The Missouribar – 2021 Annual Workers’ Compensation Institute

Michael Banahan Related seminars and products: 2

Evans & Dixon, LLC

Michael Banahan has extensive experience handling Workers’ Compensation matters in the education, government and manufacturing sectors. His case experience includes assaults, violent acts, back injuries, fatalities, head injuries, heart attacks, infectious diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, neck injuries, paraplegia/quadriplegia, permanent disability, pulmonary disorders and respiratory conditions.

Mr. Banahan is a member of The Missouri Bar, the Illinois Bar Association, the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, the Missouri Bar Workers’ Compensation Committee and the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers. Mr. Banahan is on the Management Committee for Evans & Dixon.  In addition, he has lectured extensively on Missouri Workers’ Compensation and employers’ rights

Harsh Bhasin Related seminars and products: 2

Project Director

Missouri Division of Workers’ Compensation

Harshdeep (Harsh) Bhasin joined the Workers’ Compensation modernization program as a Project Director in October of 2019. Mr. Bhasin has over 13 years of IT experience, of which eight years has been focused on managing multiple large and complex state government projects. Harsh has provided Program/Project Management and Project Delivery services to various State of Missouri agencies, State of Vermont’s Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) and Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. He is passionate about the process improvement, culture of technological innovation, and how the government can serve its citizens better. 

Mr. Bhasin is a graduate of Minnesota State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Technology. He then earned his Master’s degree in Software Engineering from Pennsylvania State University. Mr. Bhasin holds several certifications, including Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB), and Certified Scrum Master (CSM) Project Manager (Agile Practitioner.) Harsh is a big proponent of STEM education and sits on local and national universities’ Science, Engineering, and Technology Department Advisory boards to guide future education curriculum for workforce development. 

Harsh is a proud resident of Jefferson City from the past nine years. When he is not working, he enjoys spending valuable time with his wife and son and reading Financial & Technical books/magazines.

Cara Harris Related seminars and products: 2

Missouri Attorney General’s Office

Cara Harris attended Mizzou. After graduating, Cara clerked at the Missouri Court of Appeals. She then joined the Attorney General’s Office in March 1993 where she has defended the Second Injury Fund and the State in workers’ compensation matters since. She is currently Chief Counsel of the Labor Division.

B. Korte Related seminars and products: 2

The Korte Law Firm

B. Michael Korte is a Fellow in the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers. He is the author of Volume 29 of the Missouri Practice series of West Publishing Company, Workers’ Compensation Law and Practice, and its addendum, Volume 29A.

He has received the Workers’ Compensation Distinguished Lawyer Award of BAMSL and Kids’ Chance, the Outstanding Service Award for his service as a former president of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, and has been recognized by a nationwide workers’ compensation bar association as one of the top 100 workers’ compensation attorneys in America.

He previously reviewed science fiction for The St. Louis Post Dispatch, and once pitched a no-hitter in Lawyers’ League slow pitch softball.

Kristy Lambert Related seminars and products: 2

Missouri Commission on Human Rights

Kristy Lambert is MCHR Legal Counsel, oversees MCHR’s Kansas City operations, and conducts education and outreach activities. She was appointed to a U.S. Commission on Civil Rights state advisory committee and serves on Project Equality’s Steering Committee. Degrees: B.S., Oklahoma State; J.D., Kansas. Admissions: Missouri; Kansas; Oklahoma; U.S. Supreme Court.

Jagadeesh Mandava Related seminars and products: 2

Hammond and Shinners, P.C.

Mr. Mandava is a partner in the law firm of Hammond and Shinners, P.C.  He specializes in the areas of workers’ compensation, estate planning and probate. Before joining the firm in 2003, he served as Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Unit Chief for the Missouri Attorney General’s Office.  He also previously served as a Law Clerk for Monsanto and the Department of Veterans Affairs.  Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Mandava worked in both business and academic settings.  His research was published in Biochemistry and Cell Biology. In addition to his practice, Mr. Mandava teaches seminars for various organizations, including the National Business Institute, the Division of Workers’ Compensation, Kids’ Chance of Missouri, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, and union clients. Mr. Mandava is also an active volunteer with the Rockwood School District and Saint Louis University.

Stephen McManus Related seminars and products: 2

McAnany, Van Cleave & Phillips, P.C.

Stephen McManus is the managing shareholder of the firms St. Louis office.  He also serves on the Board of Directors for the firm, and the Senior management team for Business Development and Marketing.  Steve focuses his practice on representing self-insured employers, third-party administrators, and insurance carriers in the defense of a workers’ compensation claim in Missouri and Illinois.

Matthew Murphy Related seminars and products: 2

Vessell Bridges Murphy Law Offices

Matthew is a two-time graduate of University of Missouri earning a degree in civil engineering followed by his JD in 1998.  During his entire legal career he has been involved in the Missouri workers’ compensation system.  For over ten years he represented injured claimants.  Thereafter, Matthew served as General Counsel to Missouri’s Department of Labor and Industrial Relations followed by an appointment as a workers’ compensation Administrative Law Judge in 2008.  Since 2011, Matthew has been a founding partner with Vessell Bridges Murphy Law Offices, representing employers and insurance carriers before the Division of Workers’ Compensation.  They have offices in Columbia and Springfield, Missouri.

Patrick Platter Related seminars and products: 3

The Law Firm of Neale & Newman LLP

Patrick J. Platter is a partner with the law firm of Neale & Newman, L.L.P. of Springfield, Missouri. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia with undergraduate and law degrees. He specializes in workers’ compensation law, local government law, administrative law, and employment law. He has tried hundreds of workers’ compensation claims before the Division of Workers’ Compensation and appeals before the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission and appellate courts. His appeals in workers’ compensation claims have spanned a wide range of subject in The Workers’ Compensation Law. Mr. Platter is a certified mediator under Rule 17. He is a member of the Mo Bar Fee Dispute Resolution Committee. He is published in the Journal of the Missouri Bar and speaks to many professional and trade organizations in workers’ compensation and employment law. He is recognized in Super Lawyers® in workers’ compensation law and The Best Lawyers of America© in local government law.

Colleen Vetter Related seminars and products: 2

Director, Division of Workers’ Compensation

Colleen Joern Vetter is in her 4^th year as Director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation. She earned her J.D. from St. Louis University School of Law and her B.A. from Webster University.

After law school, Colleen served as a law clerk for the Honorable John C. Holstein at the Missouri Supreme Court. She spent many years in private practice representing insurers, employers, and claimants before Missouri’s Division of Workers’ Compensation. Before joining the DWC, Colleen served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Litigation Division.