Stacy M. Bunck

Stacy has been litigation counsel for several high-profile national employers, including telecommunications companies, retailers, and restaurant chains. Her successes include the following:

• 2025 Arbitrator granted summary judgment for ride share provider on breach of contract claims
• 2025 full defense verdict in W.D. Mo. on disability claims under the MHRA following a three day jury trial
• 2024 D. Kan. granted summary judgment for national bar review provider on Equal Pay Act claim and Title VII sexual harassment and race discrimination claims
• 2021 10th Circuit affirmed summary judgment for national manufacturer of specialty vehicles on breach of contract claims for management incentive plan bonus payout and severance pay under Kansas common law and the Kansas Wage Payment Act
• 2021 D. Kan. granted summary judgment for national manufacturer of specialty vehicles on breach of contract claims for management incentive plan bonus payout and severance pay under Kansas common law and the Kansas Wage Payment Act
• 2020 W.D. Mo. granted summary judgment on discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims under the MHRA
• 2019 D. Kan. granted summary judgment for national car manufacturer on discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims under Title VII, the ADA, the FMLA, and 42 U.S.C. § 1981
• 2016 full defense verdict in Jackson County, Missouri on sex harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation claims under the MHRA following a seven day jury trial
• 2016 full defense verdict in D. Kan. on disability and retaliation claims under the ADA and FMLA following a four day jury trial
• 2016 10th Circuit affirmed summary judgment for national electronics employer on race discrimination and retaliatory discharge claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1981 and Kansas common law
• 2015 D. Kan. granted summary judgment for national electronics employer on discrimination and retaliation claims under Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, and the FMLA
• 2014 D. Kan. granted summary judgment for national educational employer on sex harassment and retaliation claims under Title VII

Education

• J.D., University of Kansas School of Law, 2001
• B.A., Trinity University, 1998

Admission to Practice

• Missouri
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri
• Kansas
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth and Tenth Circuits
• U.S. District Court, District of Kansas

• The Missouri Bar
• Kansas Bar Association
• The Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
• Board Member, Friends of Johnson County Library Board

• Ogletree Deakins Managing a Workforce in 2026 – “Disciplining Employees Who Have Filed Complaints—Without Inviting Retaliation Claims” – Kansas City – October 17, 2025
• Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “Disciplining Employees Who Have Filed Complaints—Without Inviting Retaliation Claims” – Colorado Springs – September 25 & 26, 2025
• Workplace Strategies Seminar – “The Election Is Over, What’s Next?” – Las Vegas – April 24, 2025
• Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “When Religious Accommodation Issues Intersect With Other Laws” – Amelia Island – November 15, 2024
• Ogletree Deakins Managing a Workforce in 2025 – “Balancing Act: When Religious Accommodation Issues Intersect with Other Laws” – Kansas City – October 18, 2024
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: FAQs for Employers” – June 3, 2024
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Tricky Leave and Accommodation Requests: Key Scenarios to Show the Way” – Washington, D.C. – May 2, 2024
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the EEOC’s Final Regulations” – April 23, 2024
• Ogletree Deakins Podcast – “Multistate Monday: Workplace Romance, Love Contracts, and Sexual Harassment Prevention” – March 4, 2024
• Ogletree Deakins Podcast – “FMLA Case Studies: Lessons From Recent Leave Litigation” – February 13, 2024
• ACC Sports and Entertainment Network Legal Update – “Opening the Door and Coming Back In: A Rundown of Return-to-Work and Recruiting Issues” – September 19, 2023
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the EEOC’s Proposed Regulations” – August 21, 2023
• Ogletree Deakins Podcast – “Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2023: All Things ADA, LOA, FMLA, and Reasonable Accommodations” – June 1, 2023
• Workplace Strategies Seminar – “All Things ADA, LOA, and FMLA: A Reasonable Accommodations Workshop” – San Diego – May 10, 2023
• Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “How to Practice Law and Maintain Your Sanity: Work-Life Balance Tips For In-House Counsel” – Colorado Springs – September 24, 2022
• Bench Bar – “The Value in Building Diverse Teams” – May 2022
• Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “Pandemic Recovery: Round 1—Out of Sight, Out of Mind? Managing Leaves in a Remote World” – Amelia Island – November 11-12, 2021
• Virtual Managing a Workforce in 2022 – “COVID-19: What Now” – October 19, 2021
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Tricky Timing: Navigating the Best Leave of Absence Practices to Avoid Retaliation Claims” – Austin – June 24, 2021
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Top Five Employment Policies Every Company Should Consider in a Pandemic” – May 2020
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “COVID-19 Missouri Updates to Unemployment Benefits” – April 2020
• Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “The Investigations Series: Pulling It All Together” – New Orleans – November 2019
• Ogletree Deakins Managing a Workforce in 2020 – “Strategic Considerations for Mediation” – Overland Park – October 2019
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Handbook Hygiene Workshop: Don’t Play High Stakes With Your Policies” – Las Vegas – May 2019
• Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Grab Bag – Mixed Topics – Handbooks” – Overland Park – October 2018
• Association of Corporate Counsel – “Harassment on High: Navigating Claims Against Senior Leaders and C-Suite Executives” – Kansas City – June 2018
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Flummoxed by the FMLA? An Interactive Workshop” – Phoenix – May 2018
• Iowa SHRM – “Managing the Villains in Your Office – Dealing with Difficult Employees – Discharge, Discipline, or Denial” – Cedar Rapids – May 2014
• Iowa State SHRM Conference – “An Introduction to the ADA and FMLA” – Coralville – October 2013
• Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Managing Difficult Return to Work Scenarios Under the ADA/FMLA” – Overland Park – October 2013
• Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “News from the Beltway” – Kansas City – October 2011
• Sterling Education Services – “FLSA/Wage & Hour Critical Issues” – Kansas City – May 2011
• Sterling Education Services – “FLSA/Wage & Hour Crackdown” – Kansas City – January 2011
• Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Lessons Learned From A Down Economy” – Kansas City – February 2010

• December 15, 2023 – Law360 – “What Employers Can Learn From EEOC’s 2023 ADA Priorities”
• November 1, 2023 – Ingram’s – “New Measures to Protect Pregnant Workers”
• December 10, 2021 – SHRM Online – “Kansas Governor Signs Bill Limiting Workplace Vaccine Mandates”
• August 2011 – Practical Law Company – “Wage And Hour Laws: Missouri”

• June 7, 2024 – Bloomberg Law – “Workplace Religious Objections Struggle Despite New Legal Test”
• March 15, 2024 – SHRM – “Spousal Care FMLA Leave Calls for Empathy from Employers”
• July 5, 2023 – Law360 – “Alito’s Fears Over Gender Dysphoria Suits Prompt Skepticism”
• June 7, 2023 – SHRM Online – “Look-Back Method Is Beneficial but Complex Way to Calculate FMLA Time Off”
• February 14, 2023 – SHRM Online – “DOL Explains When FLSA, FMLA Cover Remote Employees”
• March 7, 2022 – KC Counselor – “Profiles in Leadership: Breaking the Glass Scales”
• October 4, 2021 – The Kansas City Beacon – “Truman Med announced a vaccine mandate for its 5,000 employees, and 39 resigned. Now other area employers are split.”
• September 9, 2021 – KSHB – “Kansas City employment attorney talks COVID-19 vaccine mandate executive orders”
• July 14, 2021 – Law360 – “5 Myths Attorneys Believed When They Started Out”
• May 14, 2021 – KMBC 9 News – “Employment attorney weighs in on rights of workers to refuse mandated vaccinations”
• February 25, 2021 – HR Dive – “Court OKs employee surveillance to root out FMLA abuse”
• November 24, 2020 – KSHB-TV Kansas City – “Workplaces can mandate COVID-19 vaccine, employment experts say”
• July 12, 2018 – SHRM Online – “Employers Often Designate Leave as FMLA Despite Objections”

• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®
  • Employment Law – Management (2020-2026)
  • Litigation – Labor and Employment (2020-2026)
• Super Lawyers Rising Star (2008-2016)
• Flex Success® Award – Diversity and Flexibility Alliance