Bio

Stephen Netherton is a partner at the firm and an experienced trial attorney specializing in defending healthcare providers, business, and individuals in litigation. Since joining the firm in 2013, he has built a dynamic practice handling all stages of litigation in both state and federal courts. Through his motion practice and trial experience, Stephen has secured numerous dismissals and victories for his clients. 

At the appellate level, Stephen briefed and argued several significant cases before the Kansas Court of Appeals and the Kansas Supreme Court, including a landmark case that clarified the law regarding the corporate practice of medicine for Kansas physicians and ambulatory surgery centers.

A Wichita, Kansas, native, Stephen earned a baseball scholarship to attend Mid-America Nazarene University before attending Baylor University School of Law. While at Baylor, he received multiple advocacy awards, culminating in winning the National Championship in the National Institute for Trial Advocacy’s Mock Trial Tournament in Chicago, and was named the Top Advocate at the competition. Stephen was also an Associate Editor for the Baylor Law Review and was inducted into the National Order of Barristers. 

Stephen and his wife are active in their church and community and count themselves fortunate to raise their family in their hometown of Wichita.

Education

• MidAmerica Nazarene University, B.A., 2009, magna cum laude
• Baylor University School of Law, 2013, cum laude
• Year Started Practicing: 2013

Court Admissions

• Kansas, 2013
• U.S. District Court, District of Kansas, 2013
• Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, 2014

Honors

• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch 2025®,  Health Care Law and Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Best Lawyers in America®: Ones to Watch, 2021 – 2024 (Health Care Law and Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants)
• Super Lawyers®, Rising Star, 2019 – 2022 (Personal Injury – Medical Malpractice: Defense)
• NITA Mock Trial National Champion, Best Advocate, 2012
• Baylor Law Review, Associate Editor
• American Board of Trial Advocates Award
• National Order of Barristers

Publications and Presentations

• “Vicarious Liability between Healthcare Providers,” Wichita Bar Association Medical-Legal Issues continuing education seminar 2023

Professional Memberships

• Wichita Bar Association, 2013-Present; Civil Practice Committee and Chair of the Medical-Legal Committee
• Kansas Bar Association, 2013-Present (Young Lawyers Board, 2019)
• American Bar Association, 2013-Present
• Kansas Association of Defense Counsel, 2013-Present
• Defense Research Institute, 2013-Present
• U.S. District Court of Kansas Bench-Bar Committee (2019 – 2021)

Representative Experience

Medical Malpractice

• Represented numerous physicians, mid-levels, clinics, and hospitals against medical malpractice claims, HIPAA/privacy allegations, and contractual disputes in state and federal court.

Health Care Law

• Represented various health care providers and entities with corporate practice of medicine issues, professional licensing (Kansas State Board of Healing Arts, Kansas State Board of Nursing, Behavioral Science Regulatory Board, Kansas State Board of Examiners in Optometry), and contractual disputes.

Civil Litigation

• Represented individuals, small businesses, and Fortune 500 Companies on liability matters ranging from premises liability, contracts, business torts, consumer protection, insurance defense, personal injury, and general negligence claims.

Appellate Decisions

• Central Kansas Medical Center v. Stanley M. Hatesohl, M.D., et al., Kansas Supreme Court Nos. 113,675 and 113834 (2018)