Our Alumni:
The Best Measure Of Our Success
Washburn Law played an important part in shaping the nation's history. Since its beginning, the law school regularly admitted both women and ethnic minority students, making it a pioneer in equality. The school also played an important role during the earliest moments of the Civil Rights movement. In 1953, law school alumni found themselves on both sides of Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark civil rights case that would forever change a nation.
The best measure of Washburn Law's success is the accomplishments of our graduates.
Since 1903, Washburn Law has graduated some of the finest law professionals in the country. More than 6,600 are proud to call Washburn Law their alma mater. Whether living in Topeka or Taipei, Atlanta or Athens, Las Vegas or London, they are all part of the Washburn community.
Our alumni live in every state and a number of foreign countries. They work in law firms, government, and the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Some are solo or group practitioners; judges; or city, county, district, state or U.S. attorneys. Others are public defenders, legislators, educators, or administrators.
In addition, Washburn Law graduates serve as senior executives or general counsel in a wide spectrum of international corporations, such as Alcon Laboratories, Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp., AMC Entertainments, Inc., IBM, Lone Star Steakhouse, and Shell Oil Co.
Washburn Law alumni are extraordinarily generous with their time and resources by connecting with the law school, current and prospective students, and fellow alumni. Here's how alumni are engaged with the law school today:
- Teach as guest lecturers or adjunct professors in the classroom
- Serve as mentors to first-year law students
- Volunteer as judges in moot court, trial advocacy, and other competitions
- Provide employment opportunities
In these and so many other ways, Washburn Law is enhanced by our former students.
- Washburn University School of Law graduates have been members of Congress in all but two terms since 1927.
- Five Washburn Law graduates have served as chief justice of the Kansas Supreme Court, including the The Honorable Kay McFarland, '64, who recently retired as the first woman ever to serve in that position.
- Judge Paul Brady, '56, was the first African-American federal administrative law judge in United States history.
- Delano Lewis, '63, served as president/CEO of National Public Radio and was the first African American to serve as U.S. ambassador to The Republic of South Africa.
- Lillian Apodaca, '85, served as president of the Hispanic National Bar Association. She was named "one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the nation" by Hispanic Business Magazine.
Since 2002, a majority of the Kansas Supreme Court Justices have been Washburn Law alumni, including
(left to right) Justice Lee Johnson, Justice Marla J. Luckert, Justice Eric S. Rosen, and Justice W. Daniel Biles.
