The law firm of Fleeson, Gooing, Coulson & Kitch, L.L.C. has been awarded Sedgwick County’s legal services contract for workers compensation litigation and related matters. Attorneys Bill Townsley and Sylvia Penner presented the winning submittal in response to the County’s Request for Proposal regarding legal services for workers compensation litigation, appellate work and Medicare claims related to workers compensation.
Founded in 1886, Fleeson, Gooing is one of the area’s oldest law firms. The firm has been involved in employment law issues, including workers compensation, for over 60 years. Both Mr. Townsley and Ms. Penner are experienced litigators who represent employers, insurance carriers, and self-insured entities in workers compensation cases across the state of Kansas.
Sedgwick County is one of the 10 largest employers in the Wichita metropolitan area with nearly 3,000 employees and covered volunteers. The County utilizes a self-insured plan for workers compensation that is administered by the Sedgwick County Risk Management office. As opposed to a Request for Bid/quotation which awards a contract to the lowest bidder, the County’s RFP for workers compensation litigation awarded the contract to the most qualified lawyers submitting the best proposal for effective legal defense. The contract with Fleeson, Gooing will extend up to six years.
Bill Townsley has litigated workers compensation cases for over 25 years. He has been recognized by his peers as a leading workers compensation lawyer in U.S. News and World Report’s Best Lawyers, Tomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers of Kansas and Missouri, and Top Corporate Counsel. He often writes and speaks to professional groups, industry organizations and other lawyers about workers compensation issues. Sylvia Penner has litigated workers compensation cases since joining Fleeson, Gooing in 2008. She previously worked as an Assistant District Attorney for the Eighteenth Judicial District in Sedgwick County. She, too, has received recognitions from her peers for her achievements in the law and is currently a member of the Wichita Bar Association’s Board of Governors. Both Ms. Penner and Mr. Townsley hold the legal community’s highest rating, AV Preeminent, for ethical standards and professional abilities through Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review. Both are active and have held numerous leadership offices in local and state professional associations and legal organizations.