Biography
Heather received her bachelor's degree from Kansas State University in 1997 and her law degree from the University of Kansas in 2000. Heather has extensive trial experience ranging from first time DUI's to First Degree Murder and Rape. She has successfully argued a number of cases in front of the Kansas Supreme Court and Kansas Court of Appeals.
As a former prosecutor, Heather was an instructor at the National Advocacy Center where she taught other lawyers litigation and trial advocacy skills. She has put in countless hours providing training to law enforcement and other prosecutors and is a member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100.
Heather has proven to be extremely successful in family and divorce cases. She is a sought after Guardian Ad Litem representing children, and she frequently obtains the most desired results for her clients in divorce cases.
Heather has always had a passion for helping others and handles each and every case with compassion and zeal. Her courtroom experience coupled with knowledge of the law ensures that she will prove to be a strong advocate for her clients while protecting their rights.
Practice Areas
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Child Custody and Visitation
- Child Support
- Adoptions
- Post-Decree Modifications
- Case Management and Mediation
- Guardian Ad Litem
- Criminal Defense
Education
- University of Kansas School of Law, Lawrence, Kansas
- Juris Doctorate – 2000
- Law Review: Journal of Law and Public Policy Editor, 1999 – 2000
- Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
- Bachelor of Science. – 1997
- Major: Social Work
Bar Admissions
- U.S. District Court District of Kansas, 2000
- Kansas, 2000
- U.S. District Court Western District of Missouri, 2013
Professional Associations
- Johnson County Bar Association, Member, 2013 to Present
- Franklin County Bar Association, Member, 2000 to Present
- Johnson County Family Law Inns of Court, Member, 2016 to Present
- Earl O'Connor Inns of Court, Member, 2020 to Present
- City of Lenexa, Kansas Judge Pro Tem
- Johnson County, Kansas District Court Judge Pro Tem
- Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), Member
Honors
- National Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers, 2016 – 2024
- Super Lawyers; 2020 – 2024
Certified Legal Specialties
- Case Management and Mediation , State of Kansas
- Guardian Ad Litem
Classes & Seminars
- Presenter of ADR - Connecting the Dots, Drawing the Lines CLE, April 2023
- Presenter of Children of Domestic Violence CLE, September 2020
- National Advocacy Center Faculty, Columbia, SC, 2009 to 2012
Pro-Bono Activities
- Instructor, National Advocacy Center
- Provided asylum assistance to women and children held in the Immigrant Detention Center in Dilley, Texas, September 2019
Representative Cases
- State of Kansas v. Wherley, 364 p.3d 305, 2016, Kansas Ct. of Appeals