John Keeling Baker

Member

Bar Admissions: Arkansas

Education

J.D., University of Arkansas, December 1996
B.A., Saint Louis University, May 1994
Little Rock Catholic High School for Boys, May 1990

Court Admissions:
United States Supreme Court
United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas

Professional Experience

Successfully tried and appealed a variety of business tort, contract, real estate, taxation, and class action suits before state and federal trial courts, Arkansas appellate courts, and Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis, Missouri. Obtained precedent-setting federal court injunction against U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (Pathfinder v. Thompson, 177 F.Supp. 2d 895 (E.D. Ark. 2001). Obtained favorable first impression ruling in appeal of Freedom of Information Act case (Kristen Inv. Props., LLC v. Faulkner County Waterworks, 32 S.W.3d 60 (Ark. Ct. App. 2000)).  Served as Court-appointed liaison counsel for European litigants (In re Genetically Modified Rice Litigation, MDL 1811 (E.D. Mo.).  Served as Court-appointed Special Circuit Court Judge for Arkansas’ Sixth Judicial District (Pulaski and Perry Counties).

Reported Cases

Reported trial and/or appellate cases include: Usery v. Anadarko Petroleum Corp., 606 F.3d 1017 (8th Cir. 2010); Harry Stephens Farms, Inc. v. Wormald Americas, Inc., 571 F.3d 820 (8th Cir. 2009); First Union Nat’l Bank v. Benham, 423 F.3d 855 (8th Cir. 2005); Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. RLI Ins. Co., 292 F.3d 583 (8th Cir. 2002); First Fin. Bank v. Mazzio’s Corp., 2001 U.S. App. LEXIS 3407 (8th Cir. 2001); Land v. Baptist Med. Ctr., 164 F.3d 423 (8th Cir. 1999); Franklin v. Zain, 152 F.3d 783 (8th Cir. 1998); Gunn v. Farmers Insurance Exchange, 2010 Ark. 434 (Ark. 2010); Weiss v. Am. Honda Fin. Corp., 200 S.W.3d 381 (Ark. 2004); DaimlerChrysler Servs. N. Am. v. Weiss, 200 S.W.3d 405 (Ark. 2004); Slusser v. Monsanto Company, Inc., 198 S.W.3d 106 (Ark. 2004); Doe v. Ark. Dep’t of Human Servs., 182 S.W.3d 107 (Ark. 2004); Comm. to Establish Sherwood Fire Dep’t. v. Hillman, 109 S.W.3d 641 (Ark. 2003); In re Estate of Owens, 2004 Ark. App. LEXIS 602 (Ark. Ct. App. 2004); Ark. Mech. Servs. v. Jarrett, 2004 Ark. App. LEXIS 97 (Ark. Ct. App. 2004); Superior Fed. Bank v. Mackey, 129 S.W.3d 324 (Ark. Ct. App. 2003); Dev. & Constr. Mgmt. v. City of N. Little Rock, 119 S.W.3d 77 (Ark. Ct. App. 2003); Matthews v. Spencer, 2001 Ark. App. LEXIS 669 (Ark. Ct. App. 2001).

Class action cases include:  Hunter v. Runyan, 2011 Ark. 43 (2011) (successfully defeated attacks upon trial court’s approval of nationwide class settlement of 250,000 insureds); Mittry v. BancorpSouth Bank, 200 S.W.3d 869 (Ark. 2005) (successfully defeated class certification sought by municipal bondholders); Winkler v. Superior Financial Corp., 4:01-CV-00851 SWW (E.D. Ark.) (successfully defeated class certification sought by home buyers); Richardson v. Chase Manhattan Bank, U.S.A., CV-03-4648, Pulaski County Circuit Court (successfully obtained nominal settlement for national credit card company); 4900 Kavanaugh, LLC v. Primedia, Inc., 4-05-cv-1635 JLH (E.D. Ark.) (successfully defended to voluntary dismissal nationwide class sought by property owner).

Other Activities

American, Eighth Circuit, Arkansas, and Pulaski County Bar Associations, Member

Arkansas Association of Defense Counsel, Member

Arkansas Business “Forty Under Forty,” 2009 Recipient

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette “High Profile,” 2006 Recipient

Arkansas Supreme Court Historical Society, Member

The Best Lawyers in America 2008-2010 (Commercial Litigation)

Chambers USA 2007-2010 (Litigation: General Commercial)

Camp Aldersgate, Inc. (non-profit camp serving disabled children and senior adults, www.campaldersgate.net), Past Board Member and President

Camp Aldersgate Foundation, Inc., Board Member and Secretary

DRI, Member

Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Member

First place winner and “Outstanding Oralist” award recipient in University of Arkansas’ 1996 Moot Court prize competition arguments before Associate U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Chief Judge Richard Arnold, Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Morris Arnold, Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals

Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating:  AV® Preeminent™

Quapaw Quarter Association, Inc. (non-profit historic preservation organization, www.quapaw.com) Member, Past Board Member and Board Chairman

St. Thomas More Legal Society of Arkansas, Inc., Member and Secretary/Treasurer

Tree Streets, Inc. (non-profit urban forestry organization, www.treestreets.org), Co-founder, Board Member, and Past President

United States Supreme Court Historical Society, Member

William R. Overton Inn of Court, Member