Patrick J. Platter attended the University of Missouri-Columbia, earning his Bachelor degrees (A.B., Political Science and Economics) in 1978 and his law degree (J.D.) in 1981. Mr. Platter has practiced law in Springfield for over twenty years. He was a law clerk for the Honorable George M. Flanigan of the Missouri Court of Appeals-Southern District from 1981-1982 and was an assistant prosecuting attorney for Greene County from 1982-1983. He has been in private practice since then and joined Neale & Newman on January 1, 2002.

Mr. Platter focuses his practice upon work related injury litigation and planning models for employers, land use law, administrative law, and a general trial practice. His on the job injury litigation practice includes workers' compensation, disability benefit litigation, return to work issues for injured employees, personal injury, and litigation in various settings such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, and federal and state antidiscrimination statutes. This practice also includes planning with businesses to develop employment policies concerning these areas. His practice in land use law includes both litigation and work with governmental entities to develop land use practices in the public interest. Some of the notable cases he has litigated that are reported include Miller v. City of Springfield, 146 F.3d 612 (8th Cir. 1998); (personality characteristics of police academy applicants and the Americans with Disabilities Act); Hillenburg v. Cox Medical Center, 879 S.W.3d 652 (Mo.App. S.D. 1994) (notice to employers in workers' compensation); Loyd v. Ozark Electric Cooperative Inc., 6 S.W.3rd 579 (Mo.App. S.D. 1999) (the significance of OSHA violations in workers' compensation claims); and Banks v. Springfield Park Care Center, 981 S.W.2d 161 (Mo.App. S.D. 1998) (authorization of treatment in workers' compensation).

Mr. Platter is the author of Chapter 1 (History, Administration and Jurisdiction) of the Workers' Compensation CLE Deskbook for the Missouri Bar Association, has published in the Missouri Bar Journal, Workers' Compensation Law Review and regularly speaks before interested groups on topics concerning workers' compensation, employment law and return to work issues.

Areas of Practice:
Appeals
Employment Law
Personal Injury & Wrongful Death
Workers' Compensation

Bar Admissions:
Missouri, 1981
U.S. District Court Western District of Missouri
U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit

Professional Associations/Memberships:
American Bar Association, Tort Law Section
Defense Research Institute
Division of Family Services, Child Protection Team, 1982 - 1983 
Greene County Bar Association
Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association, 1997 - 2000, 2004 - 2007
  Board of Directors, 2004
  Child Advocacy Council, Board of Directors
The Missouri Bar Association
  Workers' Compensation Committee,  (Vice Chairman, 2002, 1997 - 1998)
Vision 20/20 - City of Springfield/Greene County, 1994 
  Coordinating Committee, 2003 - 2004

Honors and Awards:
Named in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, 2010, 2011

Civic Involvement:
Board of Public Utilities, 2005 - 2011
  Chairman, 2011
Boy Scouts of America, Troop 89, Springfield, Missouri
   former Adult Leader
City of Springfield
  Planning and Zoning Commission, Chairman, 1999 - 2003 
    Chairman, 2000 - 2003
  Mayor's Traffic Advisory Board, 1992 - 1996
Legal Aid of Southwest Missouri, 1989 - 1995
  Board of Directors, 1989 - 1995

Representative Classes/Seminars:
"2006 Annual Law Update", Missouri Bar, 2006
"Basic Workers' Compensation Benefits", Lorman Education, 2006
"How to Manage Your Workers' Compensation Nightmare", Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield, 2006
"Spotlight on Safety & Workers' Compensation", Southwest Area Manufacturers' Association, 2006
"Common Misconceptions in Workers' Compensation", Skaggs Community Health Center, 2005
"Workers' Compensation Law Update", Kids Chance Seminar, 2005
Practical Guide to Zoning and Land Use Law in Missouri, National Business Institute, Springfield, Missouri, June 11, 2004
Expert Testimony in Missouri Civil Litigation, Southwest Missouri Paralegal Association, Springfield, Missouri, April 3, 2004
Workers' Compensation Liens in Missouri Personal Injury Actions, Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association, February 19, 2004
Fundamentals of Workers' Compensation in Missouri-Procedure, Sterling Education Services, Springfield, Missouri, February 11, 2004
"HIPPA Privacy and Workers' Compensation in Missouri", Lorman Education Services, Springfield, Missouri, December 18, 2003
"The Five Most Common Injuries in Workers' Compensation", Springfield, Missouri, November 21, 2003
"Interaction Between Workers' Compensation and ADA/FMLA", Introduction to Workers' Compensation in Missouri, Lorman Education Services, Springfield, Missouri, March 4, 2003
"Document, Document, Document...", Human Resource Conference Associated Industries of Missouri, Lake of the Ozarks, November 7, 2002 - November 8, 2002
"Most Recent Issues in Medical Treatment", Workers' Compensation in Missouri, Lorman Education Services, Springfield, Missouri, August 27, 2002
"Mediation in Workers' Compensation", Annual Conference on Workers' Compensation Issues, Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation, Lake of the Ozarks, June 11, 2002
"Trends in Recent Court Decisions", Southwest Missouri Employers' Workers' Compensation Forum Breakfast, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Joplin, Missouri, April 12, 2002
"Common Misconceptions and Implications of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Family and Medical Leave Act", Introduction to Workers' Compensation in Missouri, Lorman Education Services, Springfield, Missouri, January 23, 2002
"Employment Documentation-Avoiding Costly Liability", Associated Industries of Missouri, Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, November 9, 2000
"Six Common Misconceptions in Workers' Compensation", Advanced Workers' Compensation in Missouri, Lorman Education Services, Springfield, Missouri, August 23, 2000
"Effective Employee Record Keeping", Associated Industries of Missouri, Employment Law institute, November 11, 1999
"Employment Law 101, A Thorough Review of Federal and State Laws", Associated Industries of Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri, April 6, 1999
"Restoring Injured Employees to Work", Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association, 7th Annual Workers' Compensation Seminar, Case Law Update, April 11, 1997
"Workers' Compensation in Missouri Including Issues of Self-Insurance - Recent Cases of Employer Liability in Workers' Compensation", Employer Liability and Workplace Safety Lorman Education Services, September 17, 1996
"Workers' Compensation in Missouri Including Issues of Self-Insurance - The Future of Workers Compensation", Lorman Business Center Workers' Compensation Seminar, May 19, 1995
Workers' Compensation Seminars, Missouri Division of Employment Security, Employer Committees, West Plains Office, March 22, 1995
"Reshaping Workers' Compensation Practice in Missouri - Workers' Compensation Case Law Update 1992 to 1993", University of Missouri Columbia School of Law Seminar, September 9, 1993
"Safety Programs, Loss Control and Timely Investigation of Claims", Lorman Business Center, Inc. Seminar, May 25, 1994
"Coverage of Claims and Other Developments in Missouri Workers' Compensation", Lorman Business Center Seminar, February 24, 1993
"Carpal Tunnel Syndrome", Ozarks Safety and Health Conference Seminar, Springfield, Missouri, October 17, 1991
"Common Questions of Employers in Workers' Compensation", Employers' Committee Program, Missouri Division of Employment Security, Springfield, Missouri, 1990

Published Works:
Workers' Compensation CLE Desk Book, Chapter 1, "History, Administration and Jurisdiction", Missouri Bar, 1994, 2002, 2008, 2011
"New Challenges for Workers' Compensation in Missouri," Associated Industries of Missouri, 2005
"1990 Amendments to the Missouri Workers' Compensation Law," Missouri Bar Journal, July-August Issue, 1991

Past Employment Positions:
Neale & Newman, L.L.P., Of Counsel, 2002 - 2004
Daniel, Clampett Powell & Cunningham, L.L.C., Partner, 1988 - 2001
Daniel, Clampett Powell & Cunningham, L.L.C., Associate, 1983 - 1987
Greene County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, 1982 - 1983
Honorable George M. Flanigan, Law Clerk, 1981 - 1982