PRACTICE AREAS

Employment Litigation

Labor and Employment

Carol C. Barnett serves both as a trial lawyer and as a counselor to clients on preventive strategies to avoid employment-related litigation. She has extensive jury trial experience and counsels and litigates on behalf of numerous business and governmental entities on a wide range of employment-related matters, including ADA, FMLA, Title VII, retaliatory discharge, wage and hour issues, and age discrimination. Ms. Barnett’s defense work includes cases brought in federal and state courts, as well as administrative agency charges. She has successfully handled dispositive motions in employment law and other matters.

Ms. Barnett has previously worked as an assistant prosecutor for Buchanan County (1986-91), where she handled a variety of complex criminal matters, ranging from homicide prosecutions to child sex abuse jury trials. She also handled civil cases for the Prosecutor’s Office.

Ms. Barnett regularly conducts training and seminars on hostile work environment issues and other areas of employment law of interest to businesses and government entities. She also frequently makes presentations to various community groups on legal issues.

DISTINCTIONS

Ms. Barnett has received various awards for outstanding victim advocacy for her work as an assistant prosecutor.

KC Magazine recognized Carol as a Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyer in 2005.

COMMUNITY AND BAR INVOLVEMENT

St. Joseph Bar Association

The Missouri Bar

U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri

Former Federal Practice Committee

Society for Human Resource Management

Missouri Western State College's Legal Studies Department

Former Adjunct Professor

Ms. Barnett advises United Cerebral Palsy of St. Joseph on a pro bono basis

St. Joseph Public Schools, Volunteer

St. Joseph Safety Council, Board of Directors

St. Joseph Tennis Foundation, Board of Directors

St. Joseph Social Welfare Board, Buchanan County appointee

NOTABLE EXPERIENCE

Ms. Barnett’s cases have included representing:

A large health care employer in obtaining summary judgment in an age discrimination case and related claims. Upheld on appeal.

A large health care employer in a four-plaintiff, multiple theory employment discrimination matter in federal court. Received summary judgment in favor of the employer on all claims. Not challenged on appeal.

A major meat processing operation in state court. Received summary judgment in its favor on workers' compensation retaliatory discharge and all other claims. Not challenged on appeal.

A major food processing operation in federal court. Received summary judgment in the employer's favor on all claims (sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliatory discharge claims). Upheld on appeal.

A public official charged with various First Amendment violations. Received summary judgment in favor of the official and dismissal of related claims. Upheld on appeal.

Dygert, et al. v. Crouch

Embry and Delamater v. Lewis, et al.

American Angus Assoc. v. Gary Stanton, Buchanan County Assessor

EDUCATION

J.D., cum laude, 1983, University of Illinois, College of Law, 1983, Illinois Law Review (1982-83

B.A., with distinction, Purdue University, 1977

BAR ADMISSIONS

Illinois, 1983

Missouri, 1984