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Jeffrey Lee Wagoner
About Jeffrey
Biography
Jeff’s a car guy… which explains all those diecast models in his office. He’s also the founding member of the Kansas City Automotive Museum and serves on its Board of Directors. He leads a group of volunteers who in May 2014 opened the doors of a new non-profit museum for Kansas City.
But, if you ask Jeff what his favorite car is, he won’t mention exotic or expensive. Instead, he’ll say, “I would love to have the 1938 Ford coupe my dad drove as a professional dirt track racer in the 1950s. My grandfather’s garage sponsored dad’s race car. If I could track down that car, it would be a great connection to both of them. They’ve both been gone a long time.”
A retired Naval Aviator, Gulf War veteran and former commanding officer, Jeff was awarded multiple medals and ribbons. While in the Navy, in San Diego, he met his beautiful wife, Pilar. “She was a student planning on going back to Spain after finishing her undergraduate degree,” Jeff told us, “but I talked her into coming with me back home to Kansas City.”
A tough childhood in Clinton, Missouri influenced Jeff’s decision to practice bankruptcy law. “When I was 13,” he told us, “my folks lost the family farm. Dad died in an accident a few months after the bank auctioned off the farm. We didn’t have any money―you measured how rich you were by whether there was milk in the fridge. It gave me an idea of how hard life can be and an appreciation of what many of our clients are facing when they come see us. I also thank God that I grew up in a small town where people cared about our family and helped us cope.”
With hard work, Jeff was able to go to college at Mizzou and law school at the University of Missouri―Kansas City. “My mom is an amazing person,” he said. “I don’t know how she made it through all that, but she did, and sent three of her four kids to college.”
His childhood experience is why he allows clients to pay for their bankruptcy fees over time. Jeff told us he catches a lot of grief from other bankruptcy attorneys because of that. “But sometimes,” he says, “people need someone to give them a break. They just need someone to believe in them and be on their side for a change. The funny thing is, I’ve found that when you do a good job for someone, and you really care about their well-being, they always seem to find a way to pay you. Until that changes, I’ll keep offering to let people pay over time, at a rate they feel they can truly afford. It’s the right thing to do.”
In 2015, due to constant requests from his bankruptcy clients, Jeff added an Estate Planning and Probate practice to the law firm. Today, that practice area is rapidly growing and clients receive the same great service and legal professionalism in that practice area as they have for the past 20+ years with the bankruptcy practice.
Practice Areas
5
Practice Areas
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
25%
28 years | 5,000 cases
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
25%
28 years | 9,000 cases
Estate Planning
20%
12 years | 1,500 cases
Bankruptcy and Debt
15%
28 years | 13,500 cases
Fees and Rates
Cost
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Kansas for 29 years
State: Kansas
Acquired: 1996
No misconduct found
Licensed in Missouri for 30 years
State: Missouri
Acquired: 1995
No misconduct found
Location
W M Law
15095 West 116th Street, Olathe, KS, 66062
W M Law
3720 Arrowhead Avenue, Suite 102, Independence, MO, 64057
W M Law
8320 North Oak Trafficway, Kansas City, MO, 64118
W M LAW
831 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS, 66044
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Jeffrey Lee Wagoner's Reviews
Showing 1 - 5 of 6 client reviews from Avvo
Posted by Bryan | September 30, 2025 | Hired Attorney
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Great Attorney
Jeff makes a very stressful process so much easier. He was professional, responsive, and explained everything clearly. I always felt supported and never judged. I highly recommend Jeff if you need a knowledgeable and compassionate bankruptcy lawyer.
Posted by Ryan | September 26, 2025 | Hired Attorney
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Great Estate Planning & Bankruptcy Attorney
My family used him for estate planning when we moved to Kansas. His wealth of information in estate planning is nearly as large as his experience in consumer bankruptcy.
Posted by Phyllis | August 4, 2017 | Hired Attorney
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Bill Turner
Bill Turner was excellent in consulting and advising me in my Bankruptcy decision. He was very patience and answer all my questions and concerns. I highly recommend your Law Office firm to anyone that need your expertise in helping those that are in a hardship situations. I was recommended by Sand...
Posted by Mary | June 23, 2016 | Hired Attorney
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Jeff Wagoner, bankruptcy attorney
My Chapter 13 bankruptcy case was handled very efficiently and professionally. The decision to file for bankruptcy is a difficult one ... I felt like a failure, but from the beginning to the end of the process I was always treated with respect and I never felt as though I was being judged or looked ...
Posted by Bernadette | June 23, 2016 | Hired Attorney
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Excellent
Jeff is very professional and patient as well as knowledgeable. He also has an excellent staff including Doug Sisson with whom I worked closely. They maintained close communication and I trusted them both to do what was best for me as their client.
Jeffrey Lee Wagoner's Lawyer Endorsements
"I am honored to endorse Jeff, an attorney I have known since 2001. We first worked on opposing sides, and even then I respected his integrity, skill, and unwavering professionalism. Now, having the opportunity to work alongside him at WM Law, I appreciate even more the depth of his legal insight, his steady judgment, and his collaborative approach. Jeff is a lawyer who consistently elevates the quality of any team he’s part of, and I see firsthand how deeply he supports and represents his clients with vigor and dedication."
"Jeff is a leader in the Kansas City area for Bankruptcy and Estate Planning. His professionalism and genuine care for his cases make him exceptional in his field."
"Jeff is a wealth of information on estate planning and a long standing member of the Kansas City bankruptcy community."
"I've worked with Jeff for several years in the bankruptcy field. I know him to be an excellent bankruptcy attorney. He cares about people and wants to help them in their time of financial distress. I highly recommend Jeff."
"There is no question Jeff is a terrific attorney. His knowledge of bankruptcy and estate planning is unquestioned. But as a person who knows Jeff personally I can say without hesitation that he is just as terrific as a person and family man."
"Jeff has been a leader in the Kansas City Bankruptcy Bar. He is an excellent attorney that works hard for his clients."
"Jeff is not one of those "stuffed suit" lawyers. He not only cares about his clients, but he cares that his clients are real people. Jeff's understanding of the law is exemplary, and his skill in applying that understanding sets the example other attorneys should strive to achieve."
"I endorse this lawyer. Kansas City does not have a better bankruptcy & debt attorney than Jeff Wagoner. I have known Jeff for decades, and have referred clients to him. I am aware of his work ethic, his integrity, and his successful outcomes for his clients. Do your homework - consider other attorneys - then retain Jeff Wagoner. You'll never regret that decision. Jeff is quite simply one of the best."
"Jeffrey and I are not only lawyers who have helped a lot of people through the bankruptcy process but I have served with him in the United States Navy Reserves. He is an excellent leader and innovator."
"I endorse this lawyer. Jeff was my mentor and is a well established and recognized bankruptcy attorney, but probably even a better person. He will treat all clients with respect and provide zealous representation."
"I endorse this lawyer."
Chelsea Williamson
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
William Turner
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Wendel Toth
Criminal defense lawyer
Daniel Peel
Litigation lawyer
Stephen Sanders
Personal injury lawyer
Marc Licata
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Garry Fera
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
James McKain
Estate planning lawyer
Karen Maxcy
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Megan Dennis
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Experience
Honors
2016
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
1997
Young Lawyer of the Year, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
Work Experience
1997 - Present
President, WM Law
Associations
2006 - Present
Kansas City Bankruptcy Bar AssociationMember
Sample of Legal Cases
In re: Farmland Industries, 02-50557, Western District of Missouri
Settled case, bondholders did not have to pay back withdrawals
Education
1995
University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
1986
University of Missouri, Columbia
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Speaking Engagements
2015
Quick Pitches: Tips for New (and Not So New) Lawyers
Bankruptcy Basics
2015
Border Show Down - Chapter 13 Edition
Bankruptcy Conversions Ch 7 & Ch 13
2015
Annual Bankruptcy Institute
Everything You Wanted to Know About Exemptions
2013
2nd Annual Consumer Bankruptcy Practical Skills Seminar
Dealing Clients Who Are Problem Gamblers
2011
Top 9 Complications in Bankrupty
Divorce Settlement, Estate Complications, Dismissal Issues
2011
Kansas CLE
Bankruptcy
Publications
2009
Time Magazine
House of Cards: The Faces Behind Foreclosures
1995
University of Missouri at Kansas City Law Review
Technical Editor
Languages
English
Spanish
Mandarin
Activity
Legal Answers
Legal Answers
Q&A
Hi?
18 Dec 2020
Q&A
Can I withdraw from my simple ira during chapter 13 bankruptcy?
28 Nov 2018
Q&A
I properly filed a Motion to Compel Arbitration against a junk debt buyer (JDB). The JDB filed for default judgment.
02 Nov 2018