Distinguished Alumni

Overview

The KU Law Distinguished Alumni Award is presented annually to KU School of Law graduates who have distinguished themselves through exemplary service to the legal profession, their communities, the university, and the state or country.

Since 1964, the school has honored more than 100 alumni whose lives have benefited the community and whose noteworthy contributions throughout the year have brought honor to the School of Law.

Read about the 2025 recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award: 

• Kenneth W. Gaines, L'76
• Hon. Paula B. Martin, L'81

Previous Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients

• 2024 Judge Monti Belot, L'68
• 2024 Jan Bowen Sheldon, L'77
• 2024 Paul Yde, L'85
• 2023 David S. Elkouri, L'78
• 2023 Janet M. Justus, L'81
• 2023 Sen. Jerry Moran, L'82
• 2022 L. Camille Hébert, L’82
• 2022 James May, L’89
• 2022 Irma Stephens Russell, L’80
• 2021 Rosemary O’Leary, Ph.D., L’81
• 2021 Judge Robert E. Nugent III, L’80
• 2021 Reginald L. Robinson, L’87
• 2020 Mark D. Hinderks, L'82
• 2020 Madeleine M. McDonough, L'90
• 2019 Myron L. Frans, L'83
• 2019 Linda S. Legg, L'75
• 2019 Clyde J. "Butch" Tate II, Major General, U.S. Army (Retired), L'82
• 2018 Judge Karen Arnold-Burger, L'82
• 2018 William F. "Brad" Bradley Jr., L'80
• 2018 John P. Bowman, L'80
• 2017 Heywood "Woody" Davis, L'58
• 2017 Thomas Docking, L'80
• 2017 R. Dean Wolfe, L'69
• 2017 Marie Woodbury, L'79
• 2016 Larry E. Keenan, L'54
• 2016 Professor John C. Peck, L'74
• ​2016 Judge Kathryn H. Vratil, L'75
• 2015 John W. (Jack) Brand, L'59
• 2015 Nicholas Kittrie, L'50
• 2015 Justice Lawton Nuss, L'82
• 2014 Edward Larson, L'60
• 2014 Judge Mary H. Murguia, L'85
• 2014 Judge Julie A. Robinson, L'81
• 2013 Justice Carol A. Beier, L'85
• 2013 Timothy R. Emert, L'65
• 2013 John L. Vratil, L'71
• 2012 Charles H. Hostetler, L'63
• 2012 Mark V. Parkinson, L'84
• 2011 James M. Concannon, L'71
• 2011 Jack E. Dalton, L'53
• 2010 Marilyn M. Harp, L'79
• 2010 John W. Lungstrum, L'70
• 2009 Lydia I. Beebe, L'77
• 2009 Barry D. Halpern, L'73
• 2009 John J. Jurcyk Jr., L'57
• 2008 Sheila C. Bair, L'78
• 2008 William R. Sampson, L'71
• 2008 Mikel L. Stout, L'61
• 2007 Donald W. Giffin, L'53
• 2007 James M. Haughey, L'39
• 2006 N. William Hines Jr., L'61
• 2006 James W. Paddock, L'56
• 2006 Christopher Smith, L'72
• 2005 Sen. Samuel D. Brownback, L'83
• 2005 Janet Murguia, L'85
• 2005 Gary A. Waldron, L'79
• 2005 Douglas D. Wheat, L'74
• 2004 J. Eugene Balloun, L'54
• 2004 Malcolm S. Robinson, L'75
• 2003 Robert L. Driscoll, L'64
• 2003 Catherine McGuire, L'73
• 2002 Tyrone C. Means, L'76
• 2002 John M. Rounds, L'39
• 2001 David Davenport, L'77
• 2001 Judge Cordell D. Meeks Jr., L'67
• 2001 Attorney General Carla Stovall, L'82
• 2001 Judge G. Thomas VanBebber, L'55
• 2000 Judge Mary Beck Briscoe, L'73
• 1999 Donald W. Bostwick, L'68
• 1998 Richard L. Bond, L'60
• 1997 Norman Jeter, L'37
• 1996 Constance M. Achterberg, L'53
• 1995 Donald L. Cordes, L'59
• 1994 Justice Fred N. Six, L'56
• 1993 Bernard E. Nordling, L'49
• 1992 Professor Emeritus William A. Kelly, L'49
• 1991 Howard M. Immel, L'38
• 1990 Robert L. Howard, L'59
• 1989 Justice Robert H. Miller, L'43
• 1988 Richard A. Barber, L'34
• 1987 John E. Hurley Jr., L'62
• 1986 Robert A. Schroeder, L'37
• 1985 Justice David Prager, L'42
• 1984 Omer G. Voss, L'39
• 1983 Robert C. Foulston, L'48
• 1982 Judge Leo A. McNalley, L'1925
• 1981 Justice Donnan Stephenson, L'48
• 1980 Judge Richard D. Rogers, L'47
• 1979 Gov. Robert F. Bennett, L'52
• 1978 Leonard O. Thomas, L'34
• 1977 Paul L. Wilbert, L'38
• 1976 Regent Glee S. Smith, L'47
• 1975 Justice Hugo T. Wedell, L'1920
• 1974 Elmer C. Jackson Jr., L'35
• 1973 Frank L. Snell, L'1924
• 1972 Judge Earl E. O'Connor, L'50
• 1971 Maj. Gen. Kenneth J. Hodson, L'37
• 1970 Justice Robert T. Price, L'1927
• 1969 Judge Walter A. Huxman, L'1914
• 1968 Judge Spencer A. Gard, L'1922
• 1967 George B. Powers, L'28
• 1966 Paul R. Wunsch, L'1925
• 1965 Claude E. Chalfant, L'27
• 1964 Justice John F. Fontron, L'1926