Kristie S. Crawford

Ms. Crawford is a civil litigator and managing principal of Brown & James, P.C.’s Springfield office. She represents businesses and individuals in disputes involving contracts, premises liability, automobile accidents and real estate. Her practice also includes investigating and defending claims of employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation on behalf of employers.

Since joining the firm in 2003, Ms. Crawford has tried jury and non-jury cases to conclusion and argued appeals in state and federal courts. She evaluates civil disputes with an eye to resolution through settlement, motion practice or trial, drawing on experience representing both businesses and individuals. She became a principal partner in 2010 and managing principal of the Springfield office in 2011.

Before entering private practice, Ms. Crawford served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Nancy Steffen Rahmeyer of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, from 2002 to 2003. She graduated with distinction from the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law. Earlier, she worked as an institutional parole officer with the Missouri Department of Corrections before deciding to pursue a career in civil litigation.

• Green Hills Women’s Shelter, Inc. v. Weldon Builders and Construction, LLC, Grundy County, Missouri (2025) – defense verdict.
• Pointe Royale Property Owners’ Association v. Richard McBroom, Taney County, Missouri (2021) – summary judgment
• Paul Kelly, Jr. v. Laberick Investments, Newton County, Missouri (2021) – summary judgment.
• Gerry Allen Hodge v. Walgreen Co., U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri (2021) – summary judgment.
• Karen M. Snelling v. John Alexander Smith, et al., Camden County, Missouri (2020) – summary judgment.
• Igor Misyuk, et al. v. Creative Dining Concepts, LLC, Greene County, Missouri (2019) – 90% fault assessed to plaintiff.
• Brandon Johnson v. Sarah Gustafson, Washington County, Arkansas (2018) – defense verdict.
• Patsy Custer v. Wal-Mart Stores East, LP (June 2017)
  
  Danielle Gardner v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., et al. (November 2015)
  
  Larry Berger, et al. v. Douglas County Abstract and Title Company, Inc. (September 2014)
• Michelle D. Brown v. Action Real Estate, et al. (July 2014)

• University of Missouri-Kansas City (J.D., 2002)
• University of Missouri-Columbia (B.A., 1996)

• Missouri
• Arkansas
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit

• Best Lawyers – Litigation - Insurance, The Best Lawyers in America (2020-2027)
• Top 16 Defense Win in the State of Missouri for 2025, Missouri Lawyers Weekly (2026)
• Top 5 Defense Win in the State of Missouri, Missouri Lawyers Weekly (2019)

• The Missouri Bar
• Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association
• Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers
• DRI – Lawyers’ Professionalism and Ethics Committee Publications Chair