Built Upon Tradition
FPSS was established in 1909 when Hugh T. Fisher, a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law, set up his private law firm in Topeka, Kansas. In addition to building a highly successful general law practice, Mr. Fisher served as the Shawnee County Attorney for a number of years during which time he became acquainted with Irwin Snattinger. The two men merged their law practices in the early 1920s and earned their reputations as well-regarded litigators in the areas of insurance defense, workers compensation and banking law. Mr. Fisher’s father-in-law, Edward Smith, joined them a short time later.
In 1938, David Fisher, one of Mr. Fisher’s four sons, joined the firm. He and Mr. Snattinger continued the practice following Mr. Fisher’s death in 1940. In 1955, David Fisher and Donald Patterson, a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Law, entered into a law partnership. These two men continued their association with Mr. Snattinger until his retirement.
The firm’s general law and litigation practice continued to thrive and further expanded into practice areas including medical malpractice defense, hospital law and construction and real estate litigation. In 1959, Keith Sayler joined the firm, specializing in workers compensation cases. E. Dudley Smith became a partner in the firm in 1966, formally creating Fisher, Patterson, Sayler & Smith.
Since the late 1950’s, FPSS has continued to increase in size and areas of legal expertise. In 1990, the firm opened an office in Overland Park, Kansas, in order to better serve an expanding business base in the Kansas City metropolitan area and the State of Missouri.
FPSS lawyers currently represent clients throughout Kansas and Missouri in practice areas including antitrust, appellate practice, bankruptcy and creditor’s rights, business transactions and litigation, civil rights, governmental liability, construction litigation, corporate law, employment and labor relations law, environmental litigation, estate planning and probate, insurance defense, health care law, pharmacy law, product liability, professional liability, real estate and zoning law, tort litigation and workers compensation.
FPSS brings an in-depth understanding to the legal challenges confronting its clients, actively anticipating and responding to our clients’ concerns and needs in a capable and cost-efficient manner. We aggressively represent our clients while striving to maintain the utmost integrity of our firm and profession.
