Richard N. Bien

Mr. Bien’s litigation practice involves defense of class action claims and other claims for self-insured or partially insured entities, financial services companies, life, health and disability insurance defense, ERISA, general business and financial litigation, insurance professional liability litigation, insurance coverage litigation and real estate litigation. Mr. Bien has served the firm as Chair of the Litigation Division and the Business Litigation Department.

Mr. Bien has defended dozens of class action matters involving benefit plans, financial services, insurance sales practices, consumer protection claims, warranty claims, merchandising practices and lending practices. Two notable cases were resolved on motions early in the case. Recent reported cases in this area are S.G. Metals v. New England Life and Doll v. Chicago Title Insurance.

Mr. Bien has been in the forefront of ERISA/employee benefit litigation. He was lead counsel in the leading case concerning preemption of state “penalty” statutes. Additionally, he has handled over 300 matters defending claims handling activities by insurers, plan administrators and other ERISA fiduciaries.

Mr. Bien also has other business practice experience. He previously served as outside counsel for a national transportation firm and in this representation he was involved in corporate policy development (human resource, employee benefits, governance, insider trading, conflict of interests, antitrust, customer relations), transactions, litigation and litigation management, antitrust, regulatory and other business matters.

Court Memberships

• Missouri
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
• U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri

Honors

• Named as Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition, 2008
• Selected by peers, Best of the Bar, Kansas City Business Journal, (Multiple Years)
• Selected among The Best Lawyers in America®, 2007-2012
• Selected for Missouri/Kansas Super Lawyers, 2005-2011
• Who’s Who in American Law
• American Jurisprudence Award in Torts
• Thomas E. Deacy Award in Trial Advocacy
• University of Missouri School of Law - Distinguished Recent Graduate
• Martindale-Hubbell® “AV” Rating

Events

Professional Affiliations

• American Bar Association, House of Delegates (2006- )
• American Bar Association, Judicial Division, Chair (2003 - 2004)
• Missouri Interest on Lawyers Trust Account Foundation Board (IOLTA), Board, 2005, President, 2008
• DRI - Life, Health and Disability Insurance
• Missouri Bar Board of Governors, (1996-2004) Executive Committee, Finance Committee
• American Bar Association, Judicial Division Lawyers’ Conference, Chair (2000-2001)
• Blue Valley Recreation Commission, Chairman (1999-2000), Commissioner (1996-2004)
• Director, Lawyers Association of Kansas City, (1993-1997) (2008 -  )
• Assembly Speaker, ABA Young Lawyers’ Division (1992-1993)
• Past President, Young Lawyers' Section, Lawyers’ Association of Kansas City

Presentations

• Speaker, American Conference Institute, “14th National Forum on Litigating Disability Insurance Claims,” January 26-27, 2012 
• Speaker, Strafford teleconference/webinar “ERISA Benefits Claims After Metlife v. Glenn,” December 3, 2009
• Webcast: Extra-Record Discovery Requests Post-Glenn