Overview

Curtis R. Summers balances his practice between litigation and human resources counseling. On the litigation side, Curtis defends employers in all types of employment disputes, from single-plaintiff discrimination claims to class and collective wage and hour matters. He has also handled defense of judgments on appeal before the U.S. Courts of Appeal and state courts of appeal. Curtis’s litigation experience also extends to pursuing claims for violations of restrictive covenants and litigating various other tort and contract claims in the employment context.

On the counseling side, Curtis focuses his practice on human resources compliance and litigation avoidance strategies. His experience in those areas includes:

  • Counseling employers on practices related to recruiting, performance management, and disciplinary action
  • Advising on disability accommodation and leave of absence questions, and developing robust employer policies and processes in those areas
  • Auditing and developing compliant workplace policies for multi-state employers
  • Guiding, conducting, and auditing workplace investigations
  • Conducting training for workforces and management on equal employment opportunity topics, compliant performance management practices, and managing accommodation and leave requests
  • Providing other guidance on best practices in the employer-employee relationship from a legal perspective

Curtis’s experience in both litigation and counseling stretches across a variety of industries, including insurance, healthcare, education, banking and financial services, manufacturing, and technology. His clients range from smaller, emerging businesses and charitable organizations to large national and international corporations.

Curtis has also put his extensive employer counseling experience to work by joining Littler’s Vaccination Working Group to assist companies in navigating federal, state, and local COVID-19-related restrictions, vaccination questions, and reopening requirements.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Member

American Bar Association

Member

Kansas Bar Association

Member

Missouri Bar Association

Board Member

Olathe Health Charitable Foundation

2020-present

Recognition

Named, The Best Lawyers in America®

2021-2025

Named, Rising Star

Missouri and Kansas, Employment and Labor

Super Lawyers

2012-2015

Speaking Engagements

2024 Kansas City Regional Employer Conference

Kansas City, MO

October 8, 2024

2023 Kansas City Regional Employer Conference

Kansas City, MO

October 10, 2023

2022 Kansas City Regional Employer Conference

Kansas City, MO

July 28, 2022

Just How Accommodating Do We Have to Be?

Kansas City Employer Conference

June 26, 2018

Big Changes in Store for Missouri Employers: What’s New, How it Impacts Your Organization, and What You Can Do To Prepare

Kansas City, MO

April 4, 2017

Education

  • J.D., University of Kansas School of Law, 2005
  • B.S., Kansas State University, 2002

Bar Admission

Kansas
Missouri