Strong Law Firm in flux with departures, cross-town move

This summer, the firm purchased the building at 415 E. Chestnut Expressway, which sits northeast of the intersection at Chestnut and North Jefferson Avenue. The 12,000-square-foot building under renovation was most recently occupied by BTS Group Inc., a company that processes Social Security disability claims and appeals.

Attorney Steve Garner, who joined Strong Law Firm in 1986 and became a partner four years later, said the cross-town move would put the office – located at 901 E. Battlefield Road for 24 years – much closer to the Greene County Judicial Courts complex at 1010 Boonville Ave.

Documents recently filed with the State Supreme Court indicate that Garner and attorneys Jeff Bauer, Neil Chanter and Chandler Gregg are shareholders in Strong, Garner & Bauer. Gregg, a Nixa native who joined the firm in 2004, became a shareholder in conjunction with the move, Garner said.

Attorney Tom Strong, who founded the firm in 1976 and officially retired several years ago, is not listed among the shareholders, but Garner said Strong would remain on the firm’s payroll in an advisory role.

Two other longtime shareholders with Strong Law Firm – Clifton “Clif” Smart and Steve Harrell – have parted with the trial practice, which focuses on commercial litigation as well as personal injury and wrongful death cases.

Smart joined Missouri State University as general counsel Dec. 1, and Harrell has taken a job with Kansas City law firm Bartimus Frickleton Robertson & Gorny PC. Harrell will serve as the firm’s Springfield representative and will work from 901 E. Battlefield until he finds new office space on the city’s south side.

Garner said the firm has found an undisclosed buyer for the Battlefield property, but the sale isn’t expected to close until March.

See SBJ’s Dec. 17 issue for more about the law firm’s restructuring.