Topeka Bar Association

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Serving the Legal Profession

Topeka Bar Association's Committees and Divisions offer members an opportunity to serve the legal profession and the public. They are appointed annually by the president of the Association to address issues and coordinate activities of the bar.

Interested in joining a committee? Email the TBA which Committee you would like to join- tba@topekabar.com

CLE Committee	Criminal Law Committee
Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee	Bench Bar Committee
Chair Jennifer Berger Jennifer Berger Law Office Mission: This committee shall cooperate with the Court and the bar to foster the use of various ADR techniques such as medication and arbitration in appropriate case.	Chair Alan F. Alderson Alderson, Alderson, Weiler, Conklin, Burghardt & Crow, LLC Mission: To work for the improvement of the legal and judicial systems through cooperation with the judiciary.
Chair Jennifer Cocking Mission: To plan and implement a comprehensive program for providing quality continuing legal education to attorneys at a reasonable cost.	Chair Hon. C. William Ossmann Third Judicial District Mission: To improve the administration of criminal justice in Topeka and Shawnee County.
Family Law Committee	Law Day Committee
Chair William F. Ebert Mission: To address family practice issues that impact upon practicing lawyers, their clients, the judiciary, and the public.	Chair LeTiffany Obozele Mission: To plan, develop and implement a comprehensive program for the celebration of Law Day throughout the city and in the schools
Lawyers' Assistance Committee	Legislative Committee
Chair Bryan Smith Mission: To confidentially provide assistance to any attorney needing help by reason of a mental or physical infirmity or disorder or addiction to or excessive use of drugs or intoxicants.	Chair Fred Patton Mission: To identify legislative issues that impact upon the legal profession and bring such issues to the Board of Directors for consideration.
Medical-Legal Committee	Membership Committee
Chair Dustin Van Dyk Mission: To address issues that impact matters relating to the interaction of the medical and legal communities.	Chair Hon. Chris Turner Mission: To encourage membership in the Topeka Bar Association.
	Naturalization Committee
	Chair Pedro L. Irigonegaray Irigonegaray & Associates Mission: To participate with the United States District Courts for the District of Kansas in Topeka in the process of developing for naturalized citizens ceremonies that provide them with a speaker, musical entertainment, and a formal color guard for the official naturalization ceremonies.
Probate Committee	Professional Ethics & Grievance Committee
Chair Brian Jacques Sloan Law Firm Mission: To address probate practice issues that impact practicing lawyers, their clients, the judiciary, and the public.	Chair S. Lucky DeFries Morris Laing Mission: To have charge of all matters relating to the conduct of lawyers with respect to each other, their clients, and the courts.
Program & Entertainment Committee	Public Relations Committee
Chair Rich Eckert Mission: To provide programs at regular or special meetings of the Association when requested by the Board of Directors.	Chair Kyle Mead Mission: To generate programs to improve the public image of the legal profession and to respond to the issues of public concern.
Public Service Committee	Publications Committee
Chair Mary Kuckelman Mission: To be responsible for providing liaison between the Topeka Bar Association and Kansas Legal Services of Topeka, and provide ongoing support for and encouragement of all pro bono activities of members of the TBA.	Chair Vincent Cox Cavanaugh, Biggs, & Lemon, P.A. Mission: This committee shall have the responsibility of preparing Association publications. This committee shall: prepare a monthly or bi-monthly newsletter. Prepare such other notices or publications as may be requested by the Board of Directors.
Service to the Bar Committee	Young Lawyers Division
Chair Emily A. Donaldson Stevens & Brand, LLP Mission: To assist lawyers who are temporarily or permanently unable to practice law by facilitating an inventory of any such lawyer’s files and ensuring proper disposition thereof and communicating as necessary with the clients of such lawyers to assist them in obtaining other representation.	Chair Blake Porter Mission: To study problems confronting young members of the bar, make recommendations for the solution thereof, and to provide opportunities for young lawyers to become acquainted with other members of the bar.
Government Section	Technology Section
Chair Aaron Bailey	Chair