A strong foundation for future growth.
In the 1920s, Frank H. Terrell left Parsons, Kansas to practice law in Kansas City. After practicing with several well-known lawyers in the area, Frank decided to open his own practice in 1940—a practice that would grow into the Van Osdol law firm.
Frank was soon recognized as a community leader and attracted a number of influential and successful business clients, some of whom are still represented by the firm today.
While running his successful law firm, Frank also helped found the Lawyers Association of Kansas City and played an important role in developing the Kansas City Bar Association. He was later appointed as counsel to the International Labor Association and frequently traveled to Europe for its meetings.
Talent attracts talent
Following World War II, Guy Magruder, Charles Hess and Paul Van Osdol, Jr. joined Frank’s firm and each of the four men set out to make their impact in the field. Paul was particularly active in politics and the American Bar Association. Guy Magruder became an acknowledged estate planning authority and helped author many of Missouri’s probate laws. He was president of both the Lawyers Association and the Estate Planning Council.
In the early 1960s, Charlie Hess left and Dick Erickson and Bob Redmond joined the firm as Associates, later becoming Partners. Dick followed in Guy Magruder’s footsteps and became President of both the Estate Planning Association and the Estate Planning Society. Bob Redmond was president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce and later, was an active member of the Metropolitan Chamber.
Continued growth. Continued values.
When Bob Beachy joined in 1972, the firm had only six lawyers but was regarded as one of the top firms in Kansas City. The firm continued its long-time dedication to representing family-owned businesses—a commitment that continues to this day.
In recent decades, the firm has enjoyed steady growth adding attorneys with legal expertise in labor and employment, legal services for charities and nonprofits, and litigation. Continuing the firm’s valued tradition of estate planning leadership, Bob Beachy became President of the Estate Planning Society in 2007.
Recognizing an expanding need for expertise in non-profit and tax matters as well as in estate planning, Tom Willy, Kent Coxe and Bill Denney joined the firm and helped to strengthen an already impressive business and estate planning practice. In 2000, the firm expanded its range of skills and services by adding a highly experienced and successful attorney in criminal defense, Mike Joyce.
Mindy Ward became the firm’s first female shareholder in 2007. Since then, the practice has been further augmented by the skills of partners Shawn Stogsdill and Paul Himmelstein. In 2010, Cheryl Boushka brought her considerable talents and reputation to the firm, marking a significant addition to its estate planning and business talents. In 2012, Super Lawyer Tony Gosserand joined the firm to enhance its litigation team, and Anne-Linton Pond Hendrickson, who joined the firm as an associate in 2004, became a shareholder. The firm’s litigation team was strengthened in 2015 with the addition of Jon Davis, who arrived after Mike Joyce left to become a District Court Judge in Johnson County, Kansas. Our team was strengthened further with the additions of Chris Turney in 2017 and Robert Drumm in 2018.
Looking to the future
In 2015, the firm celebrated its 75th year of providing top-notch legal services to a wide array of clients. At that time, the firm, formerly known as Van Osdol & Magruder, P.C., became simply, Van Osdol.
