Mikel L. Stout

Before Mike Stout’s retirement in 2023, he handled complex business and commercial cases, focusing on high-exposure litigation with an emphasis on trial practice. He is known as one of the most notable trial lawyers in Kansas and tried many of the region’s high-profile employment, environmental, and commercial cases. His practice included consultation on litigation problem-solving and alternative dispute resolution.

When in practice, Mike was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America©, the Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers® list, and Chambers USA as a leading general commercial litigation lawyer in the United States. Benchmark Litigation has named Mike a “Local Litigation Star.” In 2014, he was recognized by Best Lawyers® as the Wichita Litigation – Environmental “Lawyer of the Year” and in 2012, the Wichita Construction “Lawyer of the Year.” He has also been listed as a Top 100 Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyer®. Mike is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and has served as past president and a member of the Board of Regents. His peer memberships included the Kansas Association of Defense Counsel and he served as the organization’s 1983-84 president.

Education

• University of Kansas (J.D., 1961)
  With Distinction; Order of the Coif; Editor - Kansas Law Review
• Kansas State University (B.S., 1958)

• Symphony in the Flint Hills - past Board of Directors
• Livestock & Meat Industry Council - Board of Directors, 1999-2006
• Wichita River Festival – Admiral Windwagon Smith XXVIII, 2001
• Wichita Wagonmasters – Captain, 1982-1983
• Wichita Festivals, Inc. – President, 1978-1979

• American College of Trial Lawyers Fellow; Board of Regents, 2000-2007; President 2007-2008
• Lifetime Achievement Award, Wichita Bar Association, 2011
• Chester I. Lewis Diversity Award, Wichita Bar Association, 2019
• President's Award, Wichita Bar Association, 2006
• Howard C. Kline Distinguished Service Award, Wichita Bar Associaton, 2001
• Recognized by Best Lawyers® as the 2012 Wichita Construction “Lawyer of the Year” and the 2014 Wichita Litigation – Environmental “Lawyer of the Year”
• Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the areas of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Labor & Employment, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, 1987-2022
• Top 100 Missouri/Kansas Super Lawyers®, 2007 (a Thomson Reuters business)
• Selected for inclusion in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers® List, 2005-2021 (a Thomson Reuters business)
• Identified by Chambers USA as a Senior Statesperson in Litigation: General Commercial, 2017-2023
• Identified by Chambers USA as a leading lawyer in the United States for General Commercial Litigation, 2003-2017
• Named a "Litigation Star" in the area of Dispute Resolution by Benchmark Litigation, 2011-2016 & 2018-2022
• Kansas Bar Association, lifetime member
• Kansas Bar Association Professionalism Award, 1997
• Wichita Bar Association President, 1987-1988 and lifetime member
• Kansas Bar Foundation Fellow, Robert K. Weary Award, 2006; past President, 1991-1993
• Kansas Association of Defense Counsel William Kahrs Lifetime Achievement Award, 2005; President, 1983-1984
• Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Group 1991-1995
• Commission on Judicial Qualifications Chairman, 1994-1995
• Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission; past chair and member