Attorneys at Chinnery Evans & Nail

Driven by an unsinkable entrepreneurial spirit, Carl L. Chinnery founded the firm in 1967 and has been serving the community ever since. He enjoys contributing to the civic, charitable and educational life of the Lee’s Summit and greater Kansas City area.

His charitable service includes serving as Chairman of the Truman Medical Center Planned Giving Council; Chairman of the Children's Mercy Hospital Planned Giving Council; Secretary of the Powell Gardens Board; and Chairman of the Community Foundation of Lee's Summit.

Carl's civic activities include the Rotary Club, serving as a District Governor of Rotary International in 2002-2003; the Lee's Summit Chamber of Commerce, serving as its president in 1978; the Lee's Summit Economic Development Council, as president in 1996-97; and the Rockhurst College Small Business Development Corporation, as past Chairman. He has served as president of the Lee's Summit R-7 Board of Education, and as president of the Lee's Summit Educational Foundation. Carl was a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and was also a Charter Life Underwriter. His indelible mark on the community is evidenced, among other things, by the nature trail at Unity Village that bears his name.

Carl earned a B.A. degree from Beloit College and a J.D. degree from the University of Missouri - Kansas City. His first love is his family, followed by hobbies and interests as varied as the Midwestern weather, including woodworking, sailing, gardening, golf, and boat-building.

Gayle Evans has practiced law for nearly 40 years, concentrating in the areas of estate planning, corporate law, real estate, and employee stock ownership plans.

Having accumulated Malcom Gladwell’s 10,000 hours, Gayle enjoys putting her expertise to work assisting her clients, and sharing with the lay and legal community alike by speaking frequently at national estate planning and tax forums, including Duke University, the Mountain States Tax Conference, and the American Law-Institute-American Bar Association Estate and Gift Tax Seminar.

She has written a number of works, including Estate Planning for the Family Business Owner, published by the AICPA; chapters on Estate Planning for Business Owners and Retirement Plan Distributions for Missouri Estate Planning published by the Missouri Bar; and ESOPs for The Practical Tax Lawyer.

She received her bachelor's and master's degrees (cum laude) from the University of Missouri - Columbia, and received her law degree (with distinction) from the University of Missouri - Kansas City, where she was Articles Editor of the Law Review and appointed to the Order of the Bench and Robe.

When not helping her clients, you may find her immersed in British mysteries, doting on grandchildren, golfing or raising chickens.

Molly Nail’s eighteen years of practicing with the firm allow her to counsel clients with equal doses of humor, humility, and straightforward, no-nonsense advice. She especially enjoys hearing clients say, “Well that wasn’t so bad!” after initial consultations.

She graduated from Vanderbilt University with a bachelor's degree and received her law degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia. Molly is a member of the Missouri Bar, the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, and the Greater Kansas City Estate Planning Society. She has been named both a Rising Star and subsequently Super Lawyer by the Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers Magazine and KC Magazine since 2008.

She is active in the legal community, having served on the Trust & Probate Committee of the Missouri Bar and has been an adjunct professor at Avila University in the Paralegal Studies Program. When she is not spending time with her husband and their two boys, Molly gives back to the community by serving as a member of the Truman Medical Center Charitable Foundation Board, the UMKC Dental School’s Rinehart Foundation Board, the ReDiscover Foundation Board, the Children's Mercy Hospital Planned Giving Council, and as a past president of the Lee's Summit Rotary Club. She is also a sucker for dogs, live music and sporting events. She is responsible for the family’s latest unplanned Wayside Waifs adoption and has visited over half of the MLB ballparks.

Nancy E. Blackwell, much-loved by her clients and colleagues for her elegance, grace, and experience, has dedicated over 25 years to the practice of law and to the service of the Lee’s Summit community.

Nancy received her B.A. degree and her J.D. degree (with distinction) from the University of Missouri - Kansas City, where she served as Managing Editor of the Law Review and wrote for the legal journal. She is a member of the Missouri Bar, the American Bar Association, the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, the Greater Kansas City Estate Planning Society, and the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys.

Nancy is active in service to the community, having served on the Board of Directors and as Chairman of the Board of John Knox Village; the Board of Directors of the Lee's Summit Educational Foundation; the Board of Directors of the Lee's Summit Economic Development Council; the Board of Trustees of the University of Missouri - Kansas City Law Foundation; and the Children's Mercy Hospital Planned Giving Council. She was named as The Outstanding Young Woman of Lee's Summit by the Lee's Summit Jaycees early in her career. Nancy speaks regularly on estate planning topics including Wills, Trusts, and Charitable Giving.

Andrew S. Felker’s sensible, problem-solving approach makes him a favorite with the firm’s clients and business partners alike. He brings his expertise and passion to aspiring and experienced business owners in need of legal guidance. Andrew walks with individuals and families as they navigate the intimate, and often difficult, decisions associated with drafting a will or trust or planning for the possibility of disability, and he often helps clients piece together the subtle complexities of a real estate transaction.

Andrew’s commitment to clients spills over into the community. Since joining Chinnery Evans & Nail in 2013, Andrew has played an active part in Lee's Summit Chamber, participating in the Chamber's 2013 class of Leadership Lee's Summit and serving on the Chamber’s Board of Directors. He also believes in the community-enriching programs and missions of Lee’s Summit CARES and Pro Deo Youth Center; he serves on the Board of Directors for each organization. Andrew rolled up his sleeves to be a part of his neighborhood’s homeowners’ association, serving on its Board of Directors as well.

Andrew maintains professional associations that enrich his ability to provide meaningful legal advice to clients. For a number of years, Andrew has served on the Kansas City Estate Planning Symposium's committee for Estate Planning Fundamentals, a program that provides quality instruction to attorneys new to estate planning or in need of a basic refresher; he is the Program Chair for the 2017 program. Andrew is a member of the Kansas City Estate Planning Society and serves as a board member and current chair to the Kansas City Chapter of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society.

Before joining Chinnery, Evans & Nail, Andrew administered trusts and estates for UMB Bank's Private Wealth Management division, and gained valuable perspective about how will and trust planning is actually carried out. He studied at the University of Missouri at Columbia where he received his bachelor's degree (with honors) and his law degree. Before law school, Andrew coordinated media relations for legislators in the Missouri House of Representatives' Communications Department. While in law school, he was the Associate Managing Editor for the Journal of Dispute Resolution, the president of the student chapter of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society and a clerk in a local law firm. Andrew is an Eagle Scout.

Despite his many professional and civic commitments, Andrew remains committed to his family and faith. You’ll see him sometimes strolling through Downtown Lee’s Summit with kids in tow. At other times, he is cheering on--or coaching--a daughter on the soccer field or volleyball court. When he has his wish, he’s likely at home in the throes of a wrestling match with toddlers or trying to double-bounce big kids on the trampoline. Better yet, he might be lost in a good book or just passing time in conversation with his wife, Sarah.

Casey G. Crawford graduated form the University of Colorado at Boulder with a bachelor’s degree (with honors) in Political Science and received his law degree from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. Casey was a member of the Men’s Basketball team at the University of Colorado at Boulder and played professional international basketball after graduation. While in law school, Casey was a member of the UMKC Law Review, serving on the Law Review Board as a Comments Editor. Additionally, Casey made the Dean’s List and was the Top Appellate Advocate in Moot Court.

Casey has spent his practice as both a litigation and transactional attorney. In 2017, Casey was awarded the Law Firm Leader award by the Missouri Up & Coming Lawyer’s Association.

Casey is active in the community, having previously been an assistant basketball coach at Lee’s Summit High School, and a longtime member of the Knights of Columbus. Additionally, Casey is a member of the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce and has been active in local government in Lee’s Summit.