ALUMNI NEWS 8th Judicial District covering Marion, Dickinson, Morris and Geary counties. The two-year reappointment will begin Jan. 1. Powers, a native of Yates Center, has been a district judge since May 1991.
David Rebein, L’80,
has been elected to a second term as chair of the Legacy of Justice Foundation Board of Directors. The foundation administers grants to nonprofits working to advance the civil justice system. Rebein practices with Rebein Bangerter Rebein PA in Dodge City, Kan.
Anne E. Burke, L’81, of Manson Karbank
Burke in Overland Park, Kan., received the Kansas Bar Association’s Outstanding Service Award during the organization’s annual meeting June 21, 2013, in Wichita.
Daniel Crabtree, L’81, has been nominated by the Obama administration to the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. Crabtree is a partner at the law firm of Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP in Kansas City. His appointment is subject to U.S. Senate confirmation.
Jim Patterson, L’81, Minneapolis, Minn., was
awarded the National Public Service Award by the American Bar Association Business Law Section. Patterson was recognized for his role in establishing the country’s first patent law pro bono program, the LegalCORPS Inventor Assistance Program, which provides a valuable new resource to small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Paul C. Gurney, L’82, was sworn in April 4,
2013, as the newest Johnson County District Court judge. Gov. Sam Brownback appointed Gurney in February 2013 to replace retired Judge Thomas H. Bornholdt.
Mark D. Hinderks, L’82, will serve as co-
managing partner of Stinson Leonard Street LLP beginning Jan. 1. The new firm will result from the merger of Stinson Morrison Hecker and Leonard, Street and Deinard, two of the leading full-service law firms in the Midwest. With more than 525 attorneys and offices in 14 cities, the new firm is expected to become one of the largest 75 law firms in the United States, according to the National Law Journal’s 2012-13 rankings.
Gabrielle Thompson, L’82, has joined
Chris Bailey, L’93, in the new law firm of
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Thompson & Bailey in Manhattan, Kan.
James P. Muehlberger, L’82, partner at
Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP, Kansas City, Mo., has published a book, “The Lost Cause: The Trials of Frank and Jesse James.” The book concentrates on the justice system’s pursuit of the James brothers and Frank James’ trial, considered at that time the “trial of the century.” Muehlberger is a frequent author on litigation and legal history, and his articles have appeared in a number of publications, including the National Law Journal, For the Defense and Wild West magazine.
Dennis Depew, L’83,
of Depew Law Firm in Neodesha, was sworn in as the 128th president of the Kansas Bar Association on June 21, 2013, during the KBA’s annual meeting in Wichita. Depew will serve a one-year term. He is the 31st Judicial District representative to the KBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, a Kansas Bar Foundation Fellow and assistant Neodesha City attorney.
Daniel R. McCune, L’83,
began his one-year term as president of the Denver Bar Association on July 1, 2013, representing the association’s 9,354 members. McCune is a shareholder with Kennedy Childs, focusing his practice on complex civil litigation, professional malpractice claims and contentious employment disputes.
Ken Wagner, L’83, just completed his term as chairman of the board of the Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals, the major professional group in the specialty. Wagner is assistant general counsel, assistant secretary and chief compliance officer of Peabody Coal in Saint Louis, Mo.
Joseph Seiwert, L’84, of Snider & Seiwert
LLC, Wichita, will serve on the 2013-14 editorial board for the Journal of the Kansas Association for Justice as the Compensation Review Editor. The Journal aims to educate, inform and warn trial practitioners about key trends in Kansas law, notable cases and the impact of legislation on their clients and practices.
Teresa J. James, L’84, Shawnee, has been appointed as a United States magistrate
judge for the District of Kansas in Kansas City, Kan. James was formally with the law firm of Martin, Pringle, Oliver, Wallace & Bauer LLP.
Robert H. Backus, L’85, Burlington, Vt.,
recently opened the law firm of Montroll & Backus with long-time friend Andy Montroll following a career spent in the public sector.
Col. Nat Causey, L’85, Huntsville, Ala.,
former staff judge advocate and deputy command counsel for the Army Materiel Command, retired in June 2013 following a 28-year career in the military. Causey plans to settle into the community, practice law as a civilian attorney, and continue his volunteer work at his church.
Jo Hardesty, L’86, director of KU Legal
Services for Students, was awarded the Elizabeth Berg Streeter Award at the National Legal Aid & Defender Association Student Legal Services Section Annual Conference this summer in Las Vegas. The award recognizes individuals who embody outstanding leadership and commitment to professional excellence within the legal community. Hardesty manages a staff of four attorneys and up to nine legal interns.
Mark Bannister, L’88, is co-author of
“Employer Use of Facebook and Other Social Media in Hiring” in the June 2013 issue of the Journal of the Kansas Bar Association. Bannister is dean of the College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Fort Hays State University.
Joan Gummels, L’88, has been appointed
general counsel of the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. Gummels has served three Missouri attorneys general, working in several divisions of the office including Litigation, Criminal Appeals and Governmental Affairs. Since 2012, she has been director of policy and communications.
Elizabeth Schartz, L’88,
has been named secretary of the Board of Directors of the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas. She has served as a board member at large since 2008. Her two-year term began in May 2013. Schartz is a partner in Thompson & Knight’s Dallas office and chairs the firm’s Employment and Labor Practice Group. She was recently selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers 2013. The list reflects only the top 5 percent of lawyers in Texas.