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Formerly Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C.

Our History

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John M. Carnahan Jr.
John M. Carnahan Jr.

About

In 1979, John M. Carnahan, III, a third generation tax attorney practicing in Springfield, Missouri, and a recent graduate of the University of Miami School of Law, Masters of Law Tax Program, joined with his father, John M. Carnahan, Jr., retired head of the largest bank trust department in southwest Missouri, to form the law firm of Carnahan and Carnahan, P.C. Within a year, William E. Evans, a tax attorney with a Masters of Law in Taxation from Southern Methodist University, joined the firm. The firm continued to grow as outstate Missouri’s preeminent tax, business and corporate law firm. With a current total of seven attorneys of the firm with their Masters of Law in Taxation, the firm offers advice on estate, corporate, personal, sales, gift and other taxation issues.

Our Story Continues…

Within a few years, Clifford S. Brown joined the firm to oversee its Estate Planning Practice Group and help the firm become outstate Missouri’s preeminent estate planning firm consisting of five attorneys, offering estate planning, probate and trust administration throughout the state.

In 1995, the firm expanded by offering comprehensive dispute resolution services. The firm’s Dispute Resolution Practice Group has grown to seven attorneys, handling commercial disputes including the litigation, arbitration and mediation of business, transactional, commercial, securities, employment, environmental, probate, non-competition and confidentiality, copyright, banking, trademark and trade name, entertainment, real estate, condemnation, zoning, regulatory, licensing, franchise, and insurance disputes. In 2000, former City Manager and City Attorney, Don G. Busch, joined the firm to expand the firm’s practice to include local government law and land development.

The three practice areas of the firm overlap due to the related nature of these services, resulting in a powerful synergy, which greatly benefits firm clientele.

Celebrating over 40 years of service, the attorneys at Carnahan Evans are active in the affairs of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association, The Missouri Bar, and The American Bar Association. The firm’s attorneys have been recognized locally, regionally, and nationally by their peers.

While the firm prides itself on the integrity of the legal work we perform, we are also deeply committed to our service in civic and charitable activities, including serving on the Boards of organizations such as the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, the Board of Curators of the University of Missouri, the Springfield-Greene County Library Foundation, the Discovery Center, and the Developmental Center of the Ozarks.

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A Nod to History

A Nod to History

John E Price
C Bradford Cantwell
Jennifer K Huckfeldt
William E Evans
Howard C Wright Jr
Don G Busch
Clifford S Brown
John Carnahan Jr

Timeline

Timeline

  • 1979

    Firm Founded

    John M. Carnahan, III joined with his father, John M. Carnahan, Jr. to form the law firm of Carnahan and Carnahan, P.C.

  • 1979

    William E. Evans joins the firm

    William E. Evans, a tax attorney with a Masters of Law in Taxation from Southern Methodist University, joined the firm.

  • 1981

    Firm name change

    Acknowledging William E. Evans, the firm name changed to Carnahan, Carnahan & Evans, PC.

  • 1986

    Bradford Cantwell joins the firm

    Bradford Cantwell joined as a shareholder in the Transactional Practice Group. The firm name changed to Carnahan, Carnahan, Evans & Cantwell, PC.

  • 1986

    Frank C. Carnahan joins the firm

    Frank C. Carnahan joined the firm as a member in the Transactional Practice Group.

  • 1988

    Clifford S. Brown joins the firm

    Clifford S. Brown joined the firm to oversee its Estate Planning Practice Group. The firm name changed to Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, PC.

  • 1995

    Firm expands by offering comprehensive dispute resolution services

    In 1995, Joseph D. “Chip” Sheppard III joined the firm and expanded the firm by offering comprehensive dispute resolution services. 

  • 2000

    Firm expands to include local government law and land development

    The former City Manager and City Attorney, Don G. Busch, joined the firm to expand the firm’s practice to include local government law and land development.

  • 2002

    Firm relocates to standalone building

    The firm moves its office location from the Corporate Center to Ingram Mill Road.

  • 2022

    Rebrands as Carnahan Evans PC

    Formerly known as Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C., the name change to Carnahan Evans PC ensures the firm remains on the leading edge of legal trends and enhances the services offered to clients, all while continuing to honor and respect the firm’s strong history in its community and State.

  • The Present

    Celebrating over 45 years of service

    The attorneys at Carnahan Evans are active in the affairs of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association, The Missouri Bar, and The American Bar Association. The firm’s attorneys have been recognized locally, regionally, and nationally by their peers.