Board of Governors

Douglas A. Girod, Chancellor University of Kansas

Dean Stephen Mazza School of Law University of Kansas

Sam Palumbo, President Student Bar Association School of Law University of Kansas

Anshul Banga, Past President Student Bar Association School of Law University of Kansas

Brett Hallagan, Past President Student Bar Association School of Law University of Kansas

(Last updated 6/18/2024)

Bryan Didier, L'04 (2027)
Overland Park, KS
President

Bryan Didier is a Partner and the Managing Director of Renewable Energy at Monarch Private Capital. Bryan brings more than 30 years of leadership experience to his role, including more than 20 years of service as an officer in the U.S. Navy. Prior to joining Monarch, Bryan had been a partner at Leverage Law Group, LLC since 2009, where he developed and led the firm’s renewable energy practice, with a particular emphasis on tax-credit incentivized renewable energy transactions. Before and during his civilian legal career, Bryan served for more than 20 years on active and reserve duty in the U.S. Navy, retiring with the rank of Commander.

Jared T. Hiatt, L’07 (2026)
Clark, Mize & Linville, Chartered
Salina, KS
District 1

Jared Hiatt’s practice is primarily dedicated to representing Kansas employers. He advises numerous local and non-local businesses on a full range of employment law issues. Hiatt also defends employers and their insurance carriers against all types of claims filed by employees. In particular, Hiatt has substantial experience defending employers against workers’ compensation and employment discrimination claims. Hiatt’s practice also emphasizes creditors’ rights, insurance defense and municipal law. Hiatt serves as special prosecutor for the cities of Salina, Abilene and Tescott, which has given him considerable experience trying cases to judges and juries.

Pablo Mose, L'15 (2028)
Rebein Brothers PA
Dodge City, KS
District 1

Pablo Mose is a Hispanic, bilingual attorney who represents plaintiffs in catastrophic injury cases with an emphasis in cases involving semi-truck and commercial vehicles. Prior to that, Mose practiced law at a National Defense firm where he handled complex personal injury, class action and insurance cases. Pablo loves working with everyday people, so he decided to represent plaintiffs in his home state of Kansas and throughout the Midwest.

The Hon. Andrew M. Stein, L’13 (2025)
16th Judicial District Court
Dodge City, KS
District 1

Andrew M. Stein currently serves as a district judge in the 16th Judicial District Court. Stein, formerly an attorney and owner at the Doll Law Firm LLC, has served clients in a variety of areas including estate planning, bankruptcy, civil litigation and criminal defense cases. Stein served as city attorney for numerous Kansas towns such as Ensign, Montezuma, Spearville, Minneola and Bucklin. Stein was officially sworn in as the new district judge on July 1, 2020.

The Hon. Jacy J. Hurst, L’07 (2026)
Kansas Court of Appeals
Topeka, KS
District 2

Jacy J. Hurst has served as a judge of the Kansas Court of Appeals since August 2021. She began her legal career in 2007 as a commercial litigator with the Kansas City law firm of Stinson LLP. In 2014, she became general counsel and chief compliance officer at Swope Health Services. From 2017 to 2021 she was of counsel and later partner at the Kansas City office of Kutak Rock, where she specialized in healthcare regulatory law. She was confirmed on March 23, 2021 by the Kansas Senate, becoming the first woman of color to serve on the Court of Appeals. She was sworn in on August 13, 2021.

Julie C. Pine, L’07 (2025)
Lead Bank 
Kansas City, MO
District 2

Julie Pine serves as the executive vice president, general counsel and chief risk officer at Lead Bank. She was selected as part of the 2019 NextGen Leaders who are poised to take Kansas City to the next level.

Bethany Roberts, L'03 (2028)
Barber Emerson, L.C.
Lawrence, KS
District 2

Bethany J. Roberts provides alternative dispute resolution in family law, specifically mediation, conciliation, case management and parent coordination. Roberts also acts as a Guardian ad Litem, representing the best of children. Roberts is admitted to the Kansas Bar.

Ryan Huschka, L'07 (2028)
U.S. Attorney's Office
Prairie Village, KS
District 3

BS 2004, KSU

Kathleen A. Taylor, L’86 (2025)
Kansas Bankers Association
Topeka, KS
District 3

Kathy Taylor currently serves as the EVP – General Counsel at the Kansas Bankers Association.

Roger Templin, L'93 (2028)
Payne & Jones, Chtd.
De Soto, KS
District 3

Roger Templin has worked with scores of entrepreneurs assisting them in selecting choices of entity, creating organizational documents, agreements among owners, securities and financing issues among other day-to-day operational matters. Templin has served as chair of the DeSoto, Kansas Planning Commission and is a member of the American Planning Association. He also serves local banks by providing general corporate representation and assistance in loan negotiation, documentation and enforcement.

Michael Andrusak, L’13 (2028)
Grant County Bank, P.A.
Wichita, KS
District 4

Michael Andrusak currently serves as the senior trust officer, in-house counsel and assistant vice president of Grant County Bank. Prior to joining GCB, Andrusak worked at Adam Jones Law Firm where he focused primarily on representation of banks, real estate, bankruptcy, probate and trust administration and litigation. During law school, he served as the president of the Student Bar Association for two years and obtained a certificate in International Trade and Finance.

Brook Bennett Aziere, L’03 (2025)
Foulston Siefkin, LLP
Wichita, KS
District 4

Foulston Siefkin partner Brooke Bennett Aziere leads the firm’s healthcare practice group and has devoted her professional career to advising and counseling healthcare clients. She is a frequent lecturer on healthcare law topics as well as a member of the American Health Law Association, the Kansas Association of Hospital Attorneys and the Health Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Aziere has been selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for Health Care Law 2021 and the Missouri and Kansas SuperLawyers Rising Stars list.

Shannon Braun, L’04 (2026)
Morris Laing Law Firm
Wichita, KS
District 4

Shannon Braun has experience drafting wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, power of attorney and premarital agreements. In addition, Braun assists clients with more complex estate planning matters such as tax planning and business succession planning. She also has experience with large complex trusts and probate estates, as well as routine probate matters. Her experience also includes a wide variety of general corporate, limited liability company and partnership matters.

Samantha Woods, L’13 (2026)
Martin Pringle
Wichita, KS
District 4

Samantha Woods serves as an attorney at Martin Pringle. She practices in civil and commercial litigation, products liability law, medical malpractice defense and agricultural law, as well as bankruptcy and creditor’s rights.

Eric Barth, L'03 (2028)
Hinkle Law Firm LLC
Wichita, KS
District 4

Eric Barth handles a variety of commercial litigation matters advising clients on a multitude of employment issues. He litigates employment disputes before administrative agencies and in state and federal court, including employment discrimination claims, unemployment claims, wage and hour investigations and collective actions and non-compete agreement issues.

Edward Frizell III, L’80 (2026)
Polsinelli, PC
KCMO
District 5

With over 40 years of experience acting as a business advisor and outside general counsel to his clients, Edward (Trip) Frizell partners with executives, in-house counsel, founders, entrepreneurs and managing directors to provide practical solutions to their business challenges. Over Frizell’s accomplished career, he routinely advises on purchases and/or sales of a business, formation, mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings and reorganizations, franchising, joint venture organization and lending arrangements across a variety of industries and clients. As the chair of the technology division and technology M&A groups, Frizell is responsible for the firm’s delivery of services to his technology clients.

Kathryn O'Hara Gasper, L'08 (2028)
Lathrop GPM LLP
Prairie Village, KS
District 5

Kate O'Hara Gasper represents clients in a wide variety of litigation and arbitration involving breach of contract, business torts, covenants not to compete, intellectual property, professional liability and insurance coverage. She also represents firms and individuals before professional licensing boards, including the Kansas and Missouri Boards of Accuracy.

Brian R. Markley, L’95 (2025)
Spencer Fane
Kansas City, MO
District 5

Brian Markley serves as a partner at Spencer Fane. His practice primarily focuses on the agriculture, chemical, financial, and retail industries, and he has experience with antitrust, consumer protection, business torts, employment, and other commercial claims. Markley has handled non-compete, non-solicitation and trade secrets matters arising under the laws of more than 20 states. Markley serves as a trusted advisor and general counsel for several companies.  In that role, Markley is regularly asked to identify, assess, predict and manage legal and business risks.  He has developed particular experience in areas of privacy, California Proposition 65, and gaming.

Demetrius Peterson, L’09 (2026)
Husch Blackwell, LLP
Kansas City, MO
District 5

Demetrius Peterson practices in Husch Blackwell’s Healthcare, Life Sciences & Education industry group and counsels educational institutions on alleged violations of institutional policies and federal civil rights laws, including sexual harassment, racial discrimination and harassment, age discrimination and retaliation. He currently serves as Class of 2021 steering committee chair of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s Centurions Leadership Program. He was selected by The National Black Lawyers for inclusion into its Top 100 Lawyers, an honor given to only a select group of lawyers for their superior skills and qualifications in the field.

Brett Brenner, L’91 (2026)
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Washington, DC
District 6

Brett Brenner serves as the associate director of the Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs (OCLA) at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Brenner began his career at the EEOC as a law clerk with OCLA in 1997 and later served in the Office of Legal Counsel’s internal litigation division where he worked on the national contact center and the transition to EEOC’s internal Intake Information Group. Throughout his career, he has used his knowledge and skills to develop and train both internal and external stakeholders on the mission and accomplishments of the Commission.

John Gurley, L'83 (2028)
ArentFox Schiff, LLP
Washington, D.C.
District 6

John Gurley represents clients in matters before the International Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Commerce. He has significant experience handling matters before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative including matters related to Section 301. Gurley has worked with Mexican companies for over 20 years and has extensive experience in matters involving imports from Mexico.

Michelle Mahaffey, L’96 (2025)
Community Health Network
Indianapolis, IN
District 6

Michelle Mahaffey joined Community Health Network as chief human resources officer in June 2020. Previously, Mahaffey served as the senior vice president and chief human resources officer for Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group. Prior to serving as Simon's chief human resources officer, she led Simon’s compensation, benefits, learning & development, HRIS and payroll functions. Before she joined Simon in 2013, Mahaffey held various HR positions with Cummins in Columbus and with Dell in Austin, Texas. Mahaffey currently serves on the board of directors of Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana as well as the board of directors for Horizon House of Indianapolis.

Brian Gaffney, L’01 (2026)
AT&T Inc.
Dallas, TX
District 7

Brian Gaffney is the assistant vice president and senior legal counsel of IP Litigation for AT&T, where his practice focuses on patent litigation and risk analysis for AT&T. As a patent litigator, he has significant experience in all aspects of patent litigation, including pre-suit investigations, discovery, Markman proceedings, summary judgment proceedings and trial. He also has courtroom experience and has represented both companies seeking to enforce their intellectual property rights and those accused of infringement.

Jay McGrath, L'96 (2028)
Troon Golf
Phoenix, AZ
District 7

Jay McGrath serves as Troon's chief legal officer and is responsible for the company's legal, human resources and compliance functions. McGrath also plays an integral role in the execution of all company acquisitions, including managing 14 acquisitions since 2015. He is a member of Troon's six-person Executive Committee and provides advice and counsel on the business and strategic direction of the company.

Leita Walker, L'06 (2025)
Ballard Spahr, LLP
Minneapolis, MN
District 7

Leita Walker is a litigator and trial lawyer in the firm's Media and Entertainment Law Group. She has nearly 15 years of experience defending media organizations in libel litigation and helping them obtain access to governmental and judicial records. Walker’s First Amendment practice includes defending libel, privacy, and right of publicity claims in trial and appellate courts across the country; prepublication vetting of both news and entertainment content; and advising clients on subpoenas and privilege issues, copyright law, and state and federal Freedom of Information Act laws.

Mark White, L'85 (2028)
Baker Botts L.L.P.
Houston, TX
District 7

Mark White is the chief administrative officer of Baker Botts. In this role, he has management oversight of the firm's administrative operations. Functional areas under his supervision include Human Resources, Office Operations, Legal Recruiting and Professional Development.

Rebecca Winterscheidt, L’83 (2026)
Snell &Wilmer, LLP
Phoenix, AZ
District 7

Rebecca Winterscheidt has been practicing employment law and immigration law since 1983. Winterscheidt regularly advises employers concerning employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, disability and family leave issues, breach of contract, whistleblowing and non-solicitation matters. She represents companies at all stages of employment disputes, including taking cases through the administrative stage, through discovery and, if necessary, to trial. Winterscheidt has tried several jury cases in both federal and state court. Winterscheidt represents employees and individuals in obtaining immigrant and non-immigrant visas through family and/or employment. She also counsels companies on immigration "best practices" and handles I-9 audits and other compliance and worksite enforcement issues.

Betsy Blake, L'05 (2028)
San Diego Association of Governments
Del Mar, CA
District 8

Betsy Blake has been working as senior legal counsel at the San Diego Association of Governments for two years. SANDAG is part of the local industry and located in California.

Justin Hendrix, L'09 (2027)
Intellectual Property Counsel, Collins Aerospace
Solana Beach, CA
District 8

Following service in the U.S. Navy, I began the practice of law and discovered that the decision-making skills a person hones during military service come in handy for a trial lawyer as well. Adding that to my technical experience in nuclear and mechanical engineering--now being augmented with the academic knowledge from an MBA--I find myself with a unique combination of skills, enabling me to operate at an advanced level in a complex and highly regulated aerospace industry.

Graham Winch, L'09 (2028)
CNN
Napa, CA
District 8

Graham Winch works at CNN as a producer for legal view with Ashleigh Banfield.

Stephen L. Young, L'84 (2025)
Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of California
Pleasanton, CA
District 8

Steve Young provides legal counsel to the association and its members. He directs staff activities for state and federal government affairs and is responsible for all legal, legislative, regulatory and political affairs of Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of California and its subsidiaries. Young is also the liaison to the Grievance Committee.

Tom Cartmell, L'94 (2027)
Wagstaff & Cartmell, LLP
Kansas City, Missouri
District 9

Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Society of Barristers. Appointed by federal judges to leadership positions in precedent-setting Multi-District Litigation (MDL) matters nationwide. Lead or co-lead trial counsel in numerous pharmaceutical drug and medical device MDL bellwether trials and other high-stake matters resulting in multi-million-dollar verdicts for clients.

Molly Daniels, L’ 85 (2027)
Daniels Advocacy Group
Denver, Colorado
District 9

Molly Daniels is a deft strategist, consensus builder, and inspirational leader with nearly three decades of experience training, organizing, and mobilizing grassroots.  

Molly’s leadership in the field includes serving as Chief Advocacy Officer of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), the nonprofit and nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society. While there, she led the launch, expansion, and transformation of its grassroots network into a nationwide movement of nearly one million advocates and over 500 highly trained and motivated volunteer leaders representing every Congressional district. 

Prior to the Society and ACS CAN, Molly spent twelve years at AARP as the head of their national grassroots program. Earlier, she ran the volunteer advocacy program for the Older Women’s League, as well as legislative campaigns for the Long Term Care Campaign. 

Erin Davis, L'13 (2027)
Pear Therapeutics
Tempe, Arizona
District 9

As a former State Legislator, I apply my strengths in legislative advocacy and strategic bipartisan relationship management to develop winning strategic relationships for organizations across diverse political landscapes. I am passionate about engaging with national, state, and local leaders to promote environments favorable to organizations to further organizational strategic business goal attainment. Throughout my career, I’ve demonstrated my ability to lead multi-billion-dollar projects and meaningfully impact business outcomes by partnering with business Development teams and Senior Executives. I accomplish all of this through my ability to articulate and represent positions in an impactful, persuasive, and bipartisan manner to develop key strategic plans and influence decision makers.

Michael V. DiPasquale, L’06 (2027)
DiPasquale Moore, LLC
Kansas City, Missouri
District 9

Attorney Michael DiPasquale, the founding partner at DiPasquale Moore, was raised in Kansas and went on to attend school at the University of San Diego in California, where he played football for four years. Shortly after earning his bachelor’s degree, he returned to Kansas to earn his Juris Doctorate and began working as a lawyer defending insurance companies and large corporations. After working on this side of several cases, Michael quickly realized he wanted to put his legal experience to good use by defending the rights of the wrongfully injured.

Sarah Duckers L’86 (2027)
Sechrist Duckers LLP
Bellaire, Texas
District 9

Sarah focuses her practice on general civil litigation with particular emphasis on federal income tax litigation, state property tax litigation, probate litigation, tort litigation and mediations. She has represented before the Texas state and federal district courts, the United States Tax Court, the Harris County Appraisal District, and the IRS. Her clients have included individuals, energy companies, financial institutions, manufacturers, professional services firms and telecommunications companies. Sarah is qualified as a mediator for Texas Courts and as an attorney ad litem in the Probate Courts. She also is frequently appointed as a guardian ad litem in Harris County Civil District Courts.

Sarah first practiced law at Vinson & Elkins LLP from 1986 to 2002, where her practice areas were general civil litigation, tax litigation and tort litigation. She started her own practice in 2002.

Jonathan M. Freed, L’02 (2025)
Trade Pacific
Washington, DC
District 9

Jonathan M. Freed is an international trade attorney whose practice focuses on a broad array of international trade litigation and policy matters. Freed has extensive experience representing and advising publicly traded and privately owned manufacturers, exporters, and importers, as well as trade associations and foreign governments, in antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) proceedings before the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). Freed also advises companies on other regulatory compliance matters that affect cross-border trade. Freed frequently advises importers on customs matters before U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), including country of origin requirements, prior disclosures, tariff classifications, and valuation rules.

Andrew Geren, L’13 (2027)
DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers
Wichita, Kansas
District 9

Current Partner at DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers. Graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law (Class of 2013). Experienced in strategic planning, senior leadership, building company culture, personal injury, insurance claims, pre-litigation, litigation, case management, and supervising. I am proud to excel in building relationships with people and motivating teams to achieve success.

Schalie A. Johnson, L’06 (2026)
Wallace Saunders Law Firm
Overland Park, KS
District 9

Schalie A. Johnson serves as a partner at Wallace Saunders. She is also a member of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, the Missouri Bar Association, the Johnson County Bar Association and the Kansas Bar Association. Johnson’s practice focuses on civil litigation and trial work, with an emphasis on construction and design, commercial litigation, personal injury, wrongful death, and extra-contractual (“EC”) insurance matters. Johnson’s emphasis in construction law includes experience representing general contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals, in a variety of construction-related matters involving construction defects, accidents, and design errors.

Christopher M. Joseph, L’00 (2027)
Joseph, Hollander & Craft
Topeka, Kansas
District 9

Mr. Joseph received his juris doctorate in 2000 from the University of Kansas School of Law. While attending law school, he wrote for the Kansas Law Review and served as an Associate Editor. He was invited to membership in the Order of the Coif, a national honor society for law school graduates with exceptional academic achievement.

After graduating from law school, Mr. Joseph was appointed by Chief United States District Judge John Lungstrum, District of Kansas, to serve as his law clerk from 2000 to 2002. Mr. Joseph joined Joseph, Hollander & Craft in August of 2002.

Mr. Joseph is a member of the Kansas, Topeka, and Douglas County Bar Associations. He serves on two KBA committees and chairs the TBA legislative committee. He served on the Bench-Bar Committee for the United States District Court for the District of Kansas from 2009 to 2010, served on Merit Selection Panels for the appointment of federal magistrate judges in 2010 and 2015, and a member of the Tenth Circuit Merit Selection Panel for the Kansas Federal Defender in 2013.

Chris Kaufman, L'10 (2028)
Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.
Leawood, KS
District 9

Chris Kaufman's practice focuses primarily on complex civil litigation, including leadership roles in federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) and consolidated state court actions, with an emphasis on product liability issues involving pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers. Kaufman serves as co-lead counsel in the defense of complex, mass tort actions in state and federal courts across the country.

Patricia Konopka, L’94 (2026)
Stinson, LLP
KCMO
District 9

Patricia Konopka is a partner at Stinson, LLP and uses her extensive experience in litigating employment-related lawsuits to help clients resolve disputes effectively and efficiently. She also regularly advises clients to ensure their employment policies and practices meet legal and compliance requirements. Konopka represents employers in lawsuits involving wage and hour violations (including collective and class actions); harassment; sex, race, age and disability discrimination; retaliation; and other employment-related claims. She defends companies against whistleblower claims both in agencies and in court. In addition to her litigation practice, Pat counsels employers on all aspects of employment law and human resources practices.

Donald Maxwell, L’98 (2027)
Donald Maxwell, LLC
Kansas City, Missouri
District 9

Corporate generalist attorney with substantial real estate and corporate experience with small to medium-sized businesses. High premium on providing preemptive legal support with practical business and legal advice.

Specialties: Providing legal advice and representation in the areas of business start-ups, commercial and residential real estate acquisition and sale, condominium conversions, non-profit organizations, private equity financing, mergers and acquisitions, business succession planning & personal estate planning.

Ayeshi Mehdi, L’10 (2027)
Cerner
Henderson, Nevada
District 9

Ayesha received her Bachelor’s in Business Administration with honors in Finance from Walsh College of Accountancy and Business Administration, and her Master’s in Health Services Administration, as well as her Juris Doctorate degree, from the University of Kansas, where she served on the law school’s Board of Governors for four years from 2017-2021.  Ayesha Mehdi works closely with physicians and other healthcare professionals, along with various healthcare and closely-held businesses, in a wide range of corporate, transactional, regulatory, and licensure matters. Ayesha serves as outside counsel for her clients to help them reach their goals in physician employment, recruitment, mergers & acquisitions, and joint ventures, as well as providing solutions when dealing with professional board complaints, reimbursement issues, and corporate compliance.

The Hon. Cynthia Norton, L’84 (2027)
Kansas City, Missouri
District 9

Law Clerk, Hon. John E. Rees, Kansas Court of Appeals, 1984-1986
Law Clerk, Hon. James A. Pusateri, United States Bankruptcy Judge, 1986-1989
Private Practice, Kansas City Metropolitan Area, 1989-2013
Fellow - American College of Bankruptcy

Colonel J. Matthew Oleen, L’93 (2027)
Topeka, Kansas
District 9

Colonel Matthew Oleen currently serves as United States Property & Fiscal Officer (USPFO) for the Kansas National Guard (KSNG). In this role, Col. Oleen is responsible for ensuring the proper use and accounting of over four billion dollars in federal funds and assets provided to the KSNG. Col. Oleen previously served six years as Chief of Staff of the Kansas Army National Guard (KSARNG). As Chief of Staff, he led and managed all aspects of the day-to-day administration of the KSARNG. He was responsible for ensuring all units were trained and ready for any foreign contingency or domestic emergency. Col. Oleen was a principal advisor to the two-star general in command of the KSNG (the Adjutant General) and served as second-in-command of the 4,500 soldiers in the KSARNG. Col. Oleen also served three years as Staff Judge Advocate of the KSNG.

Devin S. Sikes, L'08 (2025)
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP
Washington, D.C.
District 9

Devin Sikes helps clients across the globe deftly navigate complex international trade laws and policies to seize opportunities and avoid risks. Sikes has represented corporations, big and small, across numerous industries, as well as counseled industry associations and sovereigns. Sikes regularly leads clients through high-stakes litigation challenging unfavorable international trade laws and determinations. He develops effective strategies, authors briefs and argues cases. In April 2020, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) appointed Sikes to the U.S. roster of panelists who resolve antidumping and countervailing disputes arising under Chapter 19 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

BG Ronald Sullivan, L'96 (2028)
Army Futures Command
Round Rock, TX
District 9

BG Ronald Sullivan has a record of success in first-chair litigation of over 70 criminal trials, including high-profile war crimes cases. He is licensed as an attorney in Texas and Kansas and admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

Erin Syring, L’94 (2027)
InShare Services, Inc
District 9

Previously with IMA Financial Group, Travelers Insurance, and Klenda, Mitchell, Austerman & Zuercher in Wichita Experienced insurance executive with demonstrated success in a variety of leadership roles. Broad and deep experience in complex coverage and insurance claims, commercial insurance, enterprise risk management and the insurance regulatory world. Former litigator with trial experience both in State and Federal court. Skilled in leading and building strong teams, problem-solving, negotiations, contract review and creating and executing strategy.

Cliff Wiley, L'83 (2027)
Wiley Law Firm
Kansas City, MO
District 9

Wiley attended Douglass High School in Baltimore.

After graduation, he went to the University of Kansas, attending law school there. A successful athlete during his time there - he won All-America honors 13 times and was part of the team that won the NCAA indoor title in the 1,600 relay in 1977. This success was later recognized by his being inducted into the Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame. Wiley was always more than just an athlete, during his time at university, for instance, he served as leader of the Black American Law Students Association. During his time at the University of Kansas, Wiley was involved in a case against the NCAA over his personal funding. He was awarded an injunction that allowed him to continue to compete. The case was eventually dismissed (after Wiley had graduated) but it did lead to a voluntary rule change by the NCAA.

After leaving college, Wiley settled in Kansas City, Kansas, and became a lawyer.

Laurie Williams, L'86 (2027)
Wichita Trustee
Wichita, KS
District 9

Williams is in her 12th year as the Chapter 13 bankruptcy trustee in Wichita, where she is responsible for administering the reorganization plans of individual debtors in approximately 2,600 Chapter 13 cases. She received her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Kansas. Prior to her tenure as the Chapter 13 trustee, Williams was a partner with Redmond & Nazar. Her practice involved extensive bankruptcy work in chapter 7, 11, 12 and 13, representing debtors, creditors and serving as an attorney for chapter 7 trustees and a chapter 12 trustee. Prior to that, she was a central research staff attorney at the Kansas Court of Appeals. Williams has served as the chair of the Kansas Bankruptcy Court Bench/Bar Committee from 2005 to July, 2007. Social/Volunteer Organizations; She is a frequent continuing legal education CLE presenter for the Wichita Bar Association and the Kansas Bar Association. In addition to the Kansas and Wichita bar associations, Williams is a member of the Wichita Women Attorney's Association, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees.

Bylaws of the KU Law alumni

(Amended and Restated April 2015)

Article 1

Statement of Purpose

The K.U. Law Alumni (the “Association”) was first established in 1967 for the charitable and educational purpose of strengthening loyalty, friendship, support, commitment and communication among all graduates, former students, current students, faculty, staff, and all other interested friends and supporters of the University of Kansas School of Law (the “School of Law”). All alumni are members of the Association, which is and shall be dedicated to advancing the intellectual and material development, growth and continued excellence of the School of Law in the tradition of service and dedication established by the School of Law’s first dean, James Woods “Uncle Jimmy” Green.

Article 2

General Provisions

2.1      Name. The name of the Association is THE K.U. LAW ALUMNI. Such entity shall be here­inafter referred to as “the Association.”

2.2      Principal Office. The registered office of the Association is in the State of Kansas at University of Kansas School of Law, Green Hall, 1535 W. 15th Street, Lawrence, Kansas 66045.

Article 3

Powers of the Association

3.1      General Powers. This Association is an unincorporated association of friends designed to further the purposes set forth in Article One above. The Association shall and may exercise all the powers conferred by the laws of the State of Kansas upon such associations as well as those powers enumerated herein. The Association shall not have the power to own property, possess or manage financial assets, accept gifts, or make contracts in its own name. The Association shall work closely with the School of Law and with affiliate organizations of the School of Law, such as the Kansas University Endowment Association and the KU Alumni Association, to further the purposes set forth above.

3.2      No Compensation to Governors. No compensation or payment shall ever be paid or made to any Member, Governor, or officer of this Association.

Article 4

Management

Management of the business and affairs of the Association shall be vested in and conducted by its Board of Governors and its officers in accordance with these Bylaws, and the laws of the State of Kansas.

Article 5

Members of the Association

All graduates of the University of Kansas School of Law shall be members of the Association.

Article 6

Board of Governors

6.1      Number. Management of the Association shall be vested in a Board of Governors consisting of not less than twenty-four (24) and not more than fifty (50) members, excluding past presidents of the Board who shall continue as members of the Board, as described below. The Board shall consist of Members of the Association from each of nine districts, as follows:

• Districts 1-4 shall coincide with the four congressional districts of the state of Kansas.
• District 5 shall consist of metropolitan Kansas City, Missouri.
• District 6 shall consist of all states east of the eastern borders of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana.
• District 7 shall consist of all states west of the eastern borders of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana except Kansas, Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska and Hawaii.
• District 8 shall consist of the states of Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska and Hawaii.
• District 9 shall be an at-large district that may be represented by governors from any geographical area, at the discretion of the Nominating Committee. District 9 shall be an optional district and the Board need not nominate members to represent this district each year. The Nominating Committee will select members of this district.

Three Governors shall be selected to serve on the Board from each of Districts 1 through 8 above. Such Governors shall be residents of the District for which they are selected. The Board may select up to twenty-six (26) Governors to represent District 9, in the Board’s discretion, and without regard to such Governor’s residency.

6.2      Past Presidents of the Board. Notwithstanding any provision in these Bylaws to the contrary, all Past Presidents of the Board shall also be continuing members of the Board and shall be referred to herein as “Senior Governors. Senior Governors lend considerable wisdom, expertise, and experience to the Board and the Association, and shall have full voting rights at all Board meetings.

6.3      Ex Officio Members. Notwithstanding any provision in these Bylaws to the contrary, the current Dean of the School of Law shall be an ex officio non-voting member of the Board of Governors and shall be closely consulted by the President of the Board on all matters concerning the Board. The immediate past President of the Student Bar Association shall be an ex officio voting member of the Board of Governors for a one year term. The current serving President of the Student Bar Association shall be an ex officio non-voting member of the Board of Governors for a one year term.

6.4      Qualification. Governors shall be selected from Members of the Association who accept in principle the purposes of this Association.

6.5      Selection. Each year, the Vice President of the Board shall appoint a Nominating Committee, of which the Vice President shall serve as chairperson. The Nominating Committee shall work closely with the Dean of the School of Law to consider proposed candidates for election to the Board of Governors. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of nominees for any vacancies on the Board or in the offices of President or Vice President/President Elect for consideration by the Board.

6.6      Election by the Board of Governors. Any nominee receiving a majority of the votes of the members of the Board present and participating in the election shall be deemed elected.

6.7      Term. Each Governor shall be selected to serve a term of four (4) years, except that the terms of the President and Vice President/President-Elect shall be extended to the conclusion of their terms in office, and a new Governor shall be elected to fill the vacancy of such officer on the Board.

6.8      Duties. The administrative powers of the Association shall be vested in the Board of Governors, which shall have charge, control, and management over the concerns and affairs of the Association, and shall act to further the purposes of the Association.

Article 7

Meetings

7.1      Place. All meetings of the Association and the Board of Governors shall be held at such places as may be designated by the Board of Governors or by the Dean.

7.2      Meeting Times.

7.2.1 Regular. The Board shall conduct two regular meetings during the School of Law’s academic year, which shall be scheduled by the Dean each year.

7.2.2      Special. Special meetings of the Governors may be called by the President or the Dean of the School of Law as necessary to conduct the business of the Board.  In addition, a special meeting of the Board may be called upon the written petition of five members of the Board.

7.2.3      Telephone. Members of the Board of Governors, or any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee by means of conference telephone or similar communication equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other. Participation in a meeting pursuant to this section shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

7.3      Notice. Written notice of any meeting of the Association or the Board of Governors shall be given by electronic mail, regular mail or other communication, authorized by the Chair of the Board or the Dean of the School of Law to the person entitled thereto at the last known address or location shown on the records of the Association at least thirty (30) days prior to such meeting.

7.3.1      Waiver. Whenever notice is required to be given by these Bylaws, a written waiver thereof, signed by the persons entitled to notice, whether before or after the times stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting constitutes a waiver of notice, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

7.4      Voting Procedures. All elections of Governors and officers and votes upon any other question, except as otherwise provided by law or unless otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Governors, may be had by ballot, viva voce, or by showing of hands. Unless otherwise provided by law or by these Bylaws, any matter coming before the Board of Governors or a committee thereof shall pass upon a majority vote of the members present at the meeting at which the matter is considered.  Voting by proxy shall not be permitted.

Article 8

Officers

8.1      Designated Officers. Officers of the Board of Governors shall be chosen by the Board and shall include a President, and a Vice-President/President-Elect.

8.2      Other Officers and Agents. The Association may have such other officers and agents as may from time to time be determined and appointed by the Board of Governors.

8.3      Term and Qualification of Officers. All officers shall be Members of the Association and shall serve for a term of three years.

8.4      Removal of Officers. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board of Governors may be removed at any time by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the whole Board of Governors.

8.5      President. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Board of Governors, and shall perform all duties incidental to the office from time to time are determined by the Board and in consultation with the Dean of the School of Law.

8.6      Vice President. The Vice President shall serve as chairperson of the Nominating Committee, as described above, and shall, in the absence or disability of the President, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President, in addition to such other duties as the Board of Governors may prescribe. The Vice President shall also serve as President-Elect and as President following such term as Vice President.

8.7      Minutes. The Dean of the School of Law shall designate someone with the School of Law to take and maintain the minutes of all meetings of the Board of Governors and shall be responsible for working with the School of Law to ensure the proper giving of proper notice of all meetings of the Board of Governors.

Article 9

Committees

The Board of Governors shall establish and maintain the following standing committees, each of which shall work in consultation with the Dean of the School of Law:

9.1      Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall be chaired by the Vice President and shall identify prospective Governors and officers of the Board for nomination to the Membership, as more fully described above, and shall also select the nominee or nominees for the annual Distinguished Alumni Award presented by the School of Law.

9.2      Resources Committee. The Resources Committee shall actively engage in supporting and assisting efforts of the Kansas University Endowment Association to raise funds for the School of Law.

9.3      Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee shall consist of Governors who are members of a state or the federal judiciary, and shall facilitate interaction between members of the judiciary and current students and faculty of the School of Law.

9.4      Alumni/Student Relations Committee. The Alumni/Student Relations Committee shall facilitate active involvement by alumni in the life of the School of Law, through the following sub-committees:

9.4.1      Admissions. This sub-committee shall support and, where appropriate, assist the School of Law’s Admissions Director in recruiting prospective students to the School of Law and provide mentoring and insight on the value of a degree from the School of Law.

9.4.2      Career Services. This sub-committee shall support and, where appropriate, assist the School of Law’s Career Services Director in placement strategies and related mentoring for current School of Law students.

9.4.3      Outreach. This sub-committee shall facilitate increased interaction between alumni and current students of the School of Law through social events and other activities organized by the sub-committee.

The Board may establish such additional committees as may be needed from time to time. Each Governor shall serve on at least one committee during each year of such Governor’s term on the Board. Each Governor shall serve such Governor’s first year on the Board as a member of the Resources Committee, unless such Governor is eligible to be a member of the Judiciary Committee. Senior Governors may choose, but shall not be required, to serve on a committee.

Article 10

Amendments

These Bylaws may be altered, repealed or amended, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board of Governors attending any regular or special meeting of the Board. Any such amendment shall be consistent with the statement purpose contained in Article One above, and laws of the State of Kansas.

Adopted by the Board of Governors in April 2015.

THE K.U. LAW ALUMNI

By Timothy Glassco, President

By Lydia Beebe, Vice President