N. Russell Hazlewood
Attorney at Law

Russ Hazlewood has dedicated the past 26 years to civil litigation, focusing primarily on advocating for individuals and small businesses against insurance companies. His notable success in this area has earned him a strong regional reputation as a champion for policyholders.

Russ regularly prosecutes and defends multi-million-dollar claims, consistently delivering favorable outcomes via verdicts, arbitration awards, judgments, and settlements. His practice covers a wide range of areas, including personal injury, wrongful death, commercial and probate litigation, and consumer protection. His depth of knowledge in these areas has also made him a sought-after mediator for resolving such disputes.

A distinguished leader in the legal community, Russ serves as the immediate Past President of the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association and has contributed as the Insurance Law Editor for the association’s journal for over a decade. In addition, Russ founded the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association Trial Academy and plays a key role in its operation, leading the program and serving as faculty each time it is conducted. Through these activities, Russ has been instrumental in shaping the legal profession and mentoring future trial lawyers.

Russ holds an AV Preeminent® rating from his peers, as recognized by Martindale-Hubbell, and he has been listed in Kansas and Missouri Super Lawyers annually since 2015. In 2020, Best Lawyers named him Lawyer of the Year in Wichita for plaintiffs' personal injury litigation. He is also an active member of the American Association for Justice, serving on its Council of Presidents.

Outside of his legal practice, Russ enjoys traveling and spending time with his family at the Lake of the Ozarks. As an instrument-rated pilot and airplane owner, Russ finds relaxation and adventure in flying, always eager to take to the skies whenever the opportunity arises.

Education

• University of Kansas School of Law, J.D., 1997

  • Staff, Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy

  • Dean Jimmy Green Scholarship

• University of Kansas School of Business, B.S. Bus. Admin. 1994

Court Admissions

• Kansas State and Federal Courts

• United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit

Professional Organizations

• Kansas Trial Lawyers Association, Immediate Past President, Board of Governors

• Insurance Law Editor, Journal of the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association

• American Association for Justice, Council of Presidents

• Wichita Bar Association

Publications

• Wait, the Illegal Aliens are Insurance Companies?!?: Tools for Identifying and Prosecuting First-Party Claims Against Unauthorized Insurers in Kansas, Journal of the Kansas Association for Justice, Vol. 42, No. 1, August, 2023.

• Fish v. Kobach: The District of Kansas Seriously Discourages Discovery Abuse, Journal of the Kansas Association for Justice, Vol. 39, No. 6, July, 2016.

• The Insurance “Renewal Rule” – Avoiding Latent Changes in Renewal Policies, Journal of the Kansas Association for Justice, Vol. 38, No. 1, September, 2014.

• Liability Insurance for Intentional Torts: An Introduction to Coverage for Personal and Advertising Injury, Journal of the Kansas Association for Justice, Vol. 34, No. 6, July, 2013.

• Nixing the Catch-22: Recovery of Replacement Cost Value When Repair or Replacement is Frustrated by the Insurer, Journal of the Kansas Association for Justice, Vol. 35, No. 4, March, 2012.

• Deposing Sergeant Shultz: How to Address the Unprepared or Evasive Corporate Representative Designated Under Rule 30(b)(6), Journal of the Kansas Association for Justice, Vol. 34, No. 6, July, 2011.

• Unconditional: Public Liability Coverage for Interstate Motor Carrier Accidents Under the Federal Form MCS-90 Endorsement, Journal of the Kansas Association for Justice, Vol. 33, No. 6, July 2010.

• Sweet Ambiguity: Preserving Liability Coverage With the Separation of Insureds Provision, Journal of the Kansas Association for Justice, Vol. 32, No. 3, January 2009.

Reported Cases

Russ served as counsel of record in the following cases, each resulting in a published or significant unpublished opinion:

• Matter of Pistotnik, 316 Kan. 96 (2022) 

• AV Homes, LLC v. AmGuard Ins. Co., 2021 WL 3708000 (Kan. Ct. App. August 20, 2021) 

• Hernandez v. Pistotnik, 60 Kan. App. 2d 393 (2021) 

• Hernandez v. Pistotnik, 58 Kan. App. 2d 501 (2020) 

• Ohlmeier v. Jones, 51 Kan. App. 2d 1014 (2015) (review denied) 

• Evergreen Recycle, L.L.C. v. Indiana Lumbermens Mut. Ins. Co., 51 Kan. App. 2d 459 (2015) 

• Bussman v. Safeco Ins. Co. of Am., 298 Kan. 700 (2014) (amicus) 

• Via Christi Reg'l Med. Ctr., Inc. v. Reed, 298 Kan. 503 (2013) 

• Via Christi Regional Med. Ctr. v. Reed, 45 Kan. App. 2d 356 (2011) 

• Security Storage Properties, et al. v. Safeco Ins. Co. of Amer., No. 09-1036-WEB-DWB, 2010 WL 1936127 (D. Kan. May 12, 2010) 

• Lafarge North America Inc. v. Homeland Ready-Mix, Inc., 697 F. Supp. 2d 1230 (D. Kan. 2009) 

• Wade v. Emcasco Ins. Co., 483 F.3d 657 (10th Cir. 2007) 

• Nungesser v. Bryant, 283 Kan. 550 (2007) 

• Lee Builders, Inc. v. Farm Bureau Mut. Ins. Co., 281 Kan. 844 (2006) 

• Dillon Companies, Inc. v. Royal Indem. Co., 369 F. Supp. 2d 1277 (D. Kan. 2005) 

• Tri-County Concerned Citizens, Inc. v. Board of County Com'rs of Harper County, 32 Kan. App. 2d 1168 (2004) (review denied) 

• Kvassay v. Hasty, 236 F. Supp. 2d 1240 (D. Kan. 2002) 

• Stark v. Hasty, 236 F. Supp.2d 1214 (D. Kan. 2002)