Joseph Jay Roper

Overview Joe Roper is a trial lawyer, with over 60 jury trials to verdict as lead counsel. He has successfully handled seven and eight figure cases, in areas as diverse as product liability, business litigation, construction defect litigation, fraud, premises liability and a wide array of catastrophic personal injury cases. Mr. Ropers numerous awards and professional distinctions include being the 2018 recipient of the Ben Ely Jr. Award, naming the outstanding defense lawyer in the State of Missouri. He was also recently named Dean of the Trial Bar by the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association. He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel. He has served on two national IADC trial academies, both at the University of Colorado and Stanford University. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America and has been named a Super Lawyer each year for more than a decade. He carries the preeminent designation by Martindale Hubbell, Judicial Edition. Joe is a past president of the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers, and a past president of the Western Missouri/Eastern Kansas Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, as well as previously serving on the national board of ABOTA. He currently serves as a Distinguished Pro Bono Fellow for the American College of Trial Lawyers, for his work with Military Matters, a Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation initiative providing free legal services to veterans and active duty service personnel. Recent Results Court Affirms Summary Judgement Decision Involving Equine Liability Act Joe Roper, Joe Krispin, and Christine Lesicko obtained a win in the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District on a unique case applying the Equine Liability Act. A volunteer at our clients Equine center sued our client, a horse rescue operation, whe ...Multi-Million Dollar Slip and Fall Case Ends in Judgment for Defendant After 6 days in Trial WWBH Principals Joe Roper and John Brigg successfully defended their client C& M Restoration, a masonry contractor that allegedly failed to properly seal cracks in the floor of a parking garage causing plaintiffs fall and severe injuries. Plaintif ...Jury Verdict in Motor Vehicle Case Far Below Seven Figure Demand After a three-day jury trial in Jackson County Circuit Court involving a motor vehicle crash, Joe Roper and John Brigg brought a successful verdict for the defendant. The case involved a 2015 vehicular collision, where the WWBH client T-boned the plain ...Judgment on Behalf of Defendant Contractor Based Upon Acceptance Doctrine The Missouri Appellate Court, Western District, affirmed a trial court judgment in favor the WWBH client G&T Striping in a case tried by Joe Roper and John Brigg. On appeal Joe Roper , Christine Lesicko and Joe Krispin convinced the Court of Appea ... View More Recent Results 12Professional Affiliations Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, inducted 2007American Board of Trial Advocates - Past President Western Missouri/Eastern Kansas chapter, former National Board member Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers - Past President International Association of Defense Counsel Missouri Bar Association Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association Awards & Achievements Best Lawyers - Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants (2024, 2025)Super Lawyers - General Litigation (2024)Selected to Super Lawyers more than ten years in a row. Named Dean of the Trial Bar: by the Kansas City Missouri Bar Association (2021)Recipient of the Ben Ely Jr. Award, 2019, from the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers. The Ben Ely Jr. Award is presented annually to the outstanding defense lawyer in the state of Missouri. Inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2007. Past president of the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers. Named to two trial academy faculties fir the International Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy, University of Colorado and Stanford University.2019 Presidents Recognition Award, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation for outstanding contribution to the Foundations Legal Connection, Military Matters, providing free legal assistance to veterans and active duty personnel.