Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys - General Defense
- Telephone: 307-632-6421
- Fax: 307-632-7216
- E-Mail: atty@spkm.org
- Website: www.spkm.org
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 328, Cheyenne, WY 82003
Established: 1972
Practice Areas
- Insurance Defense
- Automobile
- General Liability
- Product Liability
- Bodily Injury
- Property Damage
- Bad Faith
- Hospital Malpractice
- Medical Malpractice
- Construction Law
- Legal Malpractice
- Governmental Liability
- Utilities Law
About Us
Sundahl, Powers, Kapp & Martin, LLC, has provided first-rate legal services to individuals and corporations throughout the state of Wyoming since the 1920s. Today, the attorneys bring to the table more than two hundred years of collective experience.
The firm specializes in civil defense litigation. The attorneys at SPKM have developed expertise in a wide variety of areas, including personal injury, tort liability, professional malpractice, insurance defense, railroads, governmental liability, and employment. They also maintain a small estate planning practice. SPKM also frequently represents both plaintiffs and defendants in construction litigation. The firm has an active administrative law practice, which includes representation of clients before the governmental boards, agencies and bodies.
SPKM has been honored by the loyalty and respect of long-term clients, who have repeatedly looked to them for advice. The attorneys have also long been recognized by their peers as exemplars of the highest ethical and professional standards. SPKM has the highest rating available from Martindale-Hubbell for professional and ethical standards (AV), and its attorneys are consistently recognized as leaders in their fields by Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America and other publications.
Client Information
Insurance Clients
Non-Insurance Clients
- Albertsons, Inc.
- Black Hills Corporation
- BNSF Railway Company
- Hamlin & Burton
- HollyFrontier Corporation
- Monument Builders, Inc.
- Safeway, Inc.
- Sinclair Oil Corporation
- Spiegelberg Lumber & Building Company
- State of Wyoming
- University of Wyoming
- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
- Wyoming Contractors Association
Personnel Information
Firm Members
John A. Sundahl
Cheyenne, WY
Years of Experience: 50
Practice Areas
- Administrative Law
- Insurance Law
- Litigation
- Medical Malpractice
- Product Liability
- Professional Liability
- Tax Litigation
- Utility Regulation
Admitted
- Wyoming, 1972
- U.S. District Court, District of Wyoming, 1972
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1972
Memberships:
- American and Laramie County Bar Associations
- Wyoming State Bar
- Defense Lawyers Association of Wyoming
- Defense Research Institute
- American Board of Trial Advocates
Reported Cases:
Araguz v. State ex rel. Wyo. Workers' Safety & Comp. Div., 2011 WY 148; 262 P.3d 1261 (Wyo. 2011); Sinclair Oil Corp. v. Wyo. Dep't of Revenue, 2010 WY 122; 238 P.3d 568 (Wyo. 2010); Dollarhide v. Bancroft, 2010 WY 126; 239 P.3d 1168 (Wyo. 2010); Jones v. Schabron, 2005 WY 65; 113 P.3d 34 (Wyo. 2005); Tozzi v. Moffett, 2018 WY 133, 430 P.3d 754 (Wyo. 2018)
Education:
- University of Wyoming, B.A., 1970
- University of Wyoming, J.D. (with honors), 1972
Born: 1948
Paul Kapp
Cheyenne, WY
Years of Experience: 38
Practice Areas
- Civil Litigation
- Construction
- Professional Liability
- Product Liability and Complex Torts
- Oil, Gas and Energy and Emergency Response
- Workplace Safety and Emergency Response
- Trucking, Transportation and Emergency Response
Admitted
- Wyoming, 1984
- Nebraska (Inactive), 1999
- U.S. District Court, District of Wyoming, 1984
Additional Biographical Details:
"AV" Rated by Martindale-Hubbell; Super Lawyers, Personal Injury; General Defense (2012-2021)
Memberships:
- Wyoming State Bar
- Laramie County Bar Association
- Defense Lawyers Association of Wyoming
- Trucking Industry Defense Association
Reported Cases:
Ogle v. Caterpillar Tractor Co., 716 P 2d 334 (Wyo 1986); Harmon vs. Town of Afton, 745 P 2d 889 (Wyo. 1987); Daulton v. Daulton, 774 P.2d 635 (Wyo. 1989); Vasquez v. Wal-Mart Stores, 913 P. 2d 441 (Wyo. 1996); McCarthy v. James E. Simon Co., 923 P.2d 747 (Wyo. 1996);FEDEX Ground Package System, 2018 WY 7, 408 P3d 1156 (Wyo. 2018)
Education:
- University of Wyoming, B.S. (with honors), 1981
- University of Wyoming, J.D., 1984
Honors:
Phi Beta Kappa
Military:
U.S. Army, 2nd Ranger Battalion
Born: 1956
Raymond W. Martin
Cheyenne, WY
Years of Experience: 36
Practice Areas
- Administrative Law
- Civil Litigation
- Construction Law
- Insurance Defense
Admitted
- Wyoming, 1986
- Colorado (Inactive), 1986
- U.S. District Court, District of Wyoming, 1986
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, 1986
Additional Biographical Details:
Best Lawyers (2006-Present); Super Lawyers (2008-Present); "AV" Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Memberships:
- American and Laramie County Bar Associations
- Wyoming State Bar
- Defense Research Institute
Reported Cases:
Sky Harbor v. Cheyenne Regional Airport BD., 368 P.3d 264 (Wyo. 2016); Redco Const. v. Profile Properties, LLC, 271 P.3d 408 (Wyo. 2012); Hendricks v. Hurley, 184 P.3d 680 (Wyo. 2008)
Education:
- University of Wyoming, B.A. (with honors), 1983
- University of Wyoming, J.D., 1986
Fraternity Information:
Phi Kappa Delta, Phi Beta Kappa
Born: 1954
Kay Lynn Bestol
Cheyenne, WY
Years of Experience: 31
Practice Areas
- Appellate Practice
- Civil Litigation
- Insurance Defense
- Governmental Liability
- Commercial Litigation
Admitted
- Texas (Inactive), 1991
- Wyoming, 1992
- Nebraska (Inactive), 1992
- Colorado (Inactive), 1995
- U.S. District Court, District of Wyoming, 1992
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, 1992
Additional Biographical Details:
Benchmark (Top 250 Women in Litigation, 2012-2014; Tenth Circuit Litigation Star, 2012-2013; Local Litigation Star, 2010-2012); Rocky Mountain Super Lawyers (Top 50 Women, 2016-2017; Civil Litigation-Defense; Civil Litigation, Personal Injury-Medical Malpractice, Civil Rights, Professional Liability, 2013-2022); U.S. News Best Lawyers (2023 Lawyer of the Year for (Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation- Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2013-2022); Chambers & Partners - Litigation: General Commercial; First Judicial District State Bar Commissioner (2011-2013); Local Civil Rules Committee for the US District Court (2012-2013); Wyoming E-filing Design Team (2012-2013); Wyoming Board of Law Examiners (2002-2008, Chair, 2006-2008)
Memberships:
- American, Nebraska State and Laramie County (President, 2001-2002) Bar Associations
- State Bar of Texas
- Wyoming State Bar (Continuing Legal Education Committee Chair, 2010-2012; Law School Liaison Committee, 2003-2008, 2012-2013)
- Defense Lawyers Association of Wyoming (President, 2000-2001)
- Defense Research Institute (State Representative, 2001-2003, 2016-2019)
- Ewing T. Kerr Inns of Court
Reported Cases:
Brunkhardt v. Mountain West Farm Bureau, 691 N.W.2d 147 (Neb. 2005); Long v. Daly, 2007 WY 69; 156 P.3d 994 (Wyo. 2007); Boyer-Gladden v. Hill, 2010 WY 12; 224 P.3d 21 (Wyo. 2010); Shue v. Custis, 531 Fed. Appx. 941 (10th Cir. 2013); Avitabile v. Wyoming, 738 Fed.Appx. 599 (10th Cir. 2018); Hedquist v. Walsh, 786 Fed.Appx. 130 (10th Cir. 2019); Hedquist v. Beamer, 763 Fed.Appx. 705 (10th Cir. 2019)
Education:
- Doane College, B.A. (summa cum laude), 1987
- Christian Albrechts Universitat, 1988
- The University of Texas School of Law, J.D. (with honors), 1991
Law Review:
Symposium Editor, Texas International Law Journal (1990-1991)
Honors:
Fulbright Scholar (1987-1988)
Born: 1965
Jane M. France
Cheyenne, WY
Years of Experience: 11
Practice Areas
- Administrative Law
- Insurance Law
- Litigation
- Medical Malpractice
- Product Liability
- Tax Litigation
- Utility Regulation
Admitted
- Wyoming, 2011
- U.S. District Court, District of Wyoming
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
Additional Biographical Details:
University of Wyoming Alumni Association (Board of Directors); Super Lawyers 2019-Present
Memberships:
- American and Laramie County Bar Associations
- Defense Lawyers Association of Wyoming (President 2017-2019)
- Ewing T. Kerr Inns of Court
- Defense Research Institute (State Representative 2019-Present)
Reported Cases:
Collins v. COP Wyo., LLC, 2016 WY 18; Sky Harbor Air Serv. v. Cheyenne Reg'l Airport Bd., 2016 WY 17; Worker's Comp. Claim of Gonzalez v. Reiman Corp., 2015 WY 134; Dirks v. Jimenez, 2015 WY 36
Education:
- University of Wyoming, B.A., 2008
- University of Wyoming, J.D., 2011
Born: 1986
Andrew F. Sears
Cheyenne, WY
Years of Experience: 13
Practice Areas
- Medical Malpractice
- Personal Injury Defense
- Insurance Law
- Administrative Law
- Civil Litigation
- Collections
- Trucking Defense
Admitted
- Wyoming, 2009
- U.S. District Court, District of Wyoming, 2011
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, 2017
Memberships:
- Wyoming State Bar
- Defense Lawyers Association of Wyoming
- Defense Research Institute
Reported Cases:
PNS Stores, Inc. d/b/a Big Lots v. Capital City Properties, LLC, 2022 WY 101 (Wyo. 2022); C’Hair v. Dist. Court of Ninth Judicial Dist., 2015 WY 116, 357 P.3d 723 (Wyo. 2015); Stroth v. North Lincoln County Hosp. Dist., 2014 WY 81, 327 P.3d 121 (Wyo. 2014); Harmon v. Star Valley Medical Center, 2014 WY 90, 331 P.3d 1174 (Wyo. 2014); Miller v. Beyer, 2014 WY 84, 329 P.3d 956 (Wyo. 2014); Bilyeu v. Wyo. Workers’ Safety and Comp. Div., 2012 WY141, 287 P.3d 773 (Wyo.2012); Zeimens v. City of Torrington, 2012 WY 97, 280 P.3d 1181 (Wyo. 2012)
Education:
- Casper College, A.S., 2004
- University of Wyoming, B.S., 2006
- University of Wyoming, J.D., 2009
Born: 1983
Associate
Patrick Brady
Cheyenne, WY
Years of Experience: 6
Admitted
- Colorado, 2014
- Wyoming, 2015
- U.S. District Court, District of Wyoming, 2015
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Wyoming, 2017
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal and Tenth Circuits, 2017
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado, 2020
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Colorado, 2020
Memberships:
- Wyoming State Bar
- Laramie County Bar Association
- Defense Lawyers Association of Wyoming
- Defense Research Institute
Reported Cases:
Sky Harbor Air Serv. v. Cheyenne Reg'l Airport Bd., 2016 WY 17; Bogdanski v. Budzik, 2018 WY 7, 408 P3d 1156 (Wyo. 2018)
Education:
- Colorado State University, B.A., 2010
- University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, J.D., 2014
Born: 1981
Articles
Post-Accident Conduct as a Basis for Punitive Damages by Patrick M. Brady, DRI
Foreign Subpoenas and the UIDDA by Patrick M. Brady, Facts and Findings: The Paralegal Magazine
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