In 1989, the Topeka Women Attorneys Association hosted the first Kansas state meeting for female attorneys, led by Justice Marla Luckert. From 1989 to 1994, the Wichita Women Attorneys Association and Topeka Women Attorneys Association (Now Women Attorneys Association of Topeka) shared responsibility for this annual meeting.
In 1993, conference attendees determined a need for a permanent, statewide organization for female attorneys. The Jennie Mitchell Kellogg Circle (later KWAA) was formed the following year around the purposes of:
- Providing information to women seeking increased bar involvement, judicial positions, and professional development; and
- Providing a structure around which the annual conference could be organized.
KWAA is proud of its history and the women who helped shape the organization. We recognize the importance of documenting the stories of those women who have been trailblazers in the Kansas legal profession and celebrating their voices. Below you will find videos sponsored with interviews from some of the first women judges in Kansas, early women attorneys in Kansas, and videos documenting KWAA’s Annual Lindsborg Conference, which has served as the foundation of our organization and provided encouragement, inspiration, and knowledge to our members for the past 30 years.
The Kansas Women Attorneys Association works diligently to preserve and archive historical information pertaining to the female practice of law in Kansas.
One of the projects with sister organization, Women Attorneys Association of Topeka, was the production of the book Journeys on the Road Less Travelled: Kansas Women Attorneys. The entire book may be found online through the Washburn> University School of Law Digital Collection.
We encourage you to view the following videos to learn more about our organization and our members! The video below features KWAA founders discussing the formation of KWAA’s beloved annual Lindsborg Conference, KWAA, and features the 25th Annual Conference.
We are also proud to have many Kansas women judges as members, and we think it is important to document their stories. The video below features women judges across the state sharing their experiences.
Our members are trailblazers in the Kansas legal profession. We are proud of the work our members do and the impact they have on our state and profession. The video below highlights the important stories of our members and how they have shaped the legal profession in Kansas.