Kenneth R. Hoffman

Of Counsel

khoffman@dysarttaylor.com                        Legal Assistant: Sandy Riley
816-714-3058                                                  816-714-3033
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“My goal for every project is to find an acceptable, creative way to make the client’s deal happen. Clients tell me they appreciate that approach. It builds credibility and trust between attorney and client.”

Bio

Ken Hoffman is a highly regarded transportation law litigator and contract negotiator with extensive experience in high-stakes, complex contracts work, cargo loss and damage issues, regulatory compliance matters, and intermodal matters involving international shipping.

For more than four decades, Ken has advised transportation and logistics industry clients, including domestic and foreign multimodal, land transport and container depot interests, as well as carriers, shippers and intermediaries. He especially enjoys working with international companies and guiding them through the complexities of international matters.

Clients look to Ken to provide counsel and litigation for cargo loss and damage, contracts, hazardous materials, safety compliance, and cross-border transportation matters. For example, he successfully defended a U.S. NVOCC against allegations of liability for misdelivery of five intermodal containers involving parties from India, Italy and the U.S. Litigation occurred in India and the U.S.​

 

Experience

  • Successfully defended a U.S. NVOCC against allegations of liability for misdelivery of five intermodal containers involving parties from India, Italy and the U.S. Litigation occurred in India and the U.S.
  • Successfully prosecuted a federal interpleader action on behalf of a U.S. shipper to protect against potential double payment for a shipload of salt involving parties from the U.S., Egypt and Belgium.
  • Chaired the committee that developed the North American Uniform Through Bill of Lading for use with international truck shipments among Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. This 12-year project included negotiations among carriers, shippers, intermediaries, insurers, regulatory agencies and governments from all three countries. Later, Ken served as the lead member for transportation issues on the U.S. Delegation to the Organization of American States, 6th Specialized Conference on Private International Law (CIDIP-VI) held in Washington, D.C. He negotiated with representatives of more than 30 countries in the Western Hemisphere to adopt a revised version of the North American Uniform Through Bill of Lading for use throughout the hemisphere.

Activities

PROFESSIONAL
  • Transportation Lawyers Association
    • President, 2000-2001
  • Canadian Transport Lawyers’ Association
    • Board of Directors, 2001-2002
  • Conference of Freight Counsel
  • U.S.-Mexico Bar Association
    • Served as one of the founding directors
COMMUNITY
  • Kansas City SmartPort Inc.
    • General Counsel, 2009-present
    • Board of Directors, 2002-present
    • Chairman, 2004-2006
  • Greater Kansas City Foreign Trade Zone
    • Board of Directors, 2014-present
    • Executive Committee, 2019-present
    • Treasurer, 2019-present
  • Pan American Association of Kansas City, Inc.
    • Board of Directors, 2010-present
EDUCATION
  • University of Texas School of Law, J.D.
  • Rice University, B.A., Economics
HONORS
  • AV® Preeminent™ rating by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, 2013-present
  • The Best Lawyers in America, 2022-present
  • Transportation Lawyers Association Bullshippers Award, 2012
  • Transportation Lawyers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, 2011
  • Transportation Lawyers Association Distinguished Service Award, 1994
SEMINARS
  • “Update on the Status of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA),” Canadian Transport Lawyers Association Annual General Meeting and Conference, Winnipeg, Manitoba, September 2019.
  • “Adding Cross Border Carriage to the Mix,” Transportation Intermediaries Association Capital Ideas Conference and Exhibition, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2017.
  • “Canadian Transport Law – Cross-Border Hot Topics,” Transportation Lawyers Association Annual Conference/Canadian Transport Lawyers Association Mid-Year Meeting, April 2016.
  • “Transborder Transportation Contracts,” Canadian Transport Lawyers Association Annual General Meeting and Conference, Kelowna, British Columbia, October 2015.
  • “Singing the Blues: Oil Spills and Explosions on Rail and Water,” Transportation Lawyers Association, Transportation Law Institute, November 2014.
  • “Regulation of Cross-Border Commercial Transportation of Goods between Canada and the U.S.” Transportation Lawyers Association Annual Conference/Canadian Transport Lawyers Association Mid-Year Meeting, May 2014.
  • “Transportation Attorneys Panel,” Transportation & Logistics Council Annual Conference, March 2014.
  • “State Anti-Indemnification Laws and Transportation Contracts,” North Dakota Motor Carriers Association 2nd Annual Oilfield Trucking Convention, October 2013.
  • “Freight Brokers and MAP-21,” Kansas Motor Carriers Association Annual Convention, September 2013.
PUBLICATIONS
  • “Transportation Contracts for Legal Compliance & Risk Management – They Aren’t Just for Rates Anymore!” USLAW Magazine, Spring/Summer 2015.
  • “Unlawful Brokerage Activities Risk Unlimited Liability – Both Corporate and Personal,” The Transportation Lawyer, Vol. 15, No. 3, December 2013.
  • Author of Chapter 36 titled, “Motor Carrier Law,” United States Law of Trade and Investment, Vol. 4, edited by Boris Kozolchyk and John F. Molloy, 2001.
 

 

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Kansas City, MO 64112

Phone: 816.931.2700
Fax: 816.931.7377

  

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