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2020 Trusted Advisers Attorney: Patrick Douglas

Douglas, Haun & Heidemann PC

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Douglas, Haun & Heidemann PC partner Patrick Douglas is active in the legal, development and nonprofit worlds, with the Bolivar community at the center of his focus.

As an attorney, Douglas often will suggest alternative legal services than what his clients requested if he sees it’s in their best interest. He directs business as often as possible toward his clients’ companies, and he is always ready to make himself available when customers are only in town for a short time. He also seeks to provide friendship and support in key moments of customers’ lives, even when they’re not related to his law practice, such as a death in the family.

“In my view, building trust is a natural consequence of being consistently and genuinely interested in clients and their objectives, while being effective at assisting them to accomplish those objectives,” Douglas says.

He’s helped clients start businesses, negotiate acquisitions or sales, and begin retirement. Risk mitigation is a specialty.

“The impact I’ve made on many clients’ businesses is empowering them to be confident in pursuing their business goals and ensuring them that no matter what comes their way, we will be able to overcome it together,” Douglas says.

Douglas specializes in estate planning, trusts, probate, real estate, corporate and business law, banking and collections. He says his memorable cases include eminent domain litigation involving his client’s land along an interstate under construction in Missouri. In a jury trial, the client was awarded a higher value than expected, Douglas says, noting it was an “outstanding outcome for our client who had farmed the land for decades.”

While practicing law is his main gig, Douglas is deeply engrained in his community. He’s worked to develop commercial and residential properties, and he’s a board member of the Bolivar Industrial Development Authority. He served in 2019 as president for the organization, which works to attract and retain businesses to Polk County.

As a developer, Douglas has been active in leading the revitalization of his southwest Missouri town. He led the relocation of Douglas, Haun & Heidemann to the historic First National Bank building, a yearslong personal restoration project, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.

Douglas has given years of his life toward serving Citizens Memorial Hospital, Bolivar’s largest employer with more than 2,100 employees and annual revenue exceeding $500 million.

Douglas served 2005-11 as a board member of the CMH Foundation, and since 2011, he’s been on the board of CMH. He’s held the positions of chairman and vice chairman.

Former CMH CEO Donald Babb, who retired in January, says Douglas’ experience on both boards gives him a unique experience in helping to govern the hospital’s operations.

“He is dedicated to the advancement of health care in our region,” Babb says. “Pat is an active participant of CMH’s annual strategic planning process and works tirelessly to support the entire organization’s goals and objectives.”

Douglas also is an active member of the Missouri Bar Association, the Polk County Bar Association and the Bolivar Area Chamber of Commerce. Douglas also has coached multiple youth sports teams through the YMCA and the Bolivar Community Sports Association, and he’s served in leadership roles at Calvary Missionary Baptist Church.

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