GIBSON WATSON MARINO - Key Persons
Justen Phelps's practice focuses primarily on medical malpractice defense, insurance defense, and general civil litigation matters touching on a wide variety of areas including consumer protection claims, contractual disputes, corporate ownership and operation, and construction. He is an experienced litigator with extensive courtroom experience. As a prosecutor, prior to joining Gibson Watson Marino, LLC, Justen tried more than 50 felony jury trials and argued before the Kansas Court of Appeals.
Justen grew up in Wichita, KS, and attended college at the University of Kansas where he received a B.A. in History. He then attended law school at Ave Maria School of Law where he graduated with honors in 2006.
Justen is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Kansas, the Supreme Court of Missouri and the United States District Court for Kansas. Justen serves as the City Prosecutor for the City of Rose Hill, City of Augusta, and the City of Udall.
Education
Ave Maria School of Law, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Job Titles:
- Compensation Board ( Appointed by Kansas Attorney General and Confirmed by the Kansas Senate January 17, 2019 ), Chair
Kansas Child Support Guidelines Committee (appointed by the Kansas Supreme Court in 2018), Member, 2018 to Present
Kansas Crime Victims Compensation Board (appointed by Kansas Attorney General and confirmed by the Kansas Senate January 17, 2019), Chair
Richard A. Samaniego graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) in Government and a minor in Business. Richard received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas and is licensed to practice law in Texas (2006) and in Kansas (2007). Richard has represented clients and organizations in various matters before Kansas Municipal Courts, Kansas District Courts, the Kansas Court of Appeals, the Kansas Supreme Court, the Kansas Legislature, and Kansas Administrative Agencies.
Richard currently serves on the Wichita Bar Association Board of Governors and Chair of the WBA Legislative Committee. He is a past board member of the Wichita Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, member of the Family Law Committee, and Probate Committee. Richard is a member of the American Bar Association, Kansas Bar Association, Wichita Bar Association, and State Bar of Texas. Richard provides legal services throughout central Kansas including: Butler County, Harvey County, Reno County, Sedgwick County and Sumner County.
Richard was appointed by Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt as Chair of the Kansas Crime Victims Compensation Board in 2018 and continues to serve as chair. He was appointed by the Kansas Supreme Court to serve as a member of the Kansas Child Support Guidelines Committee and appointed by the Kansas Judicial Council to serve on the Judicial Council Family Law Advisory Committee.
Richard serves as the City Attorney for the City of Rose Hill and the City of Douglass.
Education
Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas
J.D.
University of Texas at Austin
B.A., Bachelor of Arts
Sarah L. Newell has been in private practice, practicing bankruptcy law since 2002. She is admitted to the Kansas and Missouri State Bars. She represents both debtors and creditors. Prior to private practice, she clerked for Judge John K. Pearson and Judge Robert E. Nugent.
She earned her Bachelor's degree in 1996 and her Juris Doctorate in 1998, both from the University of Kansas.
She currently practices in the areas of bankruptcy, collections and family law. She resides in Wichita with her husband and three children.
Filing for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy is not an easy decision to make. Every situation, like every client, is different and requires representation tailored to their unique needs and circumstances. At Gibson Watson Marino LLC, our attorney, Sarah Newell, hones in on your individual needs to derive the best possible way forward for your case.