James R. Wyrsch is President and Shareholder of Wyrsch Hobbs Mirakian, P.C. Mr. Wyrsch specializes in white collar crime and complex civil litigation matters. He has litigated cases both at the trial and appellate level throughout the United States. Mr. Wyrsch has been the recipient of numerous honors and awards throughout his extensive career.
Bar Admissions
Missouri, 1966
U.S. District Court - District of Kansas, 1998
U.S. District Court - Western District of Missouri, 1966
U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1971
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1974
U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1974
U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1982
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1984
U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1986
U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1990
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1998
U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 2009
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, 1978
U.S. Supreme Court, 1972
U.S. Tax Court, 1983
Education
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, Kansas City, Missouri
LL.M. in Trial Practice – 1972Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, District of Columbia
J.D. – 1966Honors: Council of Barristers, 1965-66
Honors: AMJUR prizes for best grades in corporations and contract seminar classes
Honors: Phi Delta Phi
University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN
B.A. – 1963Honors: Dean’s List; Wrangler Society
Honors: Associate Editor, Notre Dame Scholastic
Honors: Vice-Chairman, Dean’s Arts and Letters Advisory Council
Published Works
Co-Author of Missouri Criminal Trial Practice, Harrison Law Books, 1994
Legal Problems of Franchisees and Franchisors, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Continuing Legal Education, 1980
Intrabrand Competition – Pricing Restrictions, published in Legal Problems of Franchisees and Franchisors, a Practical ‘Nuts and Bolts’ Short Course, UMKC/CLE, 1979
“Franchise Termination, Cancellations and Non-Renewals – Injunctive Relief,” Third Annual Franchise Law Seminar, UMKC/CLE, 1981
Co-Author: Considerations in the Use of Evidence Obtained from Experimental Investigation of Speech and Voice: Constitutional and Other Considerations, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Vol. 606, 119, 1990
Co-Author: Criminal Intent and Due Process, The Champion, Vol. 25, 10, 1991
Co-Author: A Brief Summary of Federal Mail Fraud for Mailing List Users and Suppliers, ML/USA Journal, Pg. 4, July, 1988
Contributing Editor, Missouri Criminal Law “Voir Dire” (co-author) and “Post Trial Motions”, Missouri Bar Association, 1977
Post Conviction Remedies (co-author), Missouri Bar Association, 1995
How to Effectively Protect Your Record in Civil Cases – Offers of Proof and Constitutional Questions, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Continuing Legal Education, 1985
Co-Author: The Missouri Mens Rea Requirement: New Missouri Supreme Court Opinion & How the Requirement Has Changed, 66 UMKC L.Rev.499, 1998
Bifurcated Jury Trials in Non-Capital Criminal Cases, Journal of the Missouri Bar, Vol. 61, No. 1, January-February, 2005
Wyrsch has published a number of other articles. For a complete listing of these publications, see the Wyrsch Hobbs & Mirakian, P.C. listing in Martindale Hubbell online at: www.Martindale.com
Represented Cases
U.S. v. Wells, 519 U.S. 482 (U.S. Mo. 1997)
U.S. v. Tucor Intern, Inc., 189 F.3d 834 (Cal. 9 1999)
U.S. v. Burgess, 175 F.3d 1261 (Fla. 11 1999)
Andrews v. American Tel. & Tel. Co., 95 F.3d 1014 (Ga. 11 1996)
Mical Communications, Inc. v. Sprint Telemedia, Inc., 1 F.3d 1031 (Kan. 10 1993)
U.S. V. Goodman, 984 F.2d 235 (Neb. 8 1993)
Mobil Oil Corp. v. Clark, 652 F.2d 2 (Mo. 8 1981)
U.S. V. Denmon, 483 F.2d 1093 (Mo. 8 1973)
Sinclair Oil Corp. v. Dymon, Inc., 988 F.Supp. 1394 (D. Kan. 1997)
Matter of 636 South 66th Terrace, Kansas City, Kan., 835 F.Supp. 1304 (D. Kan. 1993)
State of Missouri v. Derenzy, 89 S. W.3d 472 (Mo. banc 2002)
Represented Cases
Magazine Distribution Industry
Roofing Industry
Trash Hauling Industry
Moving and Storage Industry
Telecommunications Industry
Real Estate Marketing Industry
Insurance Industry
Petroleum Industry
Securities Industry
Outdoor Sign Industry
Classes & Seminars
Adjunct Professor, teaching Criminal Trial Techniques course, University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School
Master of the Inn, Kansas City Bar Association Inns of Court, 1984 – 1988
Member, Faculty, Mid-America Regional, National Institute for Trial Advocacy, 1991 – 1992
Lecturer, The Scope of the Attorney-Client Privlege for In-House Counsel, American Bar Association Annual Meeting, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1998
Lecturer, Missouri College for Trial Judges and University of Missouri-Columbia Law School, Seminars on New Missouri Criminal Instructions and Charges, 1988
Lecturer, various topics, participated on a number of occasions (1979 – present), including lectures on Discovery in Criminal Cases, Updates on Case Law, Grand Jury Representation, Missouri’s Wiretap Law, and Defenses Under the New Missouri Criminal Code, Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Lecturer over last several years on various topics including Price Discrimination for meetings of lawyers at various national meetings of the Service Station Dealers of America
Lecturer, Southwest Missouri Chapter, Institute of Internal Auditors, 1992
Lecturer, Annual Survey of Criminal Law, Missouri Bar Annual Convention, 1984
Lecturer, 1977 Criminal Practice Institute, Kansas Bar Association
Lecturer, An In-Depth Look at Defending the High Profile Client, National Lawyers Association, July 28, 2005
For a more complete listing of the seminars conducted, see the Wyrsch Hobbs & Mirakian, P.C., listing in Martindale Hubbell online at: www.Martindale.com
Honors & Awards
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers (State Chair 2004-2006)
Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers
Fellow, American Bar Foundation (named Life Fellow 2002), 1992 – Present
Fellow, Missouri Bar Foundation, 1997 – Present
Advocate, American Board of Trial Advocates, 1990 – Present
Recipient, Joint Service Commendation Medal, 1969
Listed in all editions of “The Best Lawyers in America” (Criminal Defense)
Named White Collar Practitioner of the Year for 2013 for the Kansas City area.
Who’s Who in Kansas City Law by the Kansas City Business Journal, 1991 – 1994
Named “Best of the Bar,” Kansas City Business Journal, 2002 – Present
Listed in World’s Leading White Collar Crime Lawyers (Euromoney Publications), 1995
Recipient, UMKC Law Foundation Service Award, 1991 – 1992
Recipient, Practitioner of the Year Award, UMKC School of Law Alumni Association, 2002
Who’s Who in American Law; Who’s Who in the Midwest; Who’s Who in Emerging Leaders in America (1st Edition); Who’s Who in the World; Who’s Who in America; Who’s Who in Finance and Industry, Who’s Who Legal, the Int’l. Who’s Who of Business Crime Lawyers
Senior Counsel, College of Master Advocates and Barristers
National Directory of Criminal Lawyers
Named a Lawyer of the Year 2001 by Missouri Lawyers Weekly
Dean of the Trial Bar Award, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, 2002
Lifetime Achievement Award, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, 2004
Charles M. Shaw Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy, Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2004
Chosen as one of Ten 2005 Kansas City Legal Leaders of the Year by The Daily Record
Named as a Kansas/Missouri Super Lawyer in 2005 – Present (Top Ten in Both States)
Named as one of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Chambers USA 2004-08
Who’s Who in American Education
Liberty and Justice Legacy Award, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation, 2007
Named “Local Litigation Star” by Benchmark, “America’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys,” 2008
Professional Associations and Memberships
Kansas City Bar Foundation, Member, Board of Directors, 1993 – Present
Sub-Committee to Draft Model Criminal Instructions for the District Courts of the Eighth Circuit, Member, 1986 – Present
Missouri Supreme Court Committee on Procedures in Criminal Cases, Member, 1983 – Present
Kansas City Chapter, Christian Legal Society, Member (Secretary/Director, 1991, President 1994)
United States Supreme Court Historical Society, Membership Chairman, Western District of Missouri, 2002 – 2006
United States Supreme Court Historical Society, National Membership Vice-Chair, 2006 – 2007
United States Supreme Court Historical Society, National Membership Chair, 2007 – 2008
Member of Panel of Arbitrators for the American Arbitration Association, 1975 – 2000
U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri, Member, Federal Practice Committee, 1985 – 1988
University of Missouri – Kansas City Advisory Counsel, Legal Assistants Programs, 1985 – 1988
Access to Justice Committee, American College of Trial Lawyers, State Chair (2002- Present)
Access to Justice Committee, American College of Trial Lawyers, National Vice-Chair, 2009 – 2010
Circuit Court Advisory Committee, Jackson County, Missouri, Former Member
Special Public Defender, State of Missouri, 1985
Missouri Bar Evidence Task Force to Revise “Missouri Evidence Restated” (2nd Ed. 1993), Member
Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
Recipient, 2011 Sean O’Brien Freedom Award from the Midwest Innocence Project
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Former Member of Board of Directors and Member of Finance Committee
For a more complete listing of professional associations and memberships, see the Wyrsch Hobbs & Mirakian, P.C., listing in Martindale Hubbell at: www.martindale.com
Past Employment
United States Army, Captain, 1966 – 1969
Fraternity
Phi Delta Phi
References
United Missouri Bank, Kansas City, Missouri