Attorneys

PATRICIA A. KECK, PARTNER:

Born Rogers, Arkansas. Admitted to bars: Missouri and Arkansas 1992 and Kansas 1993. Education: University of Arkansas (B.S.E. 1977, M.E.D. 1987, J.D. 1991 with Honors). Academic Memberships: University of Arkansas Law Review (1990-91) and Law Review Editorial Board (1991), Law Journal publication of “Only Those Who Die Young Fail to Grow Old”; Current Memberships: Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas Bar Associations, the Federal Courts in Missouri and Arkansas and the Springfield Metropolitan and American Bar Associations. After gaining experience as a teacher and coach, Ms. Keck began her legal career with the Springfield law firm of Schroff, Glass & Newberry PC; where she made partner after only 3 years. She then became a partner in the Newberry, Haden, Cowherd, Bullock & Keck firm that formed after the retirement of Bob Schroff. In 2002, Jim Newberry and Ms. Keck formed the firm of Newberry & Keck LLC so that Mr. Newberry could pursue a mediation practice. Ms. Keck then went out on her own forming the Keck & Carter LLC firm in 2004. Her partner, Craig Carter, was appointed by Governor Blunt to the post of judge in Douglas County the following year, so the firm changed names when Kevin Austin joined her in her practice. Mr. Austin in turn took the bench, and Ms. Keck was then joined by Damon Phillips. Ms. Keck has extensive trial experience in civil litigation in the areas of entity and individual insurance defense, Civil Rights issues, public entity liability, employment law, and sexual harassment. She has tried over 50 cases in these areas in the past several years.

M. SEAN McGINNIS (Of Counsel):

Born May 30, 1959, and raised in Springfield, Missouri. Admitted to Missouri bar in 1984. Education: Drury College (B.A. Business Administration, 1981; B.A. Economics, 1981; B.A. Political Science, 1981), University of Missouri-Columbia (J.D. 1984). Current Memberships: Missouri Bar Association, and the Federal Courts. Mr. McGinnis primarily has practiced as a civil defense attorney. He started his law experience in 1984 with the Turner, Reid, Duncan, Loomer, & Patton, P.C. law firm where he worked his way up to a partnership with the firm and was involved in all aspects of civil litigation. He moved to the firm of Haden, Cowherd, Bullock, Keck & McGinnis to become a partner in 1998; where again his primary focus was the defense practice in civil litigation. During these same periods of time, Sean has served as General Counsel for the Missouri Democratic Party and as Special City Attorney for the City of Branson, Missouri. Sean has also served on the Board of Curators for the University of Missouri, a Commissioner of the Missouri State Fair and as a Member, Board of Directors, and General Counsel for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield.

DAMON S. PHILLIPS, PARTNER:

Born and raised in Springfield, Missouri. Education: Missouri State University (BS Political Science and Legal Studies), University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law (J.D. 2003). Admissions: • Missouri Bar 2003. • United States District Court Western District of Missouri. • United States District Court Eastern District of Missouri. • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. Mr. Phillips primarily represents public officers and local governments, as well as some individual and business clients, and is frequently retained directly or as insurance defense counsel in matters involving public entity law. Mr. Phillips began his legal career in Springfield, Missouri at the Greene County Prosecutor's Office. Mr. Phillips was initially assigned to the Civil/Traffic Division, where he prosecuted motor vehicle incidents ranging from traffic tickets to vehicular fatalities. Mr. Phillips later worked in the Property and Major Crime Units. Mr. Phillips was the Prosecutor's representative to the Underage Drinking Task Force and Gang Task Force programs of the Community Partnership of the Ozarks; and also the Prosecutor’s representative to the Greene County Planning & Zoning Committee, Greene County Drug Court, and Greene County DWI Court. Mr. Phillips went to a local law firm in 2010 and while there joined the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association and Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers. Mr. Phillips came to the firm in an of-counsel capacity in 2014 and joined Ms. Keck after Mr. Austin took the bench.

JOHN SPURLOCK, PARTNER:

Mr. Spurlock was raised in Douglas County, Missouri. He majored in History and Political Science at the University of Central Missouri and graduated from Ave Marie School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in the State of Missouri and the United States District Court for the Western of Missouri. Mr. Spurlock started practicing law in Branson, Missouri where he represented investors, landlords, developers, and a variety of businesses and individuals. During that time, Mr. Spurlock’s practice focused on business entity formation, real estate and business litigation, landlord- tenant disputes, real estate and business transactions, probate administration, and estate planning. Mr. Spurlock came to the firm in an Of Counsel capacity in 2019. In that capacity, Mr. Spurlock defends individuals and public entities in the areas of employment law, public entity liability, and civil rights. John’s focus is helping public entities navigate disputes, lawsuits, and day-to-day governance issues. He also continues to assist small businesses and individuals in real estate and business transactions. When John isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends.

Sam Peck (Associate):

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Peck graduated from the mechanical engineering program at Brigham Young University-Idaho in 2013, and worked as a manufacturing engineer at a factory making large vehicle suspensions in Southwest Missouri. After graduating from Washington University School of Law in 2018, Mr. Peck clerked for a judge on the Nebraska Court of Appeals, helping Judge Lawrence Welch write opinions for a year before joining the firm in 2019. Mr. Peck primarily focuses on civil litigation on behalf of public entities and insurance defense litigation, as well as worker’s compensation, transactional work, and general civil litigation.

Ashley Kremer (Of Counsel):

Ms. Kremer was born and raised in Missouri - first in Kansas City, and later in Bolivar. She is a graduate of Truman State University (BA Political Science, 2006) and the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law (JD, 2009). She was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 2009. Ms. Kremer began her legal career in Columbia, Missouri, working in a general practice firm, where she focused on estate planning, probate administration and litigation, family law, and small business entity selection and formation. In 2011, she founded her own private practice, where she continued to represent individuals and small businesses, while also serving as a court- appointed Guardian ad Litem in Boone County, Missouri. While in private practice, Ms. Kremer also expanded the scope of her work to include services for other law firms, including local court appearances for non-local counsel. Ms. Kremer relocated to the Minneapolis area in 2017 and is delighted to maintain ties with her home state as she joins Keck & Phillips in an of-counsel capacity.