Malpractice Case Grinds Out Settlement to Kennedy Coffee Founder

Selling a piece of his coffee venture became a bitter experience for Tom Kennedy, left. "“I had no clue any of this was coming because I was left in the dark by my attorney, Travis Story," seen on right.

Remember that potential malpractice case against Travis Story and the Story Law Firm in Fayetteville, the one we told you about back in November?

That grievance produced an $850,000 settlement with the firm’s malpractice insurance carrier, Continental Casualty Co. of Chicago.

The pending payout to the bankruptcy estate of Thomas Kennedy is subject to court approval of the settlement. The professional negligence claim is tied to the mishandling of a dispute involving Kennedy’s sale of his Kennedy Coffee Roasters.

Unanswered motions, failure to respond to court orders and more by Story’s firm led to dire consequences for Kennedy.

The Bentonville coffee entrepreneur was hit in May with a $648,741 judgment plus attorney fees of $37,395 and additional costs of $4,567 handed down by Washington County Circuit Judge Doug Martin.

That led to Kennedy filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in July, listing both assets and liabilities of nearly $1.3 million.