Employment law · Kansas City
Fired, unpaid, or asked to sign something?
We're four employment lawyers in Kansas City. Tell us what happened, and one of us will call you back within one business day.
- Four employment lawyers
- Licensed in Missouri and Kansas
- Serving clients on both sides of State Line Road
A small firm that reads every page.
Mercer Caldwell is four lawyers who work on one thing: what happens between people and the places they work. Most of our clients come to us because someone they trust sent them. We'd like you to leave the first conversation knowing more than you did, whether or not you hire us.
If you're here because something just happened
You don't have to have it figured out.
You may have been let go this morning. You may have been short on your paycheck for months, or have a severance agreement on the kitchen table with a deadline on it. You don't need the right words or a stack of documents to call. Tell us what happened in your own words. We'll ask the questions, tell you plainly what we see, and tell you what we'd do next.
Two things are worth knowing now:
Deadlines are real.
Some employment claims must be filed with a state or federal agency within months. A severance offer usually has its own date. If you have a date in front of you, tell us when you reach out.
Don't sign yet.
If you've been handed an agreement, you are almost always allowed to take time to read it, and to have a lawyer read it.
What we do
Four kinds of work.
- 01
Wrongful termination
If you were let go for a reason the law doesn't allow (discrimination, retaliation, taking leave you were entitled to), we look at what happened and tell you whether you have a claim.
About wrongful termination → - 02
Wage claims
If you weren't paid overtime, were paid as a contractor when you worked like an employee, or are missing a final paycheck, we work out what you're owed and go after it.
About wage claims → - 03
Severance review
If you've been offered a severance agreement, we read it line by line, explain what you'd be giving up, and, when there's room, negotiate for more.
About severance review → - 04
Employer advice
If you run a business, we help you handle hiring, discipline, and terminations the right way, so a hard decision doesn't become a lawsuit.
About employer advice →
Founding partner
Helen Mercer
Helen has represented employees in Kansas City for more than twenty years. Most people meet her on the worst week of their working life. Her first job, as she puts it, is to slow it down: get the dates straight, get the papers in one place, and say plainly what the law does and doesn't cover.
My first job is to slow it down. Get the dates straight, get the papers in one place, and say plainly what the law covers.Meet all four attorneys →
What a first conversation looks like
What happens when you reach out.
You tell us what happened.By phone, or through the short form. A few sentences is enough.
We check for conflicts.We make sure we don't already represent your employer. This is quick, and it's why we ask for the company's name.
A lawyer calls you.Not an intake script. One of the four of us, within one business day.
We tell you what we see.In the consultation we go through your situation, explain your options, and tell you how we'd charge if you hire us. The first consultation is free.
Ready when you are.
Book a time, or call and ask for whoever is free.