John "Jack" Kitchin Retires
11/22/08
John J. Kitchin has retired from Swanson Midgley following an illustrious legal career. Jack joined Swanson Midgley in 1961 following four years of service as Captain in the Judge Advocate General Corp of the United States Air Force from 1957 to 1961. During his 47 years with Swanson Midgley, he was primarily engaged in trial work in areas of life, health, and accident insurance defense; antitrust law; labor and employment law; general business litigation; representative of not-for-profit entities; and matters involving constitutional law. He also served as the firm's Managing Partner for 18 years.
In 1969, Jack defended the National Collegiate Athletic Association in one of its earliest litigation matters which was the beginning of his and the firm's long time representation of the NCAA involving over 225 cases throughout the United States in trial courts and appellate courts. He served as General Counsel for the NCAA for twelve years. In addition to litigation, Jack and the firm were involved in the drafting of many of the NCAA rules and regulations. He participated in the negotiation and drafting of television contracts on behalf of the NCAA including the first one million dollar basketball contract broadcasting the Final Four Championship event.
During his time as General Counsel of the Association, he was also involved in two landmark cases. One was the finding of the United States Supreme Court involving a claim by a basketball coach that the NCAA violated a person's constitutional rights. The court held the NCAA was a private organization not subject to state action due-process requirements of the U.S. Constitution. The second case decided by the Supreme Court of California said that the NCAA has the right to test student athletes for performance enhancing drugs prohibited by the NCAA constitution.
Before earning his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1957, Jack received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rockurst University in 1954. Jack was a member of the Missouri Bar, the American Bar Association, the Kansas City Lawyers Association, the American Judicature Society, the Board of Advisors of the National Sports Association, the Missouri Defense Lawyers Association and the Sports Lawyer Association.
He served as President of the Saint Teresa's Academy Advisory Board, Saint Thomas More Parish Council, Serra Club of Kansas City, Missouri, Saint Joseph Health Center Foundation, Avila University Board of Councilors, and as a Trustee of Avila's corporate board. He also served as Chair of the Kansas City, Missouri Board of Liquor Review.
Jack has retired from the practice of law, but his influence will be felt for years to come.
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