Kevin Checkett established his general practice of law in Carthage in 1977, after a one-year appointment as research attorney to the Missouri Court of Appeals. Since that beginning, Mr. Checkett has narrowed his practice to general civil trials with emphasis in commercial and bankruptcy litigation as well as estate and business planning. His lectures in both areas have been presented frequently in southwest Missouri. He has served as trustee in thousands of bankruptcies under Chapters 7, 11, and 12, and has been published in professional journals in the areas of creditors' rights, workouts and bankruptcy. Mr. Checkett's litigation experience includes personal injury, all perspectives within bankruptcy, lender liability and other areas of business and commerce, and estates and trusts.

Mr. Checkett is AV rated by the Martindale-Hubbell Service.  The rating attests to a lawyer's legal ability and professional ethics and is based upon the confidential opinions of members of the bar and judiciary.  The A indicates a high to pre-eminent legal ability, while the V is an endorsement from other members of the bar of the highest ethical standards denoting an adherence to professional conduct, ethics, reliability, diligence, and other criteria relevant to the discharge of professional responsibilities (http://www.martindale.com/ratings).

The Kansas City Magazine and 417 Magazine of Springfield recently named Kevin Checkett as top Missouri lawyer.  This distinction is voted upon by other attorneys and awarded to those in the top 5% of their profession. 

Mr. Checkett was one of five organizers of federally chartered Hometown Bank and remains on its board of directors.  He was also one of the founders of Southwest Missouri Community Foundation and served as one of its directors.

He belongs to the Missouri Bar and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri and the United States Supreme Court. He is also a member of the panel of trustees for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Missouri, the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees and the legal counsel section for the Missouri Bankers Association. Mr. Checkett is board certified in business bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification. (http://www.abcworld.org/abchome.html)

Certification is by the American Board of Certification and is accredited by the American Bar Association.  Neither the Missouri Supreme Court nor the Missouri Bar review or approve certifying organizations or specialist designations.  He is also a Rule 17 Certified Mediator.

Areas of Practice

• 40% Bankruptcy
• 20% Banking
• 30% Estate Planning
• 10% Business Litigation

Litigation Percentage

• 50% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Certification/Specialties

• Business Bankruptcy, American Board of Certification, 1994

Bar Admissions

• Missouri, 1976
• U.S. District Court Western District of Missouri, 1976
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1992

Education

• University of Tulsa College of Law, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1976
  J.D.
  
  
• University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, 1973
  B.S.
  Major: Business Administration
  
  

Published Works

• Co Author on Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Missouri Bar CLE Deskbook, 2008
• New Bankruptcy Act Will Effect Businesses, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, August 22, 2005
• Missouri's Unlimited Bankruptcy Exemption, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, May 21, 2002
• Missouri Bankruptcy Exemption of Pension Benefits, Journal of Missouri Bar, June, 1990
• Asset Protection and The Roth IRA, Journal of the Missouri Bar, April, 1999
• A Primer on Bankruptcy Appeals Procedure, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, April 6, 1998

Representative Cases

• Moon v. Anderson, 387 F.3d 695 (8th Circuit Court of Appeals 2004)
• Official Comm. of Unsecured Creditors vs. Trism, Inc., 328 F.3d 1003 (8th Circuit Court of Appeals 2003)
• In Re Vickers, 505 U.S. 1235 (cert dismissed) (U.S. Supreme Court 1992)
• In Re Vickers, 954 F.2D 1426 (8th Circuit Court of Appeals 1992)

Representative Clients

• Hometown Bancshares
• Leggett & Platt, Incorporated
• Arvest Bank
• Community Bank of Missouri
• Joplin Habitat for Humanity
• Freedom Bank of Southern Missouri

Classes/Seminars Taught

• Numerous bar presentations in bankruptcy and debtor/creditor rights
• Panel Member, U.S. Department of Justice National Bankruptcy Training Institute at the National Advocacy Center, Columbia, South Carolina

Professional Associations and Memberships

• National Association Bankruptcy Trustees
  Member
  
  
• United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Missouri Panel of Trustees
  Member
  
  
• Missouri Bankers Association, Legal Counsel Section
  Member
  
  

Birth Information

• St Louis, Missouri, United States of America