Kurt Rasmussen likes to give back to his community. He contributes to various local and national organizations including Children’s Mercy Hospital, Little Sisters of the Poor, KC Hospice, City Union Mission, and Big Brothers, Big Sisters. He is an environmental law and products liability lawyer who tries cases. He sees his role as searching for facts to assist jurors in their service.
Kurt believes in the jury system and that jurors faithfully serve their fellow citizens in finding what the true facts are in order to render a decision under the law. He believes in equality under the law for everyone and strives to fulfill the blindfolded vision of Lady Justice: “Equality for all under the law without bias, or prejudice of any kind.” Respect for everyone is a principle that Kurt and all of the team at RDM believe in and actively strive to achieve.
Kurt has practiced law for forty years and has tried well in excess of fifty cases to verdict. His trials have been in dozens of states, including California, Pennsylvania, New York, Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, and Kansas.
In addition to asbestos products, he has defended products liability actions involving fireworks, scaffolding, tampons, nail guns, trailer hitches, printing presses, exercise equipment, gas valves, and combustible drums. Kurt is also experienced in employment law, nursing home litigation, commercial litigation, and class actions.
Kurt serves as the managing member of RDM’s Los Angeles office and is the leader of the Trial Tactics practice group.
PRESENTATIONS
• How to Pick a Jury, Trial Demonstration, Continuing Legal Education Series, University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School, 1989
• Contractors & Construction Defendants in Asbestos Litigation, Mealey’s Asbestos Seminar, 2001
• How to Get Your Opponent to Disclose the True Cause of Mesothelioma, Andrews Asbestos Seminar, 2005
• Trial Questionnaires, Voir Dire & Pretrial Strategy to Reduce Risk, Defense Research Institute, 2010
• Ethics in the Asbestos World, Defense Research Institute, 2010
• Prior Products, Current Problems: How the Ghosts of Product Litigation Past Shape the Current Landscape, Defense Research Institute, 2013
• The State of the Art Conduct Defense: Defeating Negligence & Punitive Damages, Defense, 2014
• Asbestos Litigation Seminar, 2014
• Defense of Take Home Exposure Cases, Las Vegas, NV, June 2015
HONORS & AWARDS
• Phi Beta Kappa, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
• Jessup International Moot Court Team, 1982, INTERNATIONAL LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
• AV-Rated Lawyer, 1998–PRESENT, MARTINDALE-HUBBELL
• Super Lawyer, Products Liability Defense, 2013–PRESENT, MISSOURI & KANSAS SUPERLAWYERS
• Product Liability Litigation: Defendants, 2016–PRESENT, BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA
• Top Defense Verdicts, 2018, MISSOURI LAWYER AWARDS
• Top 5 Missouri Defense Verdicts, 2018, MISSOURI LAWYERS WEEKLY
• Lawyer of the Year, Products Liability Litigation, 2023, BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA
CIVIC ACTIVITIES
• City Union Mission Bed & Bread Club
• Friends of the Kansas City Hospice
MEMBERSHIPS
• Civil Trial Law & Practice, National Board of Trial Advocacy
