John J. Gates

Construction Law

4.0 (1 reviews)

Kansas City, Missouri

25+ years experience

Gates Westering LLC

Updated: Jan 04, 2026

Contact Information

816-448-8530

https://www.gateswestering.com/john-gates

701 East 63rd Street, Suite 350, Kansas City, MO 64110

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Bio

John handles a wide variety of legal issues ranging from disputes between business owners to personal injury lawsuits to non-compete allegations to defective construction claims to interpreting insurance policies. It is his broad practice that enables him to see all sides of a client’s problems and help develop effective solutions. He has litigated a number of high-exposure wrongful death and personal injury claims from workplace accidents, product defects, trucking accidents, and insufficient security, but he also handles cases with less severe injuries in the areas of premises liability, automobile accidents, and property damage. Aside from his business and personal injury practice, John handles insurance claims, defective construction, and non-compete matters. With regard to insurance claims, he performs coverage analysis and litigates bad faith claims, declaratory judgment actions, subrogation claims, and equitable garnishments. John’s defective construction cases involve the design, materials, and construction in residential and commercial projects. John has tried several high-exposure jury trials in Missouri and Kansas, including two of the largest defense verdicts in Missouri in the last fifteen years. He has also obtained dismissals in large-loss personal injury and commercial litigation cases.

Practice Areas

Construction Law

Awards & Recognition

Lawyer of the Year: Construction Law, Kansas City, MO (2026)
Recognized: Construction Law
Recognized: Litigation - Construction
Recognized: Litigation - Insurance
Practice Area: Commercial Litigation
Practice Area: Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021

Education

University of Kansas, J.D., graduated 2000
Vanderbilt University, B.A., Philosophy, graduated 1997

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Reviews

Nicholas Morris

2 weeks ago

A trusted generalist who resolved our complex construction defect case

After discovering significant foundation issues in our newly purchased commercial property, we were overwhelmed. John Gates’s 25 years of diverse experience was exactly what we needed. He seamlessly navigated the defective construction claim against the builder while also untangling related insurance coverage disputes, exactly the areas where his recognition is noted. His philosophical approach from Vanderbilt, as he described it, helped him see the broader strategy beyond just the legal minutiae. The outcome was highly favorable. While his response time could occasionally be a day or two during very busy periods, his thoroughness when he did respond was always worth the wait. We felt represented by a true counselor, not just a litigator.