Practice/Organization Description
We work with our clients to achieve their goals, not ours. We assist those who: Hope to start a new business; Need to get a divorce; Have child custody or child support questions; Want to protect their assets by creating a trust or planning their estate; Need to prepare a will, a power of attorney, or a living will; Face criminal charges or have been charged with a DUI; or, Are in a non-traditional family and need assistance.
I am Managing Attorney for our law firm which focuses on family law, criminal law, wills, trusts, estate planning, small business law, and appellate practice. Office opened in August 1992 as a sole practice. First associate was added in 1998. Firm has fluctuated in size from two to four attorneys since 1998.
Served as Douglas County Judge pro tem 1999 and 2000 (small claims and protection from abuse), 2000 (traffic), 2002 and 2003 (small claims).
Served as part-time hearing officer, State Department of Health and Environment, 1993.
Served on Douglas County criminal appointment panels 1992-1999.
Served on Douglas County Juvenile Defense panel: 1994-1996.
Other Legal Experience
5/91 to 8/92 Research Attorney for then Kansas Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Beck Briscoe. (Judge Briscoe currently serves on the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.)
1/90 to 5/91 Research Attorney, Kansas Court of Appeals Central Staff.
5/88 to 6/89 Legal intern for New York State Commission on Government Integrity, analyzing evidence and witness testimony during investigation of Albany, N.Y., mayor’s conduct.
6/87 to 5/88 Part-time research assistant for Professor Francis Anderson, Albany Law School, examining legal foundations of personal freedoms.
Summer 1987 Legal assistant for Prisoners’ Legal Services, Albany, N.Y.
Other Work Experience (journalism)
8/89 to 12/89 Lecturer, School of Journalism, University of Kansas, half-time position teaching news reporting.
1/79 to 8/86 Reporter, then copy editor, then weekend regional editor for the Albany, N.Y., Times-Union:
From 10/83 to 8/86 duties included supervising seven copy editors, editing, and laying out local news section.
Developed and edited first stylebook exclusively for staff at Hearst Corporation’s two Albany-based newspapers.
Named a copy editor in 11/81.
Hired 1/79 as a general assignment reporter to cover Albany city government and politics.
1/77 to 1/79 Reporter then news editor of the Corbin, Ky., Times-Tribune, daily newspaper (circulation 8,600):
From 6/78 to 1/79 duties included supervising two editors, two reporters and production personnel; editing and laying out all news pages.
Hired 1/77 as a reporter to cover local government and politics.
6/72 to 10/72 Reporter then assistant editor of the now-defunct Rotterdam, N.Y., Reporter, weekly paper (circulation 1,500):
From 6/72 to 10/72 duties included: reporting, editing and laying out all news pages; selling ads and delivering papers to news dealers.
Hired 1/72 as part-time reporter.
Other work experience
June 2007 Apprentice artisan bread maker, Wheatfields Bakery, Lawrence, Kansas.
1/73 to 8/75 Truck assembler, Walter Motor Truck Co., Voorheesville, N.Y.
Education
Albany Law School, Albany, N.Y., J.D. awarded 6/89. Rank: 59 in 216. Admitted to practice law in New York 1/90; Kansas 4/90.
Winner of $500 New York Bar Association 1989 Legal Ethics Award at Albany law School for paper, “As the Cameras Roll (into the courtroom) Should DR-7-107 Fade Out?”
? Winner of $100 Rosch Prize at Albany Law School as graduate having highest standing in subject of Administrative Law.
? Student member, Albany Inn of Court, 8/88 to 6/89.
University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY., B.A./Journalism 12/76
Professional Associations & Memberships
Judge Hugh Means American Inn of Court
Charter and continuing member since 1992.
Served as president 2004-2005.
Executive Committee member 1996-2006.
Douglas County Bar Association
Member since 1992.
President 1999-2000: during term as president conducted election that led to creation of the Douglas County Law Library.
Douglas County Criminal Defense Bar Association
Founding member 1997.
First president 1997-1999.
Member of the advisory board 1999-2007.
Douglas County Law Library Board of Trustees
Member 2001-2007.
OTHER LEGAL SERVICE
1999-present Member Douglas County Bar Association Ethics Committee
2006-2007 Serve as panel member in Kansas Bar Association Fee Dispute Arbitration.
2005-2006 Appointed by Atchison County District Court to serve on Professional Malpractice Screening Panel pursuant to K.S.A. 60-3501.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS/BOARDS/MEMBERSHIPS
Hilltop Child Development Board of Directors
Member since 6/2004; current president elect to serve in 2008-2009.
Douglas County Seniors Center
Member Board of Directors 2001-2003
Lawrence City Human Relations Commission
Member 1999-2001
Douglas County Aids Project
Member Board of Directors 1991-1994.
Kansas Children’s Service League
Volunteer mediator 1991-1992 (required initial participation in 40 hour mediation training program).
POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
Douglas County Democratic Committee Member 2000-2008.
Campaign manager for Charles Branson, Douglas County District Attorney, 2004, (campaign successful).
Campaign manager for Charles Jones, Douglas County Commission, 1998, (campaign successful)
Campaign manager for Forest Swall, Kansas House of Representatives, 1992 (Campaign successful).
