Our Team

816-303-1500816-527-8068 (F)STEWART@SWM.LEGAL

Tom graduated from the University of Missouri in 1976 and the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School in 1979 at the top of his class. He also served as editor-in-chief of the Law Review.

Over his 40 years of law practice, Tom has handled over 60 jury trials. Although he has been in large firms and small firms, and served as the Managing Partner of one of Kansas City’s largest firms for 18 years, Tom now helps landowners enforce their Fifth Amendment rights for just compensation for the government’s taking of private property. He works with citizens and businesses whose property is designated for public use in Rails-to-Trails developments, pipeline and utility projects, and other inverse condemnation actions.

Tom has, through his extensive Rails-to-Trails practice, developed significant experience with appraisals, the Yellow Book, and a variety of complex valuation issues. Tom has recovered many millions of dollars [Link to Track Record page] for landowners across the country [Link to map] as lead counsel or as a substantial contributor. Tom has successfully conducted 7 valuation trials in Rails-to-Trails cases and his representative matters include the nation's two largest Rails-to-Trails settlements to date:

• Raulerson, et al., v. United States: Recovered $33 million for 260 landowners whose property was taken for a Rails-to-Trails recreational trail in Beaufort, South Carolina.

• Haggart, et al., v. United States: Negotiated a $177 million settlement for 253 property owners in Seattle, Washington, after the Surface Transportation Board authorized a trail on land formerly subject to a railroad easement.

Over the years, Tom has served on a significant number of Boards in the Kansas City area, including the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, the Civic Council, Kansas City Tomorrow, United Way, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City Board of Trustees, and even negotiated the long-term leases for both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals.

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314-720-0220314-899-2925 (F)WALD@SWM.LEGAL

Steve helps landowners get compensation from the government when their private property is taken for public use. He primarily litigates inverse condemnation claims involving recreational trail projects, i.e., Rails-to-Trails litigation. Steve has recovered many millions of dollars [Link to Track Record page] for landowners across the country [Link to map] as lead counsel or as a substantial contributor.

Steve has more than 25 years of experience in civil litigation. Prior to co-founding Stewart, Wald & McCulley, he served as a partner at two Midwest firms, where his work included legal and medical malpractice defense, insurance coverage disputes, commercial litigation, consumer fraud claims, and other breach of contract and fraud claims. He is adept at managing document-heavy cases and working with experts in business valuation and real estate appraisals.

Before entering private practice, Steve served as a law clerk for the Honorable Tom Stagg, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.

Steve also earned his MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.

Admissions
• United States Supreme Court
• United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• Missouri Supreme Court

Education
• Washington University in St. Louis, M.B.A., 2002
• Louisiana State University, J.D., 1994
• Ithaca College, B.S., 1991

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816-303-1500816-527-8068 (F)MCCULLEY@SWM.LEGAL

Landowners rely on Liz to advocate for compensation when the government takes their private property for public use. Her practice focuses on protecting landowners’ Fifth Amendment rights to just compensation for property designated for Rails-to-Trails developments.

Through the past 20 years of practice, Liz has obtained an abundance of rulings and settlements in favor of landowners’ rights, holding the federal government accountable for taking citizen and business real property interests within former railroad rights-of-way [Link to Track Record page]. Her representative matters include the nation’s two largest Rails-to-Trails settlements to date:

• Raulerson, et al., v. United States: Recovered $33 million for 260 landowners whose property was taken for a Rails-to-Trails recreational trail in Beaufort, South Carolina.

• Haggart, et al., v. United States: Negotiated a $177 million settlement for 253 property owners in Seattle, Washington, after the Surface Transportation Board authorized a trail on land formerly subject to a railroad easement.

Liz honed her case management skills through years of complex, multi-stage litigation, where she managed large dockets involving multi-faceted claims, multiple jurisdictions, and hundreds of plaintiffs. She applies that organizational discipline to her Rails-to-Trails work and often serves as the primary point of contact for clients throughout the lifespan of a case, and Liz takes personal pride in her timeliness, accessibility, and responsiveness. Liz was named a member of Lawyers of Distinction, for Constitutional Law, 2020, and in her spare time, she loves finding as many ways as possible to help those in need.

Education
• University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law, J.D., with distinction, 2001
- Law Review, Order of the Bench and Robe; Ambassador for UMKC
• Avila College, B.A., Business Administration, 1991

Admissions
• Missouri Supreme Court
• United States District Court, Western District of Missouri
• United States Court of Federal Claims
• United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Memberships & Activities
• American Bar Association
• Court of Federal Claims Bar Association
• Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
• Compassion International

Publications
• Contributing author: "50 State Questionnaire Consumer Protection Statutes and Class Actions" (ABA 2009).
• Contributing author: "Federal Jurisdiction Based on Removal: A 50-State Survey" (ABA, Section of Litigation, Pharmaceuticals Subcommittee, 2008).
• "School of Sharks? Bar Fitness Requirements of Good Moral Character and the Role of Law Schools," Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics; Spring 2001.
• New York Times: April 25, 2021; November 14, 2021, 2021 “Power Lawyers”

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314-720-0220314-899-2925 (F)SMITH@SWM.LEGAL

Michael helps landowners receive just compensation when their property is taken by the government. Michael works to ensure that landowners receive the maximum recovery when the government takes their land. This includes compensation reflecting the true value of the land taken, and also any damages to landowners’ properties as a result of the government’s imposition of a recreational trail. The value of landowners’ property can be diminished due to its direct adjacency to a recreational trail. Landowners are entitled to just compensation when the value of their property is reduced. The reduced value is a result of loss of privacy, increase in theft, littering, and trespass. Michael has recovered millions of dollars for landowners across the county and has had primary or substantial responsibility in many of the cases listed here. [link to Track Record page]

Before and while attending law school, he worked for seven years in the biotechnology industry, where he focused on agricultural genomics and molecular cancer diagnostics. He now applies his scientific training and analytical acumen to his Trails Act practice. SSWM uses geographic information system (GIS) to build visual maps that chart historical and current land ownership. This process integrates satellite imagery, street maps, georeferenced spatial data and more. It provides a visual confirmation of clients’ property rights and the extent of government taking, allowing SWM to efficiently and effectively advocate for compensation.

Michael has nearly 15 years of experience in civil litigation, which included patent prosecution, admiralty and maritime law, and aviation law. He has prosecuted patents for the oil and gas industry, litigated matters involving foreign aircraft operators, and has provided representation to one of the nation’s largest inland tank and barge operators.

Education
• St. Louis University School of Law, JD, Certificate of Health Law, 2007
• Truman State University, B.S. (Biology), 1998

Admissions
• Missouri Supreme Court
• Texas Supreme Court
• United States Patent and Trademark Office
• United States Court of Federal Claims
• United States District Court, Southern District of Texas

Memberships & Activities
• The Missouri Bar
• The State Bar of Texas

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816-303-1500816-527-8068 (F)RIPLEY@SWM.LEGAL

Reed works to get just compensation to landowners when the government takes their property for public use. Reed is involved in every stage of litigation, from case investigation and inception to conclusion, and represents clients across the country, primarily in Rails-to-Trails litigation, which involves the development of public recreational trails on former railroad rights of way.

Before joining SWM, Reed worked for the Commercial Services division of First American Title Insurance Company, where he specialized in examining underlying title to land in large scale commercial real estate transactions. He carried over that experience into private practice and spent time at one of the most respected firms in Kansas analyzing complex title issues for corporate clients. Not only does this background help Reed understand the practical issues inherent in takings litigation, but it also helps him construct detailed maps using geographic information software (GIS) that show historical and contemporary land ownership. The process, which integrates data such as satellite imagery, georeferenced spatial data, and archival maps, confirms clients’ property rights, determines the extent of the government taking, and allows SWM to efficiently and effectively advocate for compensation.

Reed’s skills developed through his experience in sports broadcasting and journalism carried naturally into litigation, and he enjoys meeting with landowners to discuss their rights and explain the litigation process just as much as writing a brief or arguing before the Court of Federal Claims.

Education
• Oklahoma State University, B.A., Sports Media, 2015
• University of Kansas, J.D., 2019

Admissions
• Kansas Supreme Court
• United States Court of Federal Claims
• United States District Court, District of Kansas

Practices
• Rails-to-Trails
• Inverse Condemnation
• Complex, Class Action & Commercial Litigation
• Constitutional Law

Memberships & Activities
• The Kansas Bar
• Court of Federal Claims Bar Association
• Board Member, Storytime Village, Inc.
• Film Critic, The Martin City Telegraph

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816-303-1500816-527-8068 (F)ALLEN@SWM.LEGAL

Rosemarie Allen has been a paralegal since 1995, having worked with a boutique Plaintiffs’ litigation firm in Kansas City for 21 years before joining SWM in 2015. She is involved in all aspects of the firm’s litigation at SWM, assisting with initial case review and filing, handling of documents, expert engagement and preparation, client contact, discovery, trial preparation, and trial support.

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314-720-0220314-899-2925 (F)ARMAS@SWM.LEGAL

Heather Armas has been a paralegal since 2012, having worked with a personal injury and immigration litigation firm in Nashville, Tennessee, for a year and a half before joining SWM in 2019. She is involved in all aspects of the firm’s litigation at SWM, assisting with initial case review and filing, handling of documents, expert engagement and preparation, client contact, discovery, trial preparation, and trial support.

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816-303-1500816-527-8068 (F)BOND@SWM.LEGAL

Holly Bond is the Office Manager, Administrator & Bookkeeper at SWM, in its Kansas City office. She has been in the legal field since 1995, began working on Rails-to-Trails cases in 2008, and helped establish SWM in 2015. She is involved in and responsible for all aspects of the management of the daily operations of SWM, completes all clerical and administrative tasks for the office, and coordinates office activities and operations to secure efficiency and compliance with company policies.

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816-303-1500
816-527-8068 (F)
HOUSKE@SWM.LEGAL

Grant Houske has been working in the legal field as a paralegal and legal analyst since graduating from college in 1998. Grant has played an instrumental part in many different types of complex litigation cases. He has worked with the Rails-to-Trails team since 2009 and helped establish SWM in 2015. Grant loves all aspects of his work on Rails-to-Trails cases. He is intimately involved in all day-to-day operations, including discovery, briefing, expert witness preparation, and trial preparation; he has taken a particular interest in the valuation and appraisal aspects of litigation.

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314-720-0220314-899-2925 (F)TEBBE@SWM.LEGAL

Jackie Tebbe is the Office Manager, Administrator & Bookkeeper at SWM, in its St. Louis office. She has been a paralegal since 2004, began working on Rails-to-Trails cases in 2013, and helped establish SWM in 2015. She is involved in and responsible for all aspects of the management of the daily operations of SWM, completes all clerical and administrative tasks for the office, and coordinates office activities and operations to secure efficiency and compliance with company policies. She also is involved in all aspects of the firm’s litigation, including assisting with case and file management, initial case review and filing, handling of documents, expert engagement and preparation, client contact, discovery, trial preparation, and trial support. She also is involved in marketing aspects for the firm, including web design, content management, and advertising.