Class Notes and In Memoriam
Class Notes
1980s
The Hon. Ronnie L. White (J.D. ’83)
United States District Judge Ronnie L. White retired from the federal bench on July 31, 2024. He has held this position since his nomination by President Barack Obama in January of 2014 and confirmation by the U.S. Senate in July of that year.
1990s
Abram “Abe” McGull (J.D. ’92)
LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication honored the accomplishments of four distinguished mass communication professionals as they were inducted into the Manship School’s 48th annual Hall of Fame at its Night of Excellence on Oct. 3, 2024. Abram “Abe” McGull, founder of McGull Law Firm and Springfield, Missouri City Council member, was one of the four inductees.
2000s
Nicole Fisher (J.D. ’06) and Stacey Wullschleger (J.D. ’07)
Fisher Law LLC was voted Best Family Law Attorney in Kansas City Magazine’s list of the Best of KC 2024.
Miles Pringle (J.D. ’10)
Miles Pringle, who currently works as executive vice president and general counsel at The Bankers Bank in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was named the new President of the Oklahoma Bar Association in January 2024.
Jennifer Cascio (J.D. ’12)
Illinois Super Lawyers has named UMKC Law alumna Jennifer M. Cascio as an Illinois Super Lawyer Rising Star for 2024. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The Rising Stars list, a distinction for attorneys who are 40 or younger or who have been in practice for 10 years or less, includes no more than 2.5% of lawyers in the state.
2000s Cont.
Deputy Commissioner Kelly J. Willyard (J.D. ’13)
Attorney Kelly Willyard has been appointed to the bench as the court’s newest deputy probate commissioner. Willyard was appointed to the position on March 4, 2024, by Judge Mark Styles of the Probate Division. Deputy Commissioner Willyard graduated from the UMKC School of Law in 2013 with honors and joined the court on April 15, 2024.
Puanani E. Norwood (J.D. ’15)
Puanani Norwood is the newly appointed office managing partner at the Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner office in Los Angeles. A mere five months after making partner at the firm, Puanani will now lead 27 attorneys and 17 staff members as one of the few native Hawaiians to ever become an office managing partner.
In Memoriam
The Hon. Ronald R. Holliger (J.D. ’74)
peacefully passed away on Aug. 1, 2024, in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Transitioning from teaching history to the legal field after completing law school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, he evolved into a seasoned litigator, advocating for justice for 22 years. Ron was appointed to the Circuit Court of Jackson County and subsequently to the Missouri Court of Appeals. Following his retirement from the bench, he served as general counselor for Missouri Attorney General Kris Coster. One of his continued passions was teaching law and instructing new judges. He also served many hours providing pro bono counsel through the UMKC School of Law.
The Hon. David Paul Kimminau (J.D. ’85)
passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family on July 11, 2024. David was born on Oct. 12, 1950, in Washington, Missouri. In 1974, he graduated from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with a degree in administration of justice. After graduation, David worked for Missouri Probation and Parole for eight years until he decided to pursue a career in law. In 1982, David and his family moved to Kansas City, where he enrolled in law school at UMKC. David graduated with honors and began his legal career at Phillips, McElligott, Ewan, & Hall, eventually becoming a partner and specializing in family law for over 30 years. He was highly regarded as a premier guardian ad litem in Jackson County. In 2016, David was appointed to the bench as a family court commissioner in the 16th Judicial Circuit, Division 43. David served with distinction until his retirement in October of 2020.
The Hon. Gene R. Martin (J.D. ’53)
age 97, of Kansas City, Missouri, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Dec. 19, 2023. In May 1953, he graduated with distinction from the University of Kansas City Law School. While attending law school, he was also courtroom clerk in the U.S. District Court for Judge Richard Duncan. In December of 1976, Gene was appointed judge of Division 10 of the Jackson County Circuit Court by Missouri Gov. Christopher Bond. He was the presiding judge of the court from 1989-1990. In 1991, he received the Presidential Award of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, and in 1992 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the UMKC Law Foundation. After nearly 20 years on the bench, he retired from the active docket in 1996, but continued to serve as a senior judge at the Circuit Court and the Missouri Court of Appeals. He also served as an arbitrator, mediator and condemnation commissioner.
The Hon. Patrick D. McAnany (J.D. ’68, LL.M. ’71)
left us on Sept. 4, 2023, after a legal career spanning more than 50 years and a lifetime of nearly 80 years. After a short stint with a litigation firm in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1969 Pat moved to Mobil Oil Corporation as an assistant division attorney and antitrust counsel. In 1970, he was promoted to the New York corporate offices, and he and his family moved to White Plains, New York. His new job took him often to Washington, D.C. and across the country. In 1973, Pat and his family moved back to Kansas City. They lived in Prairie Village, Kansas, and he joined the McAnany, Van Cleave & Phillips law firm. Pat was appointed by Gov. Bill Graves to the Johnson County District Court in 1995 and was assigned as a juvenile court judge. He later moved to trying civil cases in Johnson County, where he served two terms as chief judge of the 10th Judicial District. In 2004, he was appointed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to the Kansas Court of Appeals. In 2010, the Kansas Supreme Court asked Pat to chair the Blue Ribbon Commission which was created to find improvements in the way the courts serve the people of Kansas. Throughout his career, Pat was dedicated to the advancement of the practice of law and to a renewal of the court system.
The Hon. Jeremiah "Jerry" Joseph Rellihan (J.D. ’84)
was born on July 3, 1959, to Patricia F. Rellihan (Martin) and Jeremiah J. Rellihan in Kansas City, Missouri. Jerry passed away unexpectedly on the morning of his 33rd wedding anniversary — Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Raymore, Missouri. A loving father, husband, coach and friend, Jerry’s legacy will live on. Jerry served as a prosecutor in Kansas City, Missouri early in his career. He later established his private practice, The Law Firm of Jerry Rellihan, P.C., which served the Kansas City metro area for many years. In 2015, he successfully campaigned and was elected as associate circuit judge for St. Clair County, based in Osceola, Missouri.
Robert Welch (J.D. ’65)
passed away on August 28, 2024, in Sugar Creek, Missouri, where he was born, raised and lived his entire life. After his high school graduation, Bob planned to “walk on” with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, but seven days before his 18th birthday, life threw him a curve ball that literally knocked him off his feet with a polio diagnosis. Bob’s determination, drive and strong work ethic guided him to be the first in his family to go to college. Eventually, he attended the UMKC School of Law, graduating in 1965. That same year, the law firm of Graham, Paden & Welch was established. Starting in 1967, Bob was the prosecuting attorney for Sugar Creek for 53 years. For 42 years, he was the Blue Springs city prosecutor, and then, at 81-years old, Bob became an assistant prosecutor for the Municipal Division of Jackson County. He was active in many professional and civic organizations, and his leadership was recognized with numerous awards. Bob was an emeritus trustee of the UMKC Law Foundation and was honored with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989.