Biography
Chip Sheppard is chair of the Cannabis/Marijuana Law Group and member of the Litigation/Dispute Resolution and Transactional Practice Groups of Carnahan Evans PC. He handles formation, development, transactions and dispute resolution/litigation in the marijuana/cannabis, health care and other industries, which includes licensing, business, real estate, employment, regulatory, acquisitions, lobbying, political consultation, banking, contracts, mergers, sales, municipal, planning and zoning, and intellectual property issues.
A substantial portion of Mr. Sheppard’s practice, as Chair of the Cannabis Law Group, is focused on Missouri’s newest industries: medical, adult use and micro-business marijuana and hemp; representing businesses around the United States and others navigating the newest Article to the Missouri Constitution and related regulations.
Mr. Sheppard also has substantial experience regarding securities claims and offerings, and other fraud and fiduciary duty related claims, both as an arbitrator and as counsel for the parties. Mr. Sheppard has tried a combined total of more than 70 arbitrations, state and federal trials, both jury and non-jury, in his areas of concentration, and settled hundreds more.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Mr. Sheppard is devoted to the profession through the following:
- Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association – Former Board Member and Former President
- Springfield Metropolitan Bar Foundation – Board Member
- Non-Partisan Court Plan Committee – Chairman
- American Bar Association
- The Missouri Bar
- Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association
- International Cannabis Bar Association
- Missouri Cannabis Trade Association (MoCannTrade) – Board of Directors, Governmental Affairs and Health Education and Training Committees
- Missouri Cannabis Industry Association
Mr. Sheppard is a former arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association, New York Stock Exchange, and since 2000 serves as an arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA f/k/a NASD).
PRIOR COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS
- Ozarks Technical Community College Board of Trustees – Trustee and Chair
- OTC Foundation Board of Directors
- Hickory Hills Country Club (2003-2011) – Director
- Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce – Governmental Relations Legislative Policy (Member); Voice of Business and Emerging Issues Committees
- First and Calvary Presbyterian Church – Elder and Trustee
- Leadership Springfield – Board of Directors
- Housing Authority of Springfield
ACCOLADES
- 2024 – 2010: Named to “The Best Lawyers in America®” list by the publication of the same name.
- 2023 Missouri Lawyers Media POWER List Top 30 Missouri Merger & Acquisition Attorneys
- 2021 and 2022: Voted the Best Cannabis Industry Law Firm statewide by the readers of Greenway Magazine, the leading Missouri cannabis trade magazine for industry licensees and ancillary businesses.
- 2020: Named Best Business Lawyer – Springfield/Southwest Missouri by Greenways Magazine.
- 2019: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Lawyer of the Year for leadership role in amending the Mo. Constitution to include Art. XIV – Medical Marijuana.
- 2017-2010, 2006, 2005: Selected to the “Missouri & Kansas – Super Lawyers” list by Law & Politics Magazine (top 5% according to peer review).
- 2008: Received The Missouri Bar and Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association President’s Awards in recognition of extraordinary service to those Associations and the legal profession for leading the expansion of the Missouri Plan to Greene County.
- 2008: Finalist for Missouri Lawyer of the Year.
- 2008: Co-Chaired the Greene Countians for Fair and Impartial Judges Committee which was responsible for the campaign to expand the Missouri Court Plan to Greene County.
- 2005: Elected as a Fellow of the American Bar Association, an honor bestowed upon less than .5 percent of the Bar.
- “AV” (highest rating) by Martindale Hubbell since 2009.
SAMPLING OF NOTABLE CASES
- 2014: Represented Plaintiffs in Reynolds, et al. v. City of Springfield, et al. pursuing claims against the City of Springfield and its City Council Members for the unconstitutional violation of Plaintiffs’ civil rights arising from the alleged conspiracy of the Defendants to prevent a city ballot issue asking voters to approve the lowering of penalties and expungement for marijuana possession offenses. Settled: $240,000.00.
- 2013: Represented local businesses against the City of Springfield successfully obtaining an injunction to prohibit the City from violating Plaintiffs’ civil rights by stopping the enforcement of an unconstitutional law burdening businesses with a City Code immigration law.
- 2008: Represented Banta Foods, Inc. as lead counsel in the sale of its assets and real estate to Reinhardt FoodService, LLC and its affiliate.
- 1988-present: Lead counsel in more than 200 federal and state court and arbitration intellectual property and securities matters that settled confidentially.
- 2008: Mr. Sheppard received a unanimous Greene County jury verdict alleging violation of the Missouri Securities Act fraud provisions against an individual promoter and the issuer in the amount of approximately $500,000.00, which included the original investment, interest and attorney’s fees on behalf of a Greene County resident.
- 2005: Obtained a NASD award against A.G. Edwards for $151,974.82 plus $25,412.76 in interest, $43,701.64 for attorney fees, $5,929.75 for costs and expenses, and $16,921.25 for expert fees, all on behalf of a Washington University professor alleging breach of fiduciary duty in a non-discretionary account.
- 2002: Obtained a $1,385,000 NASD arbitration award against A.G. Edwards based on unsuitability and over concentration in his clients’ non-discretionary brokerage accounts.
- 2001: Counsel to Wayne Newton in Wayne Newton: Tony Orlando v., in the United States District Court, Western District of Missouri which was resolved confidentially as to all claims and counterclaims.
- 2000: Obtained a full release and dismissal of claims for a guarantor client on a $600,000 guaranty of a car dealership line of credit.
- 1998: Obtained a $385,000 quantum meruit jury verdict in a small Southwest Missouri county as the value of introducing a local real estate developer to Wayne Newton.
- 1995, 1996: Counsel for the Springfield Twisters and other related entities in attempts to bring Double A Minor League baseball with major league affiliation to the Springfield, Missouri area.
- 1994: Represented Iowa Realty in the purchase of Southwest Missouri’s largest real estate firm, Carol Jones Realtors, as lead counsel in that acquisition.
- 1992: Represented Claimants in a securities arbitration proceeding against Paine, Webber and its registered representative on a suitability claim, resulting in an award of actual and punitive damages exceeding $320,000, despite the fact that the registered representative was the son-in-law of the claimants. The actual out-of-pocket losses, including interest, were less than $175,000.
- 1990: Represented Claimants in a 10-day securities arbitration proceeding resulting in a $450,000 actual damage award and a $450,000 punitive damage award against Stifel, Nicolaus and its registered representative after three other claimants (represented by other counsel) had failed to recover any award whatsoever in three separate arbitration proceedings against the same broker and the same firm for the same type of unsuitable trading activity.
EDUCATION
Southern Methodist University School of Law, J.D., 1983 (E. Eugene Mason Endowed Scholar)
Missouri State University, B.S., Accounting, with honors, 1980
PRACTICE AREAS
Acquisitions
Arbitration
Business
Condemnation
Corporate and LLC Organization and Maintenance
Construction
Government Relations
Intellectual Property
Investor Relations
Litigation
Lobbying
Mediation
Marijuana & Hemp
Mergers
Municipal
Planning & Zoning
Regulatory Compliance
Political Consulting
Real Estate
Securities
Trust and Estate Litigation
Biography
Chip Sheppard is chair of the Cannabis/Marijuana Law Group and member of the Litigation/Dispute Resolution and Transactional Practice Groups of Carnahan Evans PC. He handles formation, development, transactions and dispute resolution/litigation in the marijuana/cannabis, health care and other industries, which includes licensing, business, real estate, employment, regulatory, acquisitions, lobbying, political consultation, banking, contracts, mergers, sales, municipal, planning and zoning, and intellectual property issues.
A substantial portion of Mr. Sheppard’s practice, as Chair of the Cannabis Law Group, is focused on Missouri’s newest industries: medical, adult use and micro-business marijuana and hemp; representing businesses around the United States and others navigating the newest Article to the Missouri Constitution and related regulations.
Mr. Sheppard also has substantial experience regarding securities claims and offerings, and other fraud and fiduciary duty related claims, both as an arbitrator and as counsel for the parties. Mr. Sheppard has tried a combined total of more than 70 arbitrations, state and federal trials, both jury and non-jury, in his areas of concentration, and settled hundreds more.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Mr. Sheppard is devoted to the profession through the following:
- Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association – Former Board Member and Former President
- Springfield Metropolitan Bar Foundation – Board Member
- Non-Partisan Court Plan Committee – Chairman
- American Bar Association
- The Missouri Bar
- Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association
- International Cannabis Bar Association
- Missouri Cannabis Trade Association (MoCannTrade) – Board of Directors, Governmental Affairs and Health Education and Training Committees
- Missouri Cannabis Industry Association
Mr. Sheppard is a former arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association, New York Stock Exchange, and since 2000 serves as an arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA f/k/a NASD).
PRIOR COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS
- Ozarks Technical Community College Board of Trustees – Trustee and Chair
- OTC Foundation Board of Directors
- Hickory Hills Country Club (2003-2011) – Director
- Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce – Governmental Relations Legislative Policy (Member); Voice of Business and Emerging Issues Committees
- First and Calvary Presbyterian Church – Elder and Trustee
- Leadership Springfield – Board of Directors
- Housing Authority of Springfield
ACCOLADES
- 2024 – 2010: Named to “The Best Lawyers in America®” list by the publication of the same name.
- 2023 Missouri Lawyers Media POWER List Top 30 Missouri Merger & Acquisition Attorneys
- 2021 and 2022: Voted the Best Cannabis Industry Law Firm statewide by the readers of Greenway Magazine, the leading Missouri cannabis trade magazine for industry licensees and ancillary businesses.
- 2020: Named Best Business Lawyer – Springfield/Southwest Missouri by Greenways Magazine.
- 2019: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Lawyer of the Year for leadership role in amending the Mo. Constitution to include Art. XIV – Medical Marijuana.
- 2017-2010, 2006, 2005: Selected to the “Missouri & Kansas – Super Lawyers” list by Law & Politics Magazine (top 5% according to peer review).
- 2008: Received The Missouri Bar and Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association President’s Awards in recognition of extraordinary service to those Associations and the legal profession for leading the expansion of the Missouri Plan to Greene County.
- 2008: Finalist for Missouri Lawyer of the Year.
- 2008: Co-Chaired the Greene Countians for Fair and Impartial Judges Committee which was responsible for the campaign to expand the Missouri Court Plan to Greene County.
- 2005: Elected as a Fellow of the American Bar Association, an honor bestowed upon less than .5 percent of the Bar.
- “AV” (highest rating) by Martindale Hubbell since 2009.
SAMPLING OF NOTABLE CASES
- 2014: Represented Plaintiffs in Reynolds, et al. v. City of Springfield, et al. pursuing claims against the City of Springfield and its City Council Members for the unconstitutional violation of Plaintiffs’ civil rights arising from the alleged conspiracy of the Defendants to prevent a city ballot issue asking voters to approve the lowering of penalties and expungement for marijuana possession offenses. Settled: $240,000.00.
- 2013: Represented local businesses against the City of Springfield successfully obtaining an injunction to prohibit the City from violating Plaintiffs’ civil rights by stopping the enforcement of an unconstitutional law burdening businesses with a City Code immigration law.
- 2008: Represented Banta Foods, Inc. as lead counsel in the sale of its assets and real estate to Reinhardt FoodService, LLC and its affiliate.
- 1988-present: Lead counsel in more than 200 federal and state court and arbitration intellectual property and securities matters that settled confidentially.
- 2008: Mr. Sheppard received a unanimous Greene County jury verdict alleging violation of the Missouri Securities Act fraud provisions against an individual promoter and the issuer in the amount of approximately $500,000.00, which included the original investment, interest and attorney’s fees on behalf of a Greene County resident.
- 2005: Obtained a NASD award against A.G. Edwards for $151,974.82 plus $25,412.76 in interest, $43,701.64 for attorney fees, $5,929.75 for costs and expenses, and $16,921.25 for expert fees, all on behalf of a Washington University professor alleging breach of fiduciary duty in a non-discretionary account.
- 2002: Obtained a $1,385,000 NASD arbitration award against A.G. Edwards based on unsuitability and over concentration in his clients’ non-discretionary brokerage accounts.
- 2001: Counsel to Wayne Newton in Wayne Newton: Tony Orlando v., in the United States District Court, Western District of Missouri which was resolved confidentially as to all claims and counterclaims.
- 2000: Obtained a full release and dismissal of claims for a guarantor client on a $600,000 guaranty of a car dealership line of credit.
- 1998: Obtained a $385,000 quantum meruit jury verdict in a small Southwest Missouri county as the value of introducing a local real estate developer to Wayne Newton.
- 1995, 1996: Counsel for the Springfield Twisters and other related entities in attempts to bring Double A Minor League baseball with major league affiliation to the Springfield, Missouri area.
- 1994: Represented Iowa Realty in the purchase of Southwest Missouri’s largest real estate firm, Carol Jones Realtors, as lead counsel in that acquisition.
- 1992: Represented Claimants in a securities arbitration proceeding against Paine, Webber and its registered representative on a suitability claim, resulting in an award of actual and punitive damages exceeding $320,000, despite the fact that the registered representative was the son-in-law of the claimants. The actual out-of-pocket losses, including interest, were less than $175,000.
- 1990: Represented Claimants in a 10-day securities arbitration proceeding resulting in a $450,000 actual damage award and a $450,000 punitive damage award against Stifel, Nicolaus and its registered representative after three other claimants (represented by other counsel) had failed to recover any award whatsoever in three separate arbitration proceedings against the same broker and the same firm for the same type of unsuitable trading activity.
EDUCATION
Southern Methodist University School of Law, J.D., 1983 (E. Eugene Mason Endowed Scholar)
Missouri State University, B.S., Accounting, with honors, 1980
PRACTICE AREAS
Acquisitions
Arbitration
Business
Condemnation
Corporate and LLC Organization and Maintenance
Construction
Government Relations
Intellectual Property
Investor Relations
Litigation
Lobbying
Mediation
Marijuana & Hemp
Mergers
Municipal
Planning & Zoning
Regulatory Compliance
Political Consulting
Real Estate
Securities
Trust and Estate Litigation
