Skip to content

Kurt Rasmussen likes to give back to his community. He contributes to various local and national organizations including Children’s Mercy Hospital, Little Sisters of the Poor, KC Hospice, City Union Mission, and Big Brothers, Big Sisters. He is an environmental law and products liability lawyer who tries cases. He sees his role as searching for facts to assist jurors in their service.

Kurt believes in the jury system and that jurors faithfully serve their fellow citizens in finding what the true facts are in order to render a decision under the law. He believes in equality under the law for everyone and strives to fulfill the blindfolded vision of Lady Justice: “Equality for all under the law without bias, or prejudice of any kind.” Respect for everyone is a principle that Kurt and all of the team at RDDHI believe in and actively strive to achieve.

Kurt has practiced law for forty years and has tried well in excess of fifty cases to verdict. His trials have been in dozens of states, including California, Pennsylvania, New York, Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, and Kansas.

In addition to asbestos products, he has defended products liability actions involving fireworks, scaffolding, tampons, nail guns, trailer hitches, printing presses, exercise equipment, gas valves, and combustible drums. Kurt is also experienced in employment law, nursing home litigation, commercial litigation, and class actions.

Kurt serves as the managing member of RDDHI’s Los Angeles office and is the leader of the Trial Tactics practice group.

Presentations

  • How to Pick a Jury, Trial Demonstration, Continuing Legal Education Series, University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School, 1989

  • Contractors & Construction Defendants in Asbestos Litigation, Mealey’s Asbestos Seminar, 2001

  • How to Get Your Opponent to Disclose the True Cause of Mesothelioma, Andrews Asbestos Seminar, 2005

  • Trial Questionnaires, Voir Dire & Pretrial Strategy to Reduce Risk, Defense Research Institute, 2010

  • Ethics in the Asbestos World, Defense Research Institute, 2010

  • Prior Products, Current Problems: How the Ghosts of Product Litigation Past Shape the Current Landscape, Defense Research Institute, 2013

  • The State of the Art Conduct Defense: Defeating Negligence & Punitive Damages, Defense, 2014

  • Asbestos Litigation Seminar, 2014

  • Defense of Take Home Exposure Cases, Las Vegas, NV, June 2015

  • The North Carolina Asbestos Plants, Revisited: 2023, Austin, TX, November 2023

We are trial counsel.

Kurt Rasmussen tries cases and delivers results. When you face trial, count on Kurt and RDDHI’s team of trial attorneys and litigators to develop a winning strategy for you.

Education

  • Georgetown University

    Juris Doctor 1982

  • Georgetown University

    Bachelor of Science, magna cum laude 1979

Admissions

  • State of California
  • State of Missouri
  • State of Illinois
  • State of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court Western District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri

RDDHI's Knowledge Blog Posts by Kurt L. Rasmussen

Hosts of the Big Slick Celebrity Weekend.

For over a decade, Rasmussen Dickey Dioszeghy Henry Ijei has sponsored Big Slick, a fun-packed weekend featuring Kansas City native celebrities supporting Children’s Mercy. RDDHI’s support of Big Slick began with founding member Clay Dickey’s personal experience with Children’s Mercy.

Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO.

Children’s Mercy

In 2009, Clay’s nephew Quinton was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at just one year old. Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that most often affects children under five, and Quinton’s diagnosis was dire. However, after spending a year under the world-renowned care of Children’s Mercy, Quinton has been in remission for over 13 years.

Children’s Mercy was founded in 1897 by two sisters: Alice Berry Graham, a dentist, and Katharine Berry Richardson, a surgeon. Already pioneers as female doctors in the 19th century, the Berry sisters began their work with sick and poor children by renting beds and treating the children in small hospitals, as no hospital would directly admit them to practice medicine. Since then, Children’s Mercy has since grown into a top-tier network of hospitals, specialty clinics, and research institutes based in the Kansas City area.

Hosts of the Big Slick collect funds for Children's Mercy.

Big Slick

Around the same time that Quinton was at Children’s Mercy, the concept for Big Slick was coming together. Actor and comedian Rob Riggle, a native of Overland Park, Kansas, Shawnee Mission South High graduate, and University of Kansas alum, planned to host a poker tournament to raise funds for Children’s Mercy. He reached out to a few of his other celebrity friends from the Kansas City area for help.

Actor Paul Rudd also grew up in the Kansas City area, attending Shawnee Mission West High School and KU. His mother Gloria, a volunteer at Children’s Mercy, encouraged her celebrity son to help with the fundraiser. Saturday Night Live alum Jason Sudeikis, also an Overland Park native and Shawnee Mission West grad, signed on to help as well. The three went on to recruit additional celebrities, family, and friends to help put together the tournament on a shoestring budget. The first Big Slick Celebrity Weekend and poker tournament at Harrah’s Casino in Kansas City in 2010 raised nearly $100,000 for Children’s Mercy.

Big Slick host Rob Riggle with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and a Children's Mercy patient.

Over the last decade, Big Slick has grown to include bowling tournaments, celebrity softball games, and wild entertainment from Riggle, Rudd, and Sudeikis. Kansas City, Kansas Native Eric Stonestreet and mid-Missourian David Koechner have also joined as hosts of Big Slick. Additional guests have included Will Ferrell, Selena Gomez, Will Forte, Adam Scott, and a number of Kansas City athletes including Patrick Mahomes and Eric Hosmer. From humble beginnings, Big Slick now raises over $2 million every year.

RDDHI founding members Kurt Rasmussen, Clay Dickey, and their families bowling with actor Adam Scott during the Big Slick Celebrity Weekend.
RDDHI founding members Kurt Rasmussen and Clay Dickey, along with their families, friends, and actor Adam Scott at the Big Slick bowling tournament.

RDDHI Sponsors Big Slick

Since the inception of Big Slick, RDDHI and founding members Clay Dickey and Kurt Rasmussen have sponsored the event. Clay’s personal experience with Children’s Mercy makes the cause a natural fit, and the fact that it’s a lot of fun certainly doesn’t hurt. RDDHI is a Gold Sponsor of Big Slick 2021.

RDDHI's collection of Big Slick memorabilia.

Big Slick strives to keep costs as low as possible to maximize the effectiveness of sponsorships and donations, allowing Children’s Mercy to provide cutting-edge therapies and innovative treatments from expert pediatric specialists. After a previous Big Slick event, a Children’s Mercy doctor reached out to Clay to demonstrate the value of the sponsorship: the dollars donated were directly used to fund a teenager’s life-saving blood transfusions and drug therapy.

Normally, Big Slick plays to packed-in crowds at Kauffman Stadium or the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. With the COVID-19 pandemic not fully subsided, the celebrities presented an original online production in 2021—the Big Slick Virtually Talented Show. Sponsors hosted small watch parties, including Clay and Kurt hosting a gathering for family, friends, and coworkers on Saturday, June 12th.

RDDHI's office in Kansas City, MO.

Rasmussen Dickey Dioszeghy Henry Ijei is proud to announce our ranking on the 2021 U.S. News & World Report–Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” list!

Best Law Firms - Standard Badge.500w.png

Of course, our clients already know that RDDHI is among the best law firms providing nationwide coverage for not only products liability and toxic torts, but also insurance law, environmental law, commercial litigation, and much more.

RDDHI delivers unparalleled dedication, flexibility, and value to our clients. Our attorneys have the extensive experience, industry knowledge, and personalized attention you need when facing product liability or toxic tort claims. We can handle your case from the day it is filed or when you’re on the courtroom steps headed to trial.

Get the best.

RDDHI has won awards, but our true measure of success is the respect we’ve earned from our clients, our colleagues, and our opponents. Trust our reputation for dedicated service at a great value.

Contact RDDHI

An empty courtroom.

The best trial counsel is well prepared and open for improvement. At Rasmussen Dickey Dioszeghy Henry Ijei we pride ourselves on continuously looking for innovative ways to improve our trial expertise.

Recently a member of our team went to the Defense Research Institute‘s Trial Tactics Seminar in Las Vegas, attending sessions ranging from jury selection to selecting expert witnesses. This event allowed our firm to be on the cutting-edge of trial preparation and defense for trial. From this event we learned new strategies to best support and defend our clients.

We know how important it is to be prepared for trial. RDDHI is known for its unparalleled attention to detail on every one of our cases. We bring focus and dedication to your case. We’re always seeking new methods and knowledge to add to our arsenal of skills and experience.

What’s your strategy?

When you’re facing a trial, you need to have a plan. Kurt Rasmussen and the team at RDDHI can make sure you’re prepared to enter the courtroom.

More about Trial Tactics

Gavel.

Rasmussen Dickey Dioszeghy Henry Ijei’s trial victory for Lincoln Electric and Hobart Brothers in Laningham v. Hobart Brothers and Lincoln Electric was named as a “2017 Top 5 Defense Verdict” by Missouri Lawyers Weekly. RDDHI attorneys Kurt Rasmussen and Justin Ijei represented Hobart Brothers and Lincoln Electric in a jury trial in Jackson County, Missouri in May 2017.

On January 26th, the team was honored at the Missouri Lawyers Weekly luncheon at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark in St. Louis, Missouri.

RDDHI delivers results.

RDDHI has the skills and experience to see your case through to the end.

Contact RDDHI

Gavel.

On Tuesday, May 16th, 2017, a jury in Jackson County, Missouri, found welding rod manufacturers Hobart Brothers and Lincoln Electric not liable for damages related to asbestos claims. RDDHI attorneys Kurt Rasmussen and Justin Ijei defended against the claim.

Jessica Shumaker at Missouri Lawyers Weekly has a full synopsis of the case, Laningham v. Hobart Brothers and Lincoln Electric.

Update: RDDHI’s victory in this case has been named a Top Defense Verdict for 2017.