Brett focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation and regulatory enforcement defense, bringing a practical and business-minded perspective to legal strategy.
Overview
His previous experience as a senior trial attorney with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission informs his work with clients facing regulatory challenges, government investigations or high-stakes disputes. Brett’s industry experience spans digital assets, commodity derivatives and other financial products, allowing him to provide strategic guidance in an evolving regulatory landscape. He has significant experience handling fraud and compliance investigations, enforcement matters and litigation involving financial markets.
Brett also maintains a robust environmental practice, representing clients in complex disputes involving regulatory enforcement, contamination claims and compliance matters. He has defended clients in multimillion-dollar antitrust litigation, class action environmental claims and complex product liability cases, ensuring that litigation strategies align with business objectives. Brett’s clients value his clear communication, steady guidance and ability to navigate both courtroom dynamics and complex regulatory landscapes.
Experience
On behalf of a federal financial regulator, Brett pursued fraud and commodity pool claims against realtors operating “Blessings Thru Crypto,” a fraudulent investment scheme impacting nearly 150 victims and resulting in millions of dollars in losses.
Brett has led multiple enforcement proceedings, including a precedent-setting case against a commodity futures exchange, which resulted in an administrative order that included the largest penalty to date for compliance failures and encompassed multiple violations of first impression.
Brett has conducted comprehensive reviews of multiple entities offering digital asset products and services to assess compliance with federal law and regulatory requirements.
During a two-week jury trial, Brett served as the lead associate and second-chair, working with the Stinson team to assert antitrust claims on behalf of one of the largest commercial roofing contractors in the region.
Brett received a favorable judgment after second-chairing a trial involving nuisance claims that would have severely hampered a client’s operations.
He also achieved dismissal of claims asserted against a client for alleged environmental contamination and wrongful death, based on a legal issue of first impression for the court.
Brett has defended clients in multiple class action claims of environmental and odor contamination, helping to resolve those claims consistent with the client’s business needs.
In multimillion dollar antitrust litigation, he successfully defended against summary judgment and Daubert motions to exclude the client’s experts, resulting in an immediate bench ruling in the client’s favor.
Brett has experience assisting large chemical manufacturers in voluntarily self-disclosing environmental issues under state laws, minimizing risks to those clients.
He has also represented aviation manufacturers in complex product liability cases involving issues associated with jurisdictional and international choice of law disputes.
News & Insights
News
Speaking Engagements
"The EPA's Endangerment Finding on Aircraft Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Preliminary Analysis," 51st Annual SMU Air Law Symposium, March 2017
“Environmental Law: An Overview,” Guest Lecturer for Environmental Health, Masters of Public Health Program, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, February 3, 2017 (also in 2018 and 2019)
"Construction, Drones, and the Law: Maximizing Efficiency and Minimizing Risk," Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. 7th Annual Learn & Earn Continuing Education Seminar, Kansas City, MO, April 6, 2016
Publications
"Minnesota Joins Intensifying Hunt for PFAS," December 2019
"Recent Executive Orders Take Aim at Informal Agency Guidance," Stinson Alert, October 2019
"California Communities Against Toxics: The 'Continuing Project' of Clarifying Administrative Law," Stinson Alert, September 2019
"Wisconsin Governor Orders State Agencies to Address PFAS Contamination," Stinson Alert, August 2019
"Waking the 'Zombies' - Possible Changes to EPA's Longstanding Article I Administration Discretion in Rulemaking," Stinson Alert, August 2019
"Draft Risk Evaluations Released for HBCD and 1,4-Dioxane," Stinson Alert, July 2019
"Senate Passes Bill Addressing PFAS Contamination," Stinson Alert, June 2019
"The EPA’s Endangerment Finding on Aircraft Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Preliminary Analysis," Journal of Air Law and Commerce, Summer 2017
"EPA's Endangerment Finding for Aircraft Emissions: How Should the Airline Industry Respond?," the American Bar Association's Air & Space Lawyer, May 2017
"A Somewhat Ironic Defense of the Kansas Written Bar Examination," Kansas Bar Association Magazine, 2015
Professional & Civic Activities
Professional & Civic Activities
American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, Superfund and Natural Resource Damages Litigation Committee
- Regional Reporter for Region 10, 2019-2020
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
American Bar Association's Section of Environment, Energy and Resources (SEER)
- Superfund and Natural Resource Damages Litigation Committee, 2019-2020
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- Missouri
- Kansas
Education
Washburn University School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2015
- Washburn Law Journal, Staff Member
- Honorable Judge Delmas C. Hill Law Scholarship
- John F. Kuether Memorial Faculty Award for Best Comment
Avila University, M.S., 2010
Park University, B.S., summa cum laude, 2008
