Supreme Court appoints four, reappoints two to Kansas Lawyers Assistance Program Board

TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court appointed four new members and reappointed two others to the Kansas Lawyers Assistance Program Board.

New members are:

• Justin Barrett, a lawyer at Barrett Law Firm, Colby;

• Emily Hartz, a lawyer at Sloan, Eisenbarth, Glassman, Mcentire & Jarboe, Lawrence, who will complete an unexpired term ending June 30, 2023;

• Judge Michael Hoelscher, who serves in the 18th Judicial District, which is Sedgwick County; and

• Brian Leininger, a lawyer at Leininger Law Office, Overland Park.

Barrett, Hoelscher, and Leininger will serve six-year terms that began July 1 and end June 30, 2026.

Reappointed were:

• Ben Burgess, a retired district judge from Sedgwick County, who will serve a six-year term; and

• Bryan Smith, a lawyer at Smith Law Firm, Topeka, who will serve through June 20, 2025.

The Supreme Court created the Kansas Lawyers Assistance Program to help lawyers seek treatment for physical or mental illness, substance abuse, or emotional distress.

A lawyer seeking help can be paired with a volunteer attorney for peer counseling; directed to a treatment center or medical professional; or pointed to KALAP's Resiliency Support Group, which offers weekly sessions run by a psychologist who also is a lawyer.