Work on Missouri Medicaid Expansion Earns Chuck Hatfield "Lawyer of the Year" Honors by Missouri Lawyers Media

12.06.2021

Stinson Partner Chuck Hatfield has been named one of Missouri Lawyers Media's "Lawyer of the Year" for his work on securing Medicaid expansion for an additional 275,000 Missouri residents. The "Lawyer of the Year" award honors a partnership between Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, directed by Joel Ferber, Hatfield and Lowell Pearson, partner at Husch Blackwell.

The team secured a unanimous decision by the Missouri Supreme Court that upheld the voter-approved ballot initiative to expand Medicaid; the court determined it did not violate the Missouri constitution and funding was available for expansion.

The legal effort began when the team represented three Missouri citizens who sued the state after lawmakers refused to appropriate the $1.9 billion in state and federal funds needed to finance the expansion, and it ended at the Missouri Supreme Court.

"I am very proud and honored to again be receiving this award," Hatfield said. "This was an important victory because it enforced the will of the voters, and that's how government is supposed to work." This is the second time Hatfield has been honored with this award, having been recognized in 2008 as the "go-to-guy" for Missouri government litigation.

Hatfield has 25 years' experience litigating and negotiating high profile cases, primarily involving government action, to help offer clients a broad and insightful perspective on Missouri's government and judiciary. He has represented dozens of clients in Missouri’s initiative petition process, writing proposed changes to Missouri law and litigating initiative petition and signature challenges, and frequently advises on election law.