Class Notes

Emma E. Robertson (J.D. ‘23) has joined the Kansas City office of Ogletree Deakins as an Associate. Her practice focuses on employment law.

Mitsi Blount, (J.D. ’22) welcomed by intellectual property firm Fish & Richardson as an associate. Mitsi joins Fish with a focus on patent prosecution and portfolio management services to clients in the life sciences and pharmaceutical industries, bringing her experience and passion to the firm.

J. Tanner Murphy (J.D. ’22) joined Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice as an associate in the firm’s Kansas City office.

Chad Walker (J.D. ‘23) recently joined the Department of Corrections as a litigation attorney. He focuses on legal matters involving civil rights claims and prisoners' rights.

Raj Patel (J.D. ‘20) has joined Liberty Hotel Group as general counsel. His practice includes mergers and acquisitions, real estate financing and various litigation matters for a property management company with over 30 properties under management across Missouri, Kansas and the United States.

DeJuan Temple (J.D. ’20) has joined Kutak Rock.

Eric L. Honea (J.D. ‘22) has joined the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney.

Jasmine Ward, (J.D. ‘21) has joined Berkowitz Oliver as an Associate. She currently focuses on business litigation and employment litigation. Ward previously clerked for one year in the United States District Court – Western District of Missouri for the Honorable Fernando J. Gaitan, Jr.

Remington Williams (’22) passed away on June 8, 2022. He was 25 years old and was killed in a tragic car accident. He was a recent graduate where he was a member of the Law Review and Honor Court. Remington was appointed by Gov. Mike Parson as student representative to the board in July 2020.

Fluffy Kilburn ('20), Leaders of Tomorrow Award, 2020 Missouri Lawyers Weekly for the Women's Justice Award.

Keith Cutler (J.D. ’89) will be sworn in as the President of the KCMBA on December 8, 2023.

Scott Bethune (J.D. ’88) will receive a President’s Award at the KCMBA Annual Meeting on December 8, 2023.

Charles “Chuck” M. McKeon (J.D. ’83) passed away on October 31, 2023. He began his legal career at the prosecutor’s office in Jackson County before moving into private practice, where he remained for over 35 years. Throughout his professional journey, His extensive legal career was marked by his impressive skills and unwavering dedication.

The Honorable Kathleen Anne Forsyth (J.D. ’80) passed away on October 13, 2023.
In 2003, Missouri Governor Robert Holden appointed her as Circuit Judge to the 16th Circuit Court with offices in the Jackson County Courthouse. She was a Judge of the Probate Division until her retirement in 2016. During her career, she was associated with several local law firms, including Shughart Thompson & Kilroy, as a partner.  Judge Forsyth was a Kansas City Association of Women Lawyers member and served as the Association's president. After retirement, she was a contributing writer to Thomas-Reuters, a national publisher of legal material.

Lisa Weixelman (J.D. ‘82) recieved the Martin J. Purcell Award at the Missouri Bar Annual Meeting in Kansas City on September 13, 2023.

The Honorable Marco Roldan (J.D. ’83) retired on August 4, 2023. He was the first minority appointed to serve as a judge in Independence in the entire history of the circuit court. He served as of presiding judge from 2013-2014 and served on court for 27 years. Judge Roldan served in the United States Corps and as a police officer prior to attending law school.

Candis Love Lochmann (J.D. ’84) passed away on June 22, 2023.Candis had a 37-year career as an attorney-at-law in private practice. and formerly a judicial clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Oliver.

The Honorable Gene R. Martin (J.D. ’53) passed away on December 19, 2023. Judge Martin was one of the original incorporators of the UMKC Law Foundation in 1959. Other life achievements of his include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Board Member service for the School of Law Alumni Association
• Board of Editors of the Law Review (University of Kansas City Law School)
• Admission to the Bar of the United States Supreme Court.

James L. McMullin (J.D. ‘51) passed away on August 29, 2023. He served in the U.S. Marine Corp during his 17-month tour of duty in the Korean War, he was sent to Masan, Korea as a legal officer trying cases as both prosecutor or defense counsel in general court martials both in Korea and Japan. When he returned to Kansas City in June of 1952 where he began his law practice in Kansas City, Missouri.  He practiced law for over 60 years and defended well over 100 murder cases.

Russell D. Jacobson (J.D. ‘58) (J.D.’72) passed away on July 6, 2023. Russ practiced at the Jackson County Counselors Office. He was passionate about the British Legal System and sharing the roots of our legal system. Russ started a two-week Oxford CLE Summer School program in 1983 with the assistance of the UMKC Continuing Legal Education. The program quickly grew with many attendees returning year after year to participate in the program because of Russ’ passion and the high quality of British judges, solicitors, barristers, and Oxford professors he recruited to speak. Russ led the program every year until 2013. when his health prohibited travel to his beloved home away from home. He was a U.S. Army Veteran and served in Korea and was awarded four battles stars and a bronze star.

Candis Love Lochmann (J.D. ’84) passed away on June 22, 2023.Candis had a 37-year career as an attorney-at-law in private practice. and formerly a judicial clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Oliver.

Honorable Paul Emerson Vardeman, Jr (J.D. ‘53) passed away on October 20, 2022. Paul practiced law with Swofford, Schroeder and Shankland, the firm of Beeson, Dabbs, Arnold and Vardeman, and the firm of Johnson, Lucas, Bush and Vardeman. In 1959, Paul was the recipient of the Lon Hocker Award, which was given to the two most outstanding young trial lawyers in the state of Missouri. In 1964, he was appointed Circuit Judge by Governor John Dalton at the age of 32 and was elected to that office in 1972 and 1978, serving a total of 18 years on the bench. In 1982, Paul resigned and returned to private practice with the firm of Polsinelli, White, Schulte and Vardeman, where he practiced law until his retirement in 1997.

Charles B. Wheeler, Jr. (J.D. ‘59) passed away October 25, 2022. He was a physician. lawyer and politician. Wheeler was elected Jackson County coroner in 1964 and western judge of the former Jackson County administrative court in 1966. He served as Kansas City mayor from 1971 to 1979, during years of rapid growth and expansion for the city. Two of the most significant developments that occurred during his mayoral years were the opening of the Harry S. Truman Sports Complex and Kansas City International Airport. Other key developments and milestones during Wheeler's time on the 29th floor of City Hall was the opening of Kemper Arena, completion of the Bartle Hall Convention Center. After his two terms for mayor, he made a comeback in 2002 when he ran for Missouri Senate and won.

Thomas Daly (’59) passed away on June 1, 2021. His legal career included time at the law firms of Craft Fridkin and Rhyne and Linde Thomson.

James Greenfield Trimble (56) passed away on January 13, 2021. He had a general practice in Real Estate and Land Use litigation. He practiced law for 50 years. He served in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was a United States Marine Corps Veteran.

Hon. Timothy D. O'Leary ('56) passed away on October 6, 2020. He began his law career in the Kansas City Attorney's Office and then private practice. He was appointed in 1969 as a Judge in the Sixteenth Circuit Court in Jackson County, serving for 20 years before joining the Law Firm of Shughart Thomson and Kilroy, now Polsinelli. He served in the United States Army Air Corps., as World War II was coming to an end, stationed in Korea.

Donald Lee Chapman ('57) passed away on August 8, 2020. Donald was a named partner in Berman, DeLeve, Kuchan & Chapman, LLC. and later was of counsel with Lathrop & Gage, LLP. He was a member of the U.S. Army Reserves.

Judge William Gray (J.D. ‘49) passed away on December 4, 2022. In 1976 he was appointed by Governor Bennett to the Kansas Corporation Commission. In 1980, he was appointed by Governor Carlin as a District Judge in Johnson County, where he served for ten years. He served in WWII was a U.S. Navy Veteran.