OUR ATTORNEYS
John Fox
A native of Kansas City, Missouri, John received his B.A. in Political Science and English, graduating with distinction in 1975 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In 1978, he obtained his Juris Doctor from the same university. Following graduation from law school, John became an associate in the firm of McKenzie, Williams, Merrick, Beamer & Wells. During his association with that firm, he devoted his practice to civil litigation and Workers’ Compensation defense. In 1983, John and several of his colleagues formed the firm of Merrick, Baker, Fox, Hufft & Strauss. As a partner in that firm, he was involved in the practice of civil litigation with an emphasis in Workers’ Compensation defense. In 1993, he formed the firm of Fox Stretz & Quinn, P.C. a firm exclusively dedicated to Workers’ Compensation litigation.
In 2016, John founded the firm of FOX & GARY, LLC, practicing exclusively in the field of Workers’ Compensation defense. For the past 25 consecutive years, John has been awarded the AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest worldwide rating given to attorneys, signifying that his legal abilities are of the very highest, preeminent standards and that his professional ethics are unquestioned, having been recognized as a “Top Lawyer” by that organization. John has also been recognized by The American Registry as being in the Top 1% of American Professionals. He has been an active lecturer and author on the topic of Workers’ Compensation law. John is licensed to practice law in Missouri and Kansas.
John exclusively practices in the field of Workers’ Compensation defense. John may be reached at johnf@foxgary.com and at (816) 895-8702.
Benjamin R Gary
Ben, originally from New Jersey, grew up in Coral Springs, Florida. He attended the University of Central Florida and graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration. After completing his undergraduate degree, Ben worked as a Workers’ Compensation claims adjuster for Travelers Insurance Company. Ben continued to work full-time and took a position with Michigan Millers Mutual Insurance Company so that he could attend law school. He attended Western Michigan University Cooley Law School while continuing to work his full-time position adjusting workers’ compensation claims. Following completion of his Juris Doctorate in 2010, Ben relocated to Kansas City and continued his work as an adjuster exclusively handling workers’ compensation claims for Zurich Insurance Company. During his nine years as an adjuster, Ben handled claims in 20 different jurisdictions throughout the United States. Ben joined the firm of Fox, Stretz & Quinn, P.C. in 2013 in an Of Counsel role. Along with practicing in the area of Workers’ Compensation defense, Ben also has experience handling various civil and criminal litigation matters. Ben is licensed to practice law in both Missouri and Kansas.
Ben exclusively practices in the field of Workers’ Compensation defense. Ben may be reached at beng@foxgary.com and at (816) 895-8705.
Abbey Pierpoint
Abbey was born and raised in St. Joseph, Missouri but has lived in Kansas City since graduating law school. She graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in political science from Northwest Missouri State University. She received her Juris Doctorate from the College of William and Mary in 2007. While in law school, Abbey served as a graduate research fellow.
Abbey has dedicated her legal career to the defense of employers and insurers. A former Missouri Assistant Attorney General, Abbey defends employers and insurers in workers’ compensation matters throughout Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. She represents both large and small businesses across a range of industries including manufacturers, retail, transportation, and staffing agencies. Abbey has been practicing in workers’ compensation since 2007. She has tried cases before the Division of Workers’ Compensation in Missouri and Kansas and the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Court. She has argued before the Kansas Board of Appeals, Missouri Labor and Industrial Relations Commission and Missouri Court of Appeals. Abbey is licensed to practice in Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska.
Abbey was selected by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in the area of workers compensation from 2013-2017. She was a member of the 4th Annual Greater Kansas City Bar Leadership Academy and completed the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers 2009 John L. Oliver, Jr. Trial Academy.
Abbey practices exclusively in the field of workers’ compensation defense. She may be reached at abagailp@foxgary.com and at (816) 895-8703.
Bruce Levine
Bruce was born and raised in the Kansas City metropolitan area. His father was a Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and his mother a principal in the Kansas City School District. He obtained a B.A. in English Studies from the University of Kansas in 1993 and his J.D. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 1998. Bruce has been licensed to practice law in Missouri since 1998, Kansas since 1999, and Nebraska since 2011.
After graduation, Bruce was an Assistant Attorney General in Missouri representing the Treasurer and the Second Injury Fund before moving into private practice in 2001. Since then, he has tried cases in circuit courts in Missouri and Kansas and tried cases before the Missouri and Kansas Divisions of Workers’ Compensation and the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Court. Bruce has also appeared before the Western and Southern Districts of the Missouri Court of Appeals and the Kansas Court of Appeals.
Bruce joined the firm in 2022. He currently practices exclusively in the field of Workers’ Compensation Defense and subrogation related to Workers’ Compensation Defense. Bruce can be reached at brucel@foxgary.com and at (816) 895-8704.
Daniel K Luebbering
Dan grew up near St. Thomas, Missouri. In 1997, he obtained a B.S. Degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Prior to entering law school in 2002, Dan worked for 5 years as a budget analyst for the State of Missouri. Dan earned his J.D. from Drake University. While studying law at Drake, Dan served as the Treasurer of the Student Bar Association, President of the Federalist Society and was a member of the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity. Dan also clerked for the Missouri Attorney General’s Office and served as a research assistant to Professor Jerry Anderson. After graduating from Law School in 2005, Dan worked for Andereck, Evans, Milne, Peace & Widger in Jefferson City, practicing in insurance defense and general civil litigation.
In his first year of practice, Dan became the first attorney to successfully argue that Missouri Workers’ Compensation subrogation claims arise out of Missouri Work Comp statutes and therefore are not removable to Federal Court under 28 U.S.C. § 1445(c). Dan moved to Kansas City in 2007 and worked as a solo practitioner in general litigation matters. He became Of Counsel to Fox Stretz & Quinn, P.C. from 2009 to March 2016, where he practiced in the field of Workers’ Compensation. Dan is licensed to practice law in both Missouri and Kansas.
Dan exclusively practices in the field of Workers’ Compensation defense. Dan may be reached at danl@foxgary.com.
Garrett Gasper
Garrett grew up in Topeka, Kansas. He attended Kansas State University where he obtained a B.A. in Political Science. He obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas with a focus on business and commercial law. Following graduation, Garrett was selected to serve as the law clerk to the Honorable Robert D. Berger in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas. After completing his clerkship, he moved to St. Louis where he worked for the law firm Millsap & Singer LLC and represented national mortgage lenders and servicers in state court litigation and federal bankruptcy proceedings. Garrett moved back to the Kansas City area in 2016 where he continued to represent mortgage lenders at the firm Shapiro & Kreisman. Garrett is licensed to practice law in both Missouri and Kansas.
Garrett exclusively practices in the field of Workers’ Compensation defense. Garrett may be reached at garrettg@foxgary.com and at (816) 895-8711.
Kris Purvis
Kris was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She received her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri – Kansas City.
Following a judicial clerkship, in 1993, Kris began practicing exclusively in the area of Workers’ Compensation defense. From 2002 through 2005, Kris served as an Associate Administrative Law Judge for the Missouri Division of Workers’ Compensation. Kris has successfully defended clients both at the Trial and Appellate levels, including successfully arguing cases before the Missouri Court of Appeals and the Kansas Court of Appeals.
Kris is licensed to practice law in Missouri.
Kris practices exclusively in the field of Workers’ Compensation defense. Kris may be reached at krisp@foxgary.com and at 816-895-8712.
Gara Feldman-Gary
Gara was born and raised in South Florida. She attended the University of Central Florida and graduated with a B.S. in Hospitality Management. After completing her undergraduate degree, Gara attended Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. Following completion of her Juris Doctorate, Gara relocated to Kansas City and spent three years handling employment discrimination cases. In 2013, Gara started working at the Missouri State Public Defender’s Office as an Assistant Public Defender litigating hundreds of cases until she joined Fox & Gary in 2020. Gara is licensed to practice law in Missouri, Kansas and Michigan.
Gara practices exclusively in the field of Workers’ Compensation defense. Gara may be reached at garaf@foxgary.com and at 816-895-8710.
Tamie Fox
In 1992, Tamie received her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Kansas. She obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri Kansas City in 1998. Following graduation, she worked at the Environmental Protection Agency in the office of Regional Counsel. In 2000, she worked as a law clerk for the Honorable Justine Del Muro at the Jackson County Circuit Courthouse. In 2002, she worked as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Missouri in the Labor Division, exclusively defending State agencies and representing the Missouri State Treasurer in Workers’ Compensation cases against the Second Injury Fund. In 2004, Tamie worked as an associate with the law firm of Mark & Burkhead, practicing exclusively in Workers’ Compensation matters. From 2007 to March 2016, Tamie was Of Counsel to Fox Stretz & Quinn, P.C., practicing exclusively in the field of Workers’ Compensation defense. Tamie is licensed to practice law in both Missouri and Kansas.
Tamie practices exclusively in the field of Workers’ Compensation defense. Tamie may be reached at tamief@foxgary.com.
Christopher R. Smith
Christopher was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and was raised there and in Brookfield, Missouri. In 1980, he graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Missouri – Columbia with a B.S. in Education. In 1983, he received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. Following graduation from law school, he was engaged in the private practice of law until 1986 when he joined the Jackson County Public Administrator’s Officer as Staff Attorney. In 1994, he became an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and trial team leader with the Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office where, in 1998, he was named Prosecutor of the Year. In 2000, he entered the workers’ compensation arena when he became an Assistant Attorney General and Unit Leader in the Labor Division of the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, the division that defends the Missouri Second Injury Fund and the Central Accident Reporting Office in workers’ compensation cases. In 2002, he joined the Eppright Law Office, where he exclusively practiced in the field of workers’ compensation litigation. When that office closed in 2011, he joined Krigel & Krigel as a partner and continued exclusively practicing in the field of workers’ compensation litigation.
Christopher is licensed to practice law in Missouri and Kansas. Christopher may be reached at christophers@foxgary.com and at (816) 895-8706.
Matthew Terry
Matt is a native of St. Louis, Mo. He attended the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, graduating in 2002 with degrees in journalism and political science. After five years in journalism, he attended the University of Missouri - Columbia, where he received his J.D. in 2010. Following law school, he moved to Kansas City and worked in civil litigation with Waldeck, Goldstein & Patterson until 2015, when he transitioned to a civil and criminal practice with the Law Office of Daniel C. Miller, which became Miller & Terry in 2018. Matt handled workers’ compensation litigation matters since 2015 before coming to Fox & Gary. Matt joined the firm in 2022 and is licensed to practice law in both Missouri and Kansas.
Matt exclusively practices in the field of Workers’ Compensation defense. Matt may be reached at matthewt@foxgary.com and at (816) 895-8715.