Depew Gillen Rathbun & McInteer

A general practice law firm in Wichita, Kansas

2024 Edition of Best Lawyers® Recognition

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Recognition by Best Lawyers® is based entirely on peer review. The process is designed to capture the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.

 

We are proud to announce these recognitions in the 2024 Edition of Best Lawyers®:

– Randall K. Rathbun is recognized for his work in the practice areas of Employment Law-Individuals, and Litigation-Environmental.

– Charles C. Steincamp is recognized in the practice areas of Environmental Law, and Litigation-Environmental.

– Kurt A. Harper is recognized in the practice areas of Bet-the-Company Litigation, and Commercial Litigation.

– Kimberly A. Vining is recognized in the practice areas of Business Organizations, Litigation-Trusts and Estates, and Trust and Estates.

– And lastly, our FIRM is recognized as a Best Lawyers® Firm.

Welcome to New Partner!

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Wichita KS, January 1, 2021 – We are pleased to announce that William E. Dakan is now a partner in our firm. Joining our firm in 2019, Bill’s legal practice emphasizes business organizations and transactions, real estate, wills, trusts and estates and trusts administration, and tax and aviation law.

Diana Stanley

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Diana Stanley is a Wichita native and graduated from Newman University (B.A. History, 2017) and the University of Kansas (Juris Doctorate, 2020) where she earned the Environmental and Natural Resources Law certificate. While in law school she received the Hershberger Energy Law Award and came in second at the National Environmental Moot Court Competition.

Diana is a member of the Wichita and Kansas Bar Associations, the Young Lawyers Association, and the Wichita Women Attorneys Association. She serves on the KBA Diversity Committee and the Newman University Board of Trustees.

Dylan Wheeler

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Dylan Wheeler joined Depew Gillen Rathbun & McInteer, LC upon graduating from law school. Dylan was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas, and received his B.A. degree in English from Kansas State University in 2017. He then went on to Washburn University School of Law where he received his Juris Doctorate in 2020 and was admitted to the Kansas Bar that same year.

Dylan was a member of Kansas State University’s Mock Trial Team in college, a member of the Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity during law school, and additionally served as Vice President of the Labor and Employment Group of Washburn. He also authored and published several award-winning legal articles as a member of the Washburn Law Journal. Among these include his article Kicking Em’ While They’re Down: The Alternative Case Against Caps on Non-Economic Damages in Kansas, wherein Dylan analyzed the Kansas Supreme Court’s historic 2019 decision in Hilburn v. Enerpipe that declared Kansas’s legislative caps on the amount a personal injury plaintiff could recover for damages related to pain and suffering as unconstitutional under the Kansas Constitution.

Best Lawyers in America

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Randall K. Rathbun is once again recognized in the 2021 Edition of Best Lawyers in America for his high caliber of work in the practice areas of Employment Law – Individuals and Litigation – Environmental. He has been recognized by his peers since 1995.

Welcome to New Partner!

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Wichita KS, January 1, 2020 – We are pleased to announce that Kurt A. Harper is now a partner in our firm. Joining our firm in 2019, Kurt continues to focus on commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution. He represents clients across a variety of industries in a variety of fields, including business litigation, and real estate and construction litigation.

Best Lawyers in America

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Charles C. Steincamp is once again recognized in the 2020 Edition of Best Lawyers in America as Lawyer of the Year in Environmental Law. This is the sixth time he has received this recognition since 2014. He is also listed as a Best Lawyer in the area of Litigation–Environmental law.

Dennis L. Gillen, is a Best Lawyer in Arbitration and Mediation.
Randall K. Rathbun is a Best Lawyer in Employment Law – Individuals.
Kurt A. Harper is a Best Lawyer in Bet-the-Company Litigation and Commercial Litigation.

William E. (Bill) Dakan

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Bill’s legal practice emphasizes business organizations and transactions, real estate, wills, trusts and estates and trusts administration, and tax and aviation law.

Bill is a native of Wichita, and a graduate of Kansas State University (B.S. Accounting 1974) and the University of Kansas (Juris Doctor 1979). Before law school, Bill worked with KPMG Peat, Marwick, CPAs, in Kansas City, Missouri, earning his certificate as a Certified Public Accountant in Kansas. Bill is a member of the Kansas Bar Association, and Wichita Bar Association (past chair, Real Estate, Probate and Law Day Committees). He is a life member of the Kansas Society of Certified Public Accountants and member of the Wichita Estate Planning Council. Bill has spoken on business transactions, tax, estate planning and aviation law topics.

Bill participated in the Wichita Chamber of Commerce Leadership 2000 program. Bill previously served on the boards of Wichita Habitat for Humanity and Wichita Community Theatre. He currently serves on the Starkey, Inc. and Wichita Bar Foundation boards. Bill is a volunteer guardian ad litem with The ARC of Sedgwick County, and an adviser to Jayhawk Chapter 88 of the Experimental Aircraft Association. Bill and his wife, Libby, have three daughters. Bill is an instrument-rated private pilot.

Kurt Harper

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Kurt Harper practices primarily in the field of business litigation, including employment litigation, construction disputes, real estate matters, warranty claims, and securities fraud. Kurt also serves as a mediator and as an arbitrator, including having served on a number of panels for FINRA.

He is a native of Wichita, and attended the University of Kansas, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Russian Language and Literature (with honors) in 1976, and a Juris Doctor in 1979. He was included in the Order of the Coif for his class. Upon graduation, he returned to Wichita, and has practiced law here continuously since that time, as well as maintaining his proficiency in Russian.

Kurt is a member of the Wichita Bar Association, where he served as secretary-treasurer in 1986-87, and is a member of the Kansas and American Bar Associations. His community involvement includes serving on the Board of Directors for the Wichita Symphony Society for over 30 years, where he has held several offices, including President; and Rotary International, for which he has served terms as club President and Vice President for the Rotary Club of Wichita; the president of the U.S. section of the Russia-US Intercountry Committee; and will serve as the District Governor for Rotary District 5680. He has previously served on the Board for Episcopal Social Services, and on the Vestry for St. James Episcopal Church.

In addition to an AV rating from Martindale, Kurt has received other peer recognition, including designation as a Kansas “SuperLawyer” in the field of business litigation since 2006, and as a “Best Lawyer” in commercial litigation since 2007. For 2019, Kurt received a designation as “Lawyer of the Year” for “Bet-the-Company Litigation” from Best Lawyers in America.