Sly James is Kansas City’s mayor. But sometimes he moonlights mediating lawsuits
On the vast majority of his work days — which usually include the weekends — Sly James serves in his official capacity as Kansas City’s mayor. But once or twice a month, James returns to his roots mediating lawsuits, a role that takes him away from the busy mayoral office.
Last month, as a behind-the-scenes revolt brewed among airlines unhappy with rising costs and funding plans for the single terminal at Kansas City International Airport, James was out of the office, mediating a suit stemming from this summer’s fatal duck boat sinking on Table Rock Lake.
James and two other mediators, including his former law partner, worked for what one plaintiffs’ attorney said was at least nine hours on Nov. 12. The objective was a settlement between the daughters of a couple who died in the sinking and Ripley Entertainment, owner of the Ride the Ducks operation in Branson, Mo.
The daughters, Michelle Chaffer, Rebekah Whittington and Christina Taylor, reached a confidential pact with the company on Thanksgiving Day. It is one of several lawsuits produced by the disaster.
The airlines serving Kansas City, which are expected to pay for the new terminal, made their dissatisfaction known to the City Council two days after that mediation session. That was ahead of a second council meeting they were expected to attend but did not.
The airlines are still struggling to reach an accord on costs, and a plan for allocating them among large and small carriers.
As the 13th member of the Kansas City Council, James is far from the only elected official working outside City Hall, and there’s no policy or law barring him from mediation.
Councilwoman Jolie Justus, who represents the 4th District and is running for mayor, directs pro bono services for her law firm, Shook, Hardy & Bacon. One of her opponents, 3rd District at-large Councilman Quinton Lucas, teaches law at the University of Kansas.
James, who had a successful solo practice in personal injury cases and other civil litigation, said he gets asked to mediate because he still has relationships in the legal profession.
“If somebody calls me and says, ‘Hey, I’ve got a case. Would you be interested?’ and if I’ve got time, I will,” James said, “and if I don’t, I won’t.”
He estimated he mediates lawsuits once or twice a month, assignments that he slips into a seven-day work week. Mediating lets him be around fellow lawyers, something James said he enjoys. He does not, however, practice law now that he’s mayor, which he noted is different from mediation.
“It allows me to keep my head in that game a little bit,” James said. “I like being able to help people solve problems and sometimes they’re sticky, and it’s good to do something that’s over in a day where you’re working bringing two sides together.”
James’ spokeswoman, Laura Swinford, said James is paid for his mediation work and, as with the city council members who practice law, his work is not reviewed by the city.
As the lawsuits continue to roll out, James said he would probably serve on other mediation panels.
“Those are unique things,” James said. “They come around once in a career, so you’re not going to miss them.”
James, 67, who is term-limited, will leave office on Aug. 1, but the end of his second term will be busy. He’s still working to complete the airport deal, and is pushing a plan to use sales tax funds for pre-K expansion.
As a former mayor, James said he expects he’ll continue to do some mediation work, consulting, speaking and writing.
At times, even the mediator needs a mediator. Earlier this fall, James’ team brought in Allan Katz, who founded American Public Square, to facilitate a series of discussions between the mayor’s office and the area superintendents, who have been critical of James’ pre-K plan. No accord has been reached yet.
This story was originally published December 10, 2018 at 6:00 AM.