8 CECB Attorneys Selected for Inclusion on the 2013 Missouri-Kansas Super Lawyers ® List
Each year, Law & Politics Magazine invites lawyers in each state to nominate top Missouri and Kansas lawyers, they’ve personally observed in action. Research is then conducted on each candidate dividing them into practice areas. A panel of preeminent peers in each practice area then evaluates each candidate. From the original pool of candidates, only 5 percent of Missouri and Kansas attorneys are selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers. Meet the six CECB Attorneys that were included in the list.
John M. Carnahan III is a shareholder in the Transactional and Estate Planning Practice Groups of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C. He concentrates his practice in the areas of tax planning, corporate transactions, estate planning, and business succession planning for family-owned businesses. John has been awarded an AV Rating by Martindale-Hubbell.
John is a member of the American College of Tax Counsel. The College is made up of approximately 700 fellows who have been chosen by their peers in recognition of their outstanding reputations and contributions in the field of tax law. John also a fellow of the American and the Missouri bar foundations.
John is also a member of the Springfield Metropolitan and American (Member, Sections on: Taxation, Business Law, and Real Property, Probate and Trust Law) Bar Associations, as well as The Missouri Bar (Chairman, Taxation Committee, 1984-1985). John has also served as an author and editor for the Missouri Law Review, The Journal of S Corporations and The Tax Lawyer. John recently completed service as a member of the Board of Curators of the University of Missouri System (2005-2011). John as been included on the Missouri Kansas Super Lawyers® list since 2006.
William E. Evans is a shareholder in the Transactional Practice Group of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C. He concentrates his practice in the areas of taxation, corporations, real estate business, and employer/employee law. He has been awarded an AV Rating by Martindale-Hubbell [highest rating possible].
Bill has significant experience in mergers and acquisitions, tax free like-kind exchanges of real estate, and the formation and planning of limited partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations.
Bill is currently serving as the International President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians ( the “I.B.M.” ), a not-for profit organization consisting of over 12,000 amateur and professional magicians worldwide, and is Chairman of its Grievance Committee. Mr. Evans has previously served as the I.B.M.’s Legal Advisor and as a member of the Board of Trustees through its Executive Committee.
Bill is a fellow in the American College of Tax Counsel, an elite group of only 700 tax lawyers in private practice, in law school teaching positions and in government, who are recognized for their excellence in tax practice and for their substantial contributions and commitment to the profession. Bill has also been named to the “Best Lawyers in America” list by the publication of the same name. Mr. Evans has been included on the Missouri Kansas Super Lawyers® list in 2006, and 2010-2013.
Clifford S. Brown practices in the Estate Planning Practice Group of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C. He concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning, probate, and trust litigation, and related tax matters.
Cliff has served as an educator and speaker on behalf of the Supreme Court of the State ofMissouri, theMissouri Bar Association, the University of Missouri – Columbia School of Law, and other organizations in providing continuing legal education to members of the legal profession.
Cliff is listed in Who’s Who in American Law, as well as The Best Lawyers in America. He served as the 84th President of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association in 2006. In September 2003, he was appointed to the Board of Law Examiners by the Supreme Court. In 1991, Cliff was elected as a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Cliff ’s community involvement includes serving on the Board of Directors of the Burrell Center and the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.
Cliff has been selected to the Missouri Kansas Super Lawyers® list since 2005.
Joseph D. “Chip” Sheppard, III is a shareholder and Chairman of the Litigation/Dispute Resolution Practice Group of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C. He concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate, business, securities and intellectual property litigation, dispute resolution and transactions.
A substantial portion of Chip’s practice includes securities and other fraud and fiduciary duty related claims, both as an arbitrator and as counsel for the parties. He has tried a combined total of more than 50 arbitrations, state and federal trials, both jury and non jury, in his areas of concentration. Other areas of concentration are various business transactions, acquisitions, real estate development and related litigation and probate litigation.
Chip is President of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association, Chairman of the Non-Partisan Court Plan Committee, Vice-Chair of the Ozark Technical Community College Foundation Board of Directors, member of the American Bar Association, the Missouri Bar, the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association. In 2005 he was elected as a Fellow of the American Bar Association, an honor bestowed upon less than .5 percent of the Bar. In 2008, he Co-Chaired the Greene Countians for Fair and Impartial Judges Committee which was responsible for bringing the Missouri Court Plan to Greene County, was a finalist for Missouri Lawyer of the Year and received the Missouri Bar Association and Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association President’s Awards in recognition of extraordinary service to those Associations and the legal profession. Chip has also been named to the “Best Lawyers in America” list by the publication of the same name.
Chip was selected to the Missouri Kansas Super Lawyers® list in 2005 and 2006 and again for 2010-2013.
Thomas D. Peebles, Jr is a shareholder and member of the Estate Planning Practice Group of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C. Mr. Peebles has concentrated his practice in estate planning and estate and trust administration matters since 1980. Tom has significant experience in the preparation of basic and sophisticated estate planning documents, and in wealth transfer planning for high net worth clients, closely held business owners and their families. He has been awarded an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell in recognition of his preeminent work in assisting his clients in achieving their estate planning goals and objectives. In 2004, Mr. Peebles was elected a Fellow of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel in recognition of distinguished service in the practice of estate planning, probate and trust law.
Tom has been honored since 2010 with being named to the “Best Lawyers in America” list. Tom was also elected by his peers as a Fellow in the American Bar Foundation. Membership as a Fellow in the American Bar Foundation is limited to one-third of one percent of the lawyers in America.
Tom has, over the years, devoted a substantial amount of his time towards civic and charitable activities including the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, the Foundation for the Springfield Public Schools and the Springfield-Greene County Library Foundation. Mr. Peebles was recognized as one of ten “Volunteers of the Year” as part of the 2004 Gift of Time Awards sponsored by the Council of Churches of the Ozarks. Tom was selected to the Missouri Kansas Super Lawyers® list in 2005 and 2006 and again for 2010-2013.
John E. Price is a shareholder in the Litigation Practice Group of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C., concentrating in civil and business litigation, environmental law, corporate and real estate law and appellate practice. Mr. Price has wide experience in environmental law over the last 30 years. He has handled litigation under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Superfund and toxic torts. He regularly advises clients on environmental regulation, permitting and real estate transactions. John has an AV Rating by Martindale-Hubbell.
John also has much experience with large, complex real estate and business transactions, and with commercial litigation involving leases, contracts and insurance disputes. He has argued over 75 appeals in federal and state appellate courts.
Mr. Price has served as a board member for eight years and was the 2010-2012 President of the Springfield Sister Cities Association, and is currently on the board and entering a term as the 2012-2013 Chairperson of the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. In the past he has served on the board and as President of the Wilsons Creek National Battlefield Foundation, as a board member and President of the Visiting Nurses Association of Springfield, as a member of the Springfield Environmental Advisory Board, as a member and volunteer for Project Parkway. John was recently honored with a 2012 Gift of Time Award from The City of Springfield and the Council of Churches of the Ozarks.
John has been selected to the Missouri Kansas Super Lawyers® list since 2007.
Rodney H. Nichols is a Shareholder of the firm and is part of the Banking, Litigation and Transactional Practice Groups of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C. He concentrates his practice in the areas of banking and creditor’s rights, commercial, real estate and probate litigation as well as general corporate and business matters. He has served as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Bank Counsel Section of the Missouri Banker’s Association and remains a member of its advisory board.
Mr. Nichols devotes a significant amount of time to the community and has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Developmental Center of the Ozarks. In October 2004, Mr. Nichols was appointed by the Greene County Commissioners to serve as a Member of the Springfield/Greene County Library Board of Trustees and served two terms through July, 2011. In 2003, he was recognized by the Springfield Business Journal with their “40 Under 40” award, for his outstanding contribution to the community and his profession. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the James River Basin Partnership.
In January 2007, Mr. Nichols was appointed as a Member of the City of Springfield’s Jordan Valley Park Tax Abatement and Tax Increment Financing Commission. In 2011 he was selected to serve as a member of a task force organized by the City of Springfield to evaluate the future use and development of a parcel of real estate owned by the City adjacent to the City’s Exposition facility.
Mr. Nichols is a graduate of Leadership Springfield, Class XVI. Mr. Nichols’ professional memberships include the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the Missouri Bar.
Richard B. Maltby is a shareholder of the Litigation/Dispute Resolution Practice Group of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C. He concentrates his practice in the areas of construction, architectural, engineering and development law, business litigation, real estate litigation, and alternative dispute resolution.
Rich has substantial experience handling all aspects of the construction process, including bidding, contract negotiation, project management, and claims resolution. His representation has included many widely recognized owners, developers, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, design professionals, and lenders throughout Missouri, the Midwest, and the United States. Rich was recognized by the Missouri Lawyers Weekly as a 2011 Missouri Up and Coming Lawyer.
Rich was also named to the Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers list as a 2012 Rising Star and the Springfield Business Journal list as a 2013 member of 40 Under 40. He currently is participating in Leadership Springfield, Class XXIX and is the President of the Construction Specifications Institute, Southwest Missouri. This was Rich’s first year for inclusion in the Missouri Kansas Super Lawyers® list in the area of Construction Litigation.