Galloway, Johnson, Tompkins, Burr & Smith (GJTBS) announced the addition of the Title Resolution Team to the St. Louis office. The group is led by attorney Scott Mueller, a former principal of Danna McKitrick, P.C., and comprised of Kristin Steinkamp, Esq. and Rebecca Spurgin, ACP both also formerly of Danna McKitrick, P.C. The firm recently added another paralegal and plans to soon add a title litigation attorney for the St. Louis office. GJTBS will expand their ability to handle this type of work for their clients in their other offices. The addition of this practice group in St. Louis will not only to support the needs of clients in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas, but also that of their clients in the other jurisdictions in which GJTBS has a presence.
“The real estate title industry and market demand a level of sophistication, efficiency and resource that Galloway, Johnson, Tompkins, Burr & Smith provides without sacrificing service and the human touch. We are very excited about the move to GJTBS because we’ll be able to improve our proven title litigation practice in every capacity and still be able to adapt to our clients’ needs — we are growing with them.” said Mueller. He added that GJTBS’ subject matter familiarity, lack of bureaucracy and autonomy was what attracted his team to GJTBS.
Mueller practices real property law throughout Kansas, Missouri and Illinois and concentrates in the areas of real estate and banking litigation.
Mueller began working in the real estate industry as a title agent law clerk and now often represents homeowners, lenders and title insurance companies with a wide spectrum of issues surrounding property ownership and enjoyment and real estate secured lending. He has handled hundreds of real estate cases and title insurance claims, large and small, in three states at a time of tremendous market change and legal development. Efficiency and reliable service are the hallmarks of Mueller’s practice and the reasons why his clients consistently and repeatedly look to his practice group to resolve a host of real estate problems.
Mueller is licensed to practice in Kansas, Missouri and Illinois, including the U.S. District Courts of Kansas, Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri, the Central and Southern Districts of Illinois. He is registered in the Cook County, Illinois Bar and regularly represents clients from Wichita to Chicago. Mueller is a frequent speaker and presenter at CLE conferences and has spoken on issues such as recession-related title defects, mechanic’s liens, title insurance fundamentals, landlord and tenant law, mediation and presenting evidence in real estate cases. Mueller’s article, “Is Equitable Subrogation Dead for Lenders and Insurers in Missouri” was published in the August 2010 edition of the Journal of the Missouri Bar.
Steinkamp represents lenders and insurers who face potential adverse claims implicating owners or lenders’ title insurance policies, as well as owners or contractors regarding property-related matters. She litigates quiet title and reformation actions, defends mechanic’s lien actions, and resolves disputes involving adverse possession and boundary or lien priority.
Steinkamp is licensed in Missouri and Illinois and is a member of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St Louis, the Chicago Bar Association, Chi Omega St. Louis Alumnae Chapter, and the Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) St. Louis Chapter. She also serves on the PayBack, Inc. Board of Directors and the Children’s Miracle Network’s Champions for Children Board.
Spurgin, ACP, has over 20 years in civil litigation paralegal experience, specializing in real estate and title resolution.
Spurgin has held the CLA credential issued by The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) since 2003. The CLA exam is a rigorous two-day examination divided into five sections including communications, judgment and analytical ability, ethics, legal research and substantive law. This credential must be renewed every five years with 50 hours of continuing legal education. She also holds an ACP credential demonstrating advanced knowledge in discovery practices, which was issued by NALA in 2011.