Gov. Laura Kelly on Wednesday nominated Wichita lawyer Amy Cline to fill a seat on the Kansas Court of Appeals after the first nominee failed to gain Senate confirmation.
Kelly picked Cline from three candidates screened by a nominating committee the governor stablished to review judicial nominees.
The governor nominated Cline after the Senate rejected federal public defender Carl Folsom III. Cline would replace retired Judge G. Joseph Pierron Jr.
Cline practices law at the Wichita firm of Triplett Woolf Garretson.
Her practice focuses on commercial litigation, including contract, oil and gas, employment, construction and consumer protection.
She represents landowners and independent oil and gas companies. She also counsels municipalities on oil and gas leasing issues.
She represents employers and employees in unemployment, wage and discrimination disputes before the Kansas Department of Labor, Kansas Human Rights Commission and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
When the governor’s nominating commission evaluated the candidates for the Appeals Court job, Cline came in second in the balloting, trailing Folsom but tied with Diane Sorensen.
“Ms. Cline has worked diligently representing homeowners, consumers, farmers, workers and small businesses across Kansas,” Kelly said in a statment.
“She will bring her breadth of experience to the Court of Appeals where I am certain she will be a fair and open-minded jurist.”
Kelly chose Cline over Wichita lawyers Sorensen and Marcia Wood.
Sorensen works at the Wichita firm of Morris Laing Evans Brock & Kennedy. Wood is a partner with the Martin, Pringle, Oliver, Wallace and Bauer firm in Wichita.
Sorensen’s practice focuses on employment litigation in state and federal court. Her work ranges from enforcing noncompete agreements to discrimination claims.
She counsels employers on employment law, handling of administrative complaints, drafting of employment contracts, conducting on-site investigations and training managers.
She earned bachelor’s degrees in secondary education, English and math from Kansas State University. She received her law degree from the University of Kansas.
Wood’s practice, meanwhile, “consists primarily of brief-writing, both at the trial and appellate levels,” according to the firm’s website.
She provides research and writing in a variety of areas, including medical malpractice defense, product liability, and commercial and employment litigation. She also has experience in municipal and commercial finance.
She has bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Kansas.
“Diane Sorensen and Marcia Wood are incredibly qualified attorneys and devoted community servants,” Kelly said.
“I appreciate their commitment to Kansas and feel proud knowing that such capable legal minds are working for the betterment of our state.”
