Catherine Singer focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation, including business torts, breaches of contract, as well as trust litigation, including matters concerning allegations of breach of fiduciary duty.  Catherine has experience handling cases from the initial evaluation, all the way through appeal.  She has worked on a wide range of matters in state and federal courts, representing both plaintiffs and defendants. Catherine has been able to obtain favorable judgments for her clients at all stages of litigation, including having claims dismissed at the motion to dismiss stage, defeating class certification, obtaining summary judgment, prevailing at trial and in arbitration.

Significant Representations

Obtained complete summary judgment on behalf of defendant INTRUST Bank, N.A., in complex litigation involving Plaintiffs alleging damages in excess of $24,000,000 based on claims relating to the bank’s legal rights to assets pursuant to the Kansas Uniform Trust Code.  Wagnon, et al. v. Rasberry, et al., Case No. 18-CV-2362 (Sedgwick County, Kansas).

Represented Defendants/Counterclaim-Plaintiffs in successfully obtaining a $6.1 million jury verdict for breach of fiduciary duty and civil conspiracy, including $5.5 million in punitive damages, following a thirteen-day jury trial in Jackson County, Missouri.  The plaintiffs initially filed claims against clients on various theories, all of which were dismissed by the Court prior to trial.  At trial, persuaded the jury that Counterclaim-Defendants improperly used their control over Counterclaim-Plaintiffs to take monies for lavish personal entertainment and other self-dealing transactions, and that the award of punitive damages was appropriate to deter future conduct.  Raizada Group, LP et. al. v. PHC Holding Company, LLC, et. al., No. 1416-CV14245 (Jackson County, Missouri, November 1, 2017).

Obtained summary judgment and denial of class certification for Garmin companies in putative class action alleging violations of state consumer act.  Meyers v. Garmin Int’l, Inc., No. 13-CV-2416-CM-GLR, 2016 WL 1261034 (D. Kan. March 30, 2016).

Represented financial services company before the district court and earned summary judgment before the district court against claims brought by former shareholder for breaches of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.  Kmak v. American Century Companies (W.D. Mo. Nov. 23, 2015).  The plaintiff appealed, and Catherine continued to represent the client on appeal, with the Eighth Circuit ultimately affirming the summary judgment order. (Eighth Circuit, 2017).

After successfully compelling arbitration on behalf of the defendant, obtained a judgment on behalf of the defendant at arbitration. (C.D. Cal.).

Represented pharmaceutical manufacturer in litigation against companies manufacturing non-approved drug products and helped secure successful settlement agreements with several companies and a nationwide injunction against an additional company prohibiting the manufacture or sale of the non-approved drug product. (C.D. Cal.).

Represented Fortune 500 company in a shareholder suit in which the acquired company’s board was alleged to have breached its fiduciary duties to shareholders. Following class certification, firm successfully won summary judgment dismissing the case in its entirety in California state court. (Santa Clara County, California).

Represented financial services company in a worldwide antitrust investigation and assisted with the related internal investigation.

Assisted Fortune 500 company in developing its e-discovery guidelines for outside counsel.

Practice Areas

• Business Litigation

Prior Work Experience

Associate
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, 2010-2013

 

Education

Duke University School of Law, J.D.
2010
• Duke Journal of Gender Law & Policy 2008-2010

University of California, Los Angeles, B.A.
Magna Cum Laude, 2007
• Phi Beta Kappa
• History Department Honors

Honors & Awards

Missouri and Kansas
Super Lawyers Magazine Rising Star, 2014-Present

Missouri Lawyer’s Weekly Up and Coming (2018)

 

 

Memberships

Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association

Johnson County Bar Association

Association for Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City

American Arbitration Association National Roster of Arbitrators

Fellow of the American Bar Foundation

 

Bar Admissions

Missouri

Kansas

California

United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri

United States District Court for the District of Kansas

United States District Court for the Central District of California

Organizations

Trustee, Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City

Inaugural Member, Duke Law Alumnae Leadership Council

Board Member, Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City