Attorneys

Denise E. Farris is the founder and the Managing Member of the Farris Law Firm, L.L.C., where she practiced general business law, commercial construction and equine law. Her firm provides legal services related to corporate consultation, formation and risk management and general contract litigation; government contracting, minority/women business enterprise certification, affirmative action compliance in government contracts; surety bonds, federal Miller Act and state bond disputes, prompt payment issues, and mechanics liens. The firm is additionally one of only 47 firms in the United States offering equine business law services, providing its equine professionals legal assistance regarding compliance with state Equine Activity Liability Acts; business formations and structure; boarding, breeding, sales, training, lesson, liability waiver and syndication agreements; labor and immigration issues; zoning and land use; and personal injury defense.

Denise is a 1991 honors graduate of the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law, is a recipient of the law school’s prestigious “Decade Award”, and the University’s “Overcoming the Odds” award. Denise has also been honored as one of the Kansas City Business Journal’s top 25 ‘Women Who Mean Business”; by Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes as a KC 150 Neighborhood Hero; by Kansas City Mayor Emanuel Cleaver as the first woman member of the City’s “Fairness in Construction Board”, as KPHN’s “Citizen of the Month” for her volunteer activities battling residential construction fraud. In 2007 Denise was recognized by Kansas City Business Magazine as one of the city’s “50 1 Most Influential Businesswomen”; by the Small Business Administration as its regional Women in Business Champion; and by the national organization of WIPP (Women Impacting Public Policy) as its Public Policy Advocate of the Year.

Denise has also received several recognitions by the Missouri and American Bar Associations as one of the Bar’s most popular educational presenters. She is a past chairperson of the Missouri Bar’s Construction Law Committee, the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association’s Construction Law Committee, and currently chairs the national steering committee for Division 10, American Bar Association’s Forum on the Construction Industry. Denise has authored several chapters in the Missouri Bar’s Construction Law Deskbook, as well as the Forum’s 2003 publication “Federal Contracting”, along with numerous seminar and publication articles on construction, business and equine law. Denise is additionally a presenter for the prestigious annual Equine Law Practitioner’s Conference in Lexington, Kentucky. She is a member of the National Equine Law Practitioner’s Group, the American, Missouri and Kansas Horse Councils, USA Equestrian, the National Association of Trail Riders Conference, the Eastern Kansas Arabian Horse Association, the American Royal Board of Governors, a Board member of the Saddle & Sirloin Club, is a regular presenter for the Purina Mills Equine Educational Seminar Series, and has been a featured keynote speaker for both equine and construction law events on a national basis. Denise is additionally active in pending or proposed legislative review and lobbying for the general business, affirmative action/government contracting and equine law arenas.