Keaton represents clients at trial, in arbitrations, and at mediations. He has defended and resolved more than 140 cases across a variety of practice areas, including negligence, breach of contract, construction defect, bodily injury, wrongful death, freight brokerage, negligent hiring and retention, consumer practice complaints, vexatious refusal, premises liability, and auto- and construction-related bodily injury matters. He has handled hundreds of depositions—including plaintiffs, engineers, and physicians—and regularly prepares and produces clients and corporate representatives for their depositions.
 
In addition to his commercial practice, Keaton’s pro bono work includes representing clients in family-court matters, including the successful defense of a client in a termination-of-parental-rights trial.
 
Prior to joining Franke Schultz & Mullen, P.C., Keaton graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law, where he served as Program Editor for The Urban Lawyer, was a member of the Law Review staff, consistently appeared on the Dean’s List, and received the CALI Award in Debtor–Creditor Rights. Keaton holds a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering from the University of Kansas.
 
Representative Matters

• Jury trial in St. Charles County, Missouri (second chair) (negligence admitted; defense verdict) (September 2025)
• Jury trial in Clay County, Missouri (second chair) (May 2025)
• Jury trial in Lawrence, Kansas (first chair, pro hac vice) (December 2024)
• Summary judgment on all claims in a case involving legal immunity (December 2024)
• Summary judgment as to punitive damages in an auto-accident case (2024)

RECOGNITION

• Up & Coming Award (2023) — Missouri Lawyers Media