Joel W. Riggs

Joel W. Riggs

Joel is a very experienced trial lawyer with many years of courtroom experience. He has tried nearly 100 jury trials. His litigation experience includes tort vehicle, product liability, premises liability, trucking, agricultural, and commercial and residential construction. Joel also has deep experience in insurance coverage matters and coverage litigation. He has tried cases involving extra-contractual or ’bad faith’ issues, and first party insurance claims. He also provides coverage counsel to insurance carriers and insureds on all types of policies, including personal and commercial lines.

Practice Groups

Construction and Design

The world of construction is comprehensive, collaborative and highly detailed. The same can be said of our approach to construction law. Legal regulations, city and state codes, federal guidelines, environmental issues – there’s a litany of laws and parameters that seems never-ending.

Insurance

Insurance issues can escalate from simple to complex quickly, and you need attorneys able to handle it all. With Wallace Saunders, you can rest assured the attorneys in our Insurance Practice Group have a command of insurance law and litigation. In fact, the firm was founded more than 50 years ago with insurance at the core of our practice.

Litigation

Founded as a litigation firm in 1963, our attorneys carry on our tradition of substantial deposition and courtroom experience, with hands-on training that begins early in every attorney’s career. The litigation department is the largest practice area at Wallace Saunders, with more than half of our attorneys working under the Litigation Practice Area umbrella.

Product Liability

Understanding the nuances of Product Liability law and the significant exposure for clients involved in product litigation is a service not every firm can offer. Our experience representing manufacturers, distributors and retailers gives you the advantage of leveraging strategic planning with trial skills in this complex and dynamic area of law.

Transportation: Railroad and Trucking

When it comes to trucking and railroading, our attorneys are with you from the start, emphasizing early response to losses. Our transportation attorneys are on call 24/7 to respond to serious accidents and emergencies by visiting accident scenes to gather and preserve evidence. This helps lay the groundwork for a careful investigation and vigorous claim defense. We have an established emergency response protocol, and will work with a team of accident reconstructionists, field investigators, and criminal defense attorneys, when needed, to immediately respond to trucking, railroading, and other transportation accidents and emergencies.

Personal

Joel loves spending time at home in Lawrence with his wife and their two boys. He enjoys art, music, and spending time outdoors with his family and the dogs. He also enjoys reading and researching history, and spending time boring his friends and family about all the forts and battlefield sites that he has visited of the American Revolution, the Civil War, and the American West.

Fair • Determined • Practical

Education

1993 – University of Kansas, J.D.
1990 – University of Kansas, B.S.B.A., with distinction

Professional Practice

2019 – present: Wallace Saunders
2002 – 2019: Larson & Blumreich, Chartered, Topeka, KS
1993 – 2002: McMaster & McMaster, Wichita, KS

Professional Licensure

State and Federal Courts of Kansas
10th Circuit Court of Appeals

Professional Accomplishments

Joel provides continuing education to insurance company professionals and lawyers in the areas of insurance coverage and trial practice. Joel has tried jury trials throughout the State of Kansas, from Kansas City , Olathe, Topeka, and Wichita, to Lawrence, Manhattan, Emporia, Pittsburg, Ft. Scott, Salina, Marysville, and Liberal, and numerous places in between.

Civic Activities

Joel speaks to civic groups and schools on issues of law and history.

News + Events + Alerts

Attorneys Chris Confer and Stephanie Blaylock return to present at AAR “Claims School”

The American Association of Railroads (“AAR”) recently held its annual “Claims School” – a training and education opportunity the AAR provides to claims representatives of various railroads. Last year, Mr. Confer and Ms. Blaylock presented at the Claims School, and because that presentation was so successful, the AAR invited Mr. Confer and Ms. Blaylock to give this presentation again to a new group of attendees.

Greg Bentz makes presentation at the American Hospital Association Annual Meeting in Washington D.C.

Greg Bentz made a presentation at the American Hospital Association Annual Meeting in Washington D.C. on April 23rd, 2023. The presentation was jointly made by Dr. Jonathan B. Perlin, The President and CEO of the Joint Commission, and Mr. Bentz. The topic was “Revitalize Your Board’s Focus on Quality and Patient Safety.”