Our Approach

We meet survivors where they are.Here’s what that looks like.

From our survivor-centered approach to our office golden retriever, you’ll find this is a different kind of law firm — one built around people, not process.

Institutional Abuse

Religious · Foster Care · TTI · Schools

Free Consultations

No pressure · No obligation · No judgment

100% Confidentiality

Honored in every case

This page is for survivors of institutional abuse — religious organizations, schools, foster care, residential treatment, wilderness programs, boot camps, and the Troubled Teen Industry. If that’s why you’re here, you’re in the right place.
A Different Kind of First Conversation

You don’t need to have everything figured out before you call.

Many of our clients come to us carrying experiences that are deeply personal — and, for some, still largely unspoken. We don’t take that lightly.

You don’t need every detail organized. You don’t need to know if you have a case. Our role is to listen, answer your questions, and move at a pace that feels right for you. No pressure. No obligation. No judgment.
Meet Georgia

Our office golden retriever — and registered therapy dog.

Georgia is an unofficial member of the team. She greets visitors at the door, settles in beside whoever needs her most, and has a way of making difficult conversations feel a little less difficult.

Georgia is a registered therapy dog, and it isn’t a coincidence that she’s here. For clients discussing painful or traumatic experiences — often for the first time — her calm, grounding presence can make a real difference. Many clients have told us so.

If you’d like Georgia to join your consultation, just mention it when you schedule.

Georgia, registered therapy dog at McGonagle Johnson
What We Mean by Survivor-Centered

That phrase gets used a lot. Here’s what it means in practice.

We return calls and emails promptly, because waiting is its own kind of stress.
We explain things in plain language, because legal complexity shouldn’t become another barrier.
We never minimize what happened to you or ask you to prove it before we’ve said hello.
For many survivors, the hardest part isn’t the legal process — it’s walking through our door.
Who We Represent

Institutional abuse takes many forms. We pursue accountability across all of them.

Religious Organizations
Churches, dioceses, ministries, and faith-based schools where adults exploited or failed to protect those in their care.
Foster Care Systems
State-licensed agencies, placement failures, and institutional neglect — when the system meant to protect children failed them instead.
Troubled Teen Industry
Residential treatment centers, therapeutic boarding schools, wilderness programs, and boot camps operating under the guise of behavioral health treatment.
Schools & Institutions
Public and private educational settings where students were subjected to abuse, coercion, or civil rights violations.
Other Trusted Settings
Any institution where adults in authority exploited or failed to protect the people in their care.

Not sure if your experience fits? Contact us anyway — that’s what the first conversation is for.

Ready when you are.

Consultations are free, confidential, and available by phone, video, or in person in Lee’s Summit.

Schedule a Free Consultation (816) 221-2222