Ashley H. Atwell

Ashley Atwell represents clients in a variety of business disputes, with a particular focus on tort claims, product liability, white-collar criminal defense and international or Spanish-language litigation.

Product Liability. Ms. Atwell has specific experience drafting and responding to Daubert motions and summary judgment motions. She has also handled depositions and discovery for a Fortune 500 manufacturer in complex warranty and wrongful death litigation.

White-Collar Criminal Defense. Ms. Atwell assists with investigations, research, interviews, and depositions for internal investigations and white-collar criminal matters. In one recent case, she advised a client under investigation for immigration fraud. She also successfully negotiated a favorable plea for a client in a criminal case involving business licensing issues and helped the client develop internal procedures and best practices for avoiding future problems.   

Spanish-Language Litigation and Transactions. Fluent in Spanish, Ms. Atwell has served as a liaison with local counsel in international matters and has assisted clients with U.S. based litigation and transactional matters that involves a Spanish language element. She interprets legal documents, reviews and verifies translations and provides counsel on the interplay of the U.S. Rules of Civil Procedure with foreign court systems. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Atwell worked as a freelance Spanish-English interpreter, and has interpreted for Spanish-speaking criminal defendants in numerous federal cases. Among her recent experience:

• Defended a Spanish-speaking client in a Missouri Merchandising Practices Act matter. Obtained a favorable settlement.
• Coordinated the use of an expert chemist from Colombia in a bet-the-company toxic tort lawsuit.
• Analyzed and verified the content of a Spanish-language trust agreement for a real estate transaction in Mexico and reviewed Spanish-language statutes in relation to a major asset purchase in the Dominican Republic.

Ms. Atwell previously served as Press Secretary for United States Congressman Silvestre Reyes and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Court Memberships

• Kansas
• Missouri
• U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri

Honors

• Charles E. Whittaker Award for Academic Excellence, 2008
• Miller Scholarship Recipient

Professional Affiliations

• Legal Aid of Western Missouri Young Professionals Board – member, steering committee
• Hispanic Bar Association of Greater Kansas City – vice president
• Missouri Bar Leadership Academy, Class of 2010
• Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
• Moot Court Executive Board Member
• UMKC Law Review, Lead Note & Comment Editor