Humphrey Farrington & McClain

05/12/2026

Congratulations to Nichelle L. Oxley, shareholder at Humphrey, Farrington & McClain, on being named to Ingram's Magazine 40 Under Forty Class of 2026. Now in its 28th year, Ingram's annual recognition honors the Kansas City region's most accomplished young professionals for both career achievement and community impact.

Nichelle's practice spans catastrophic injury, complex product liability, and high-stakes business disputes, including class actions. She recently argued the class certification hearing in the Jackson County property tax case on behalf of approximately 200,000 homeowners.

04/22/2026

"Because there's nothing that prohibits it."

In January 2025, the current head of operations at the company that makes Brazilian Blowout sat for a deposition and was asked a simple question under oath.

Why does California get one formula, and the rest of the country gets another?

The short version of what he said: California forced the company to cut the formaldehyde content in half because the levels were too high. Everywhere else, they kept selling the stronger version.
Not because the stronger version was safe. Because nothing legally stopped them from continuing to sell it.

Here is what was on the record:

The California formula contains 18 percent of the weight in methylene glycol, the ingredient that releases formaldehyde when heat is applied. The non-California formula contains roughly double that, 37 to 40 percent. Same bottle design. Same marketing. Different chemistry depending on what state the salon is in.

When our lawyer asked why it was appropriate to keep selling the stronger version outside California, the answer was:

"Because there's nothing that prohibits it."

When asked whether the company ever told stylists or clients that the California formula was different, the answer was: "Not to my knowledge."

Stylists in New York, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, and every other state were breathing the stronger version. They were never told.

If you worked with Brazilian Blowout and you have since been diagnosed with myeloid leukemia, nasopharyngeal cancer, or sinonasal cancer, or other cancers you may have a claim. The attorneys at Humphrey, Farrington & McClain have recovered over $2 billion for clients since 1984, including millions on behalf of salon workers exposed to formaldehyde on the job.

Call (816) 836-5050 or email [email protected] for a free case review.

04/16/2026

In January 2012, the State of California settled with the makers of Brazilian Blowout.

The reason California sued them? The bottle said "formaldehyde-free." The lab tests said otherwise. The product contained formaldehyde, a chemical the federal government classifies as a known human carcinogen. Stylists were breathing it in every time they ran the iron over a client's hair.

The company paid $600,000 in penalties to the California Attorney General. They were ordered to stop calling the product "formaldehyde-free," "safe," or "salon-safe." A few weeks later, they paid another $4.5 million to settle a class action brought by stylists and clients who said they'd been deceived.

You might think a moment like that would change how a company talks to the people using its product.

It didn't.

Here is what the CEO, Michael Brady, told the New York Times after the settlement:

"We get to sell the product forever without reformulation. In my eyes, that's the acquittal we've been waiting for."

Read that again. Millions paid out. A state Attorney General's consent judgment on the books. And the leader of the company called it an acquittal and kept selling the same formula.

Take Action: If you or someone you know developed cancer after Brazilian Blowout treatments, reach out to us today. You could be entitled to compensation for your suffering.

Visit https://hfmlegal.com/portfolio/brazilian-blowout/ or call our office for a free case evaluation. Let’s hold these companies accountable together.

Contact us today through hfmlegal.com for a free case review. We’ve won against these companies before, and we’ll do it again.

04/15/2026

Big congratulations to our law clerk Bethany Halstead and her UMKC School of Law mock trial teammates on winning the American College of Trial Lawyers' 2026 National Trial Competition!

Bethany and her team took first place out of 300 teams from law schools across the country.

04/08/2026

Congratulations to HFM attorneys Ken McClain, Jonathan Soper, and Nichelle Oxley, who just secured class certification in one of the largest property tax cases in Missouri history.

On April 3, Judge Jacqueline Cook certified a class of approximately 200,000 homeowners who were subjected to unlawful property tax assessments during the 2023 assessment cycle. The certified class includes all owners of residential real property in Jackson County who paid taxes based on a 2023 assessed valuation that increased by more than 15% over the prior cycle, excluding increases due solely to new construction or improvements.

The 2023 assessment process resulted in an average 30% spike in residential property values across Jackson County. In 2024, the Missouri State Tax Commission found that Jackson County violated state law by failing to provide required notices to property owners within the statutory time frame and by failing to perform physical inspection as required by state statute. The STC ordered assessment increases capped at 15%, but Jackson County refused to comply with that order, leaving homeowners without a meaningful remedy.

These three attorneys from Humphrey, Farrington & McClain have been fighting for Jackson County taxpayers since June 2023 when deficient assessment notices were first sent to taxpayers. Jackson County moved to dismiss the case, arguing that taxpayers first needed to exhaust administrative remedies, an argument that was taken all the way to the Missouri Supreme Court, which dismissed the first iteration of the taxpayers' lawsuit. In subsequent litigation between Jackson County and the State Tax Commission, however, the County sued all taxpayers with pending assessment appeals, leading the legal team at HFM to file a Class Action Counterclaim on behalf of one of the firm's clients and all other taxpayers similarly situated.

Class certification is one of the most difficult milestones to achieve in any class action, and this result is a testament to the skill, preparation, and persistence that Ken, Jonathan, and Nichelle have brought to every stage of this litigation. The case now moves forward with the development of a notice plan for class members and the continued pursuit of refunds and further monetary damages for affected homeowners.

Read the full story on our website:

Humphrey, Farrington & McClain attorneys Kenneth McClain, Jonathan Soper, and Nichelle Oxley secure landmark class certification in one of Missouri’s largest property tax cases INDEPENDENCE, Mo. Circuit Court Judge Jacqueline Cook on April 3, 2026 certified a class action lawsuit on behalf of appr...

04/07/2026

UNANIMOUS JURY VERDICT IN MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR I-70 RACE TRACK DISPUTE

After a week-long trial in Lafayette County, Missouri, a jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of our client, the Hiffeo Group, LLC, rejecting every claim brought against them.

The dispute centered on 7.58 acres of land adjacent to a circle race track near I-70, where the Hiffeo Group had invested $12 million to construct the Flying H dragstrip facility. In 2023, the Hiffeo Group purchased 158 acres from the owners of I-70 Motorsports, LLC for that purpose. After a year of construction, a derivative lawsuit was filed on behalf of I-70 Motorsports alleging that a portion of the dragstrip encroached onto I-70's remaining property.

The claims at issue were significant. The plaintiff alleged trespass, breach of easement, breach of the declaration of covenants, and ejectment. The claimed damages included $1.4 million for the alleged total loss of the 7.58 acres and $300,000 per year in lost profits, sought indefinitely. Perhaps most consequentially, the plaintiff's ejectment claim sought to remove the Hiffeo Group from the disputed acreage entirely. Because the dragstrip could not operate without that portion of the property, ejectment would have effectively destroyed the entire $10 million facility.

The jury rejected all of it. After less than 30 minutes, the jury returned an unanimous verdict on every count. Our client's investment is fully protected, and the Flying H dragstrip will continue to operate without interruption.

Congratulations to the HFM Legal trial team of Ken McClain, Colin McClain, and Nichelle Oxley for their outstanding work throughout the trial.

03/31/2026

We were honored to serve as a Grand Duke sponsor at the Rotary Club of Independence's annual Mardi Gras Gala, alongside our partner Ken McClain and his wife Cindy, who co-sponsored as well.

Together, the event raised over $400,000 for Blue Valley Activity Center (BVAC), a family-oriented youth sports facility right here in Independence that has been providing kids a safe place to play since 1966. BVAC offers basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, and more, with volunteer coaches who emphasize sportsmanship, learning, and fun over win-at-all-costs competition. The funds raised will go toward updating the gym and surrounding facilities so BVAC can continue serving local families for years to come.

A huge thank you to the Rotary Club of Independence for putting on such a fantastic event, and to everyone who donated, sponsored, and showed up. This is what community looks like.

03/25/2026

Missouri Lawyers Media just named four of our attorneys among the TOP settlement winners of 2025

Lauren McClain, Ken McClain, Tim Kingsbury, and Andrew Smith who were recently honored for a $30 million product liability settlement on behalf of two salon workers who developed cancer after years of hidden formaldehyde exposure on the job.

The company said the chemical wasn't in the product. It was. And our team proved it. Find out more on our website: https://hfmlegal.com/four-hfm-attorneys-honored-for-top-settlement-of-2025-by-missouri-lawyers-media/

Congratulations to Lauren, Ken, Tim, and Andrew. Results like these are why Humphrey, Farrington & McClain has recovered over $2 billion for our clients since 1984.

02/03/2026

Did your career in the salon come with a hidden cost?

For years, stylists were told Brazilian Blowout treatments were "formaldehyde-free." In reality, many contained levels up to 12%—that is 60 times the safety threshold.

The FDA issued warnings but failed to act on their own ban. Meanwhile, the industry kept selling, and salon professionals kept breathing in toxic fumes.

Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen. Research from the American Cancer Society and other recent studies has linked high-level exposure to:

⚠️ Uterine & Ovarian Cancer

⚠️ Thyroid Cancer

⚠️ Leukemia & Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

⚠️ Rare cancers of the nose and throat

You trusted the products you used. You weren't told the truth.

We are fighting back. Our firm has already represented many hair stylists and recovered millions in settlements for this exact issue. You are not the first to face this, and you don't have to face it alone.

If you or a loved one worked with these treatments and received a cancer diagnosis, you deserve answers.

Call us at (816) 836-5050 or email us directly ([email protected]) for a free confidential consultation.

10/24/2025

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-15217133/UK-popular-hair-treatment-risk-brazilian-blowout-cancer.html

🚨 Health Alert: A just-released scientific study has linked the Brazilian Blowout – a “Brazilian blow dry” treatment beloved for silky smooth hair – to alarming additional cancer risks. Experts have long warned that Brazilian Blowout formulas contain formaldehyde, a carcinogen that gets released when the treatment is heated. In addition to previously known cancers such as ovarian, uterine, and leukemia. We now we have proof of additional cancers:

Pancreatic Cancer: Women who frequently use chemical hair straighteners like Brazilian Blowout are up to 166% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.

Thyroid Cancer: The study found a 71% higher risk of thyroid cancer in frequent users.

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: Risk was 62% higher among those regularly using these treatments.

These findings underscore a frightening truth – a beauty treatment meant to boost confidence might be putting lives at risk. Humphrey, Farrington & McClain is at the forefront of this fight for safety. Our firm is the only one to have recovered millions for women harmed by Brazilian Blowout, and we’re prepared to do it again.

Take Action: If you or someone you know developed cancer after Brazilian Blowout treatments, reach out to us today. You could be entitled to compensation for your suffering. Visit https://hfmlegal.com/portfolio/brazilian-blowout/ or call our office for a free case evaluation. Let’s hold these companies accountable together.

Contact us today through hfmlegal.com for a free case review. We’ve won against these companies before, and we’ll do it again. Your courage, our experience – together we can make a difference.