Matt DePaz is a partner at Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP in Kansas City. From Detroit, MI, DePaz graduated from Northern Illinois University School of Law and joined The Missouri Bar in 2013. He serves as the Western Appellate District representative on The Missouri Bar Young Lawyers’ Section Council.
What attracted you to your specific area of law?
A significant part of my practice centers on representing companies in the health and life sciences industries. I had several opportunities to work for companies in this space prior to law school, and I was inspired by my colleagues’ desire to improve quality of life for those with health challenges. So, I wanted to represent these companies' contributions to medicine as part of my practice.
Who is your legal mentor?
Chris Kaufman was my office neighbor when I first started at Shook, and he invested a lot of time towards my development. He is a brilliant strategist, and one of the most well-rounded lawyers I know.
What do you most enjoy about serving on the YLS Council?
I value the friendships most. YLS has a diverse group of members: litigators, counselors, prosecutors, in-house counsel, and defense lawyers. All bring a unique perspective on the practice of law, and many have become close friends that I look forward to working alongside for years to come.
What would you like new Missouri lawyers, or even those who have been practicing for some time, to know about The Missouri Bar?
The Missouri Bar has a ton of resources to help new lawyers early in their careers, and it has a diverse group of lawyers interested in sponsoring newer generations. I encourage everyone – especially those lawyers that started during the pandemic – to become actively involved early in your career and leverage this network.
When you're driving, do you listen to music or podcasts? If it's music, what is your favorite band? If it's podcasts, what is your favorite podcast?
My daughters are currently jamming to Disney’s “Encanto” soundtrack … on repeat. We don’t talk about Bruno.
Editor’s note: These responses have been edited for clarity and brevity. Do you know someone who should be featured in Meet #MOLawyers? Let us know by emailing nroberts@mobar.org.
Original source can be found here.