the Missouri Supreme Court Research Staff. He then served as Research Attorney for the Honorable George F. Gunn, Jr., during Judge Gunn’s tenure on the Missouri Supreme Court. Mr. Stitt later served as Law Clerk to the Honorable Edward D. Robertson, Jr. He has been awarded Martindale-Hubbell's highest “AV” rating.
Since leaving the Missouri Supreme Court, Mr. Stitt’s career has included experience in finance and business law, as well as litigation. A large part of this litigation experience has involved briefing and arguing trial court motions and appeals. Mr. Stitt has both briefed and argued a number of appeals, addressing a variety of issues. These issues have involved such topics as the availability of the wrongful birth/wrongful life tort theories in Missouri, the requirements for expert testimony regarding standard of care and causation in medical negligence cases, the interpretation of Missouri’s statutory cap on non-economic damages in medical negligence cases, and the interpretation of the liquor liability exclusion under commercial general liability policies. Mr. Stitt has argued appeals in both the Western District and the Southern District of the Missouri Court of Appeals (including the Western District en banc), the Missouri Supreme Court, the Kansas Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. He has also briefed issues before the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court
Mr. Stitt has extensive experience in both analyzing and litigating coverage issues under a variety of insurance contracts, including commercial general liability policies, professional liability policies and financial institution bonds. Mr. Stitt also has a variety of litigation experience in areas that include state and federal constitutional law, medical malpractice, business torts and employment practices. In the finance area, Mr. Stitt has participated in transactions involving a variety of structures, and has represented issuers, borrowers and underwriters. Mr. Stitt also has extensive experience as corporate outside counsel to companies in the advertising and health-care industries. Mr. Stitt joined Shaffer Lombardo Shurin (“SLS”) in April of 1997.
Professional
Mr. Stitt is admitted to practice law before the State Bar of Missouri and the State of Bar Kansas, as well as in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, the United States Courts of Appeal for the Eighth and Tenth Circuits, and the United States Supreme Court. He is a member of the Missouri Bar Association and the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association.
Education
Mr. Stitt received his law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. During law school, he was active in the school’s moot court and appellate advocacy programs, and coordinated the school’s Appellate Advocacy II competition. Mr. Stitt received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Kansas, where he was a Summerfield Scholar.
Personal
Mr. Stitt has one daughter, Lilly, is an active member of the Kansas City Germania Club and serves as alumni advisor to the Thomas Hart Benton Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta.