PINGEL FAMILY LAW - Key Persons
Autumn Packard is an associate attorney at Pingel Family Law, licensed in Kansas. Starting as a law clerk at Pingel family law, Ms. Packard gained invaluable insights into the intricacies of family law. As a dedicated family law attorney, Ms. Packard brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for helping others navigate complex legal challenges. Ms. Packard's approach combines legal expertise with an empathic and compassionate understanding of the unique dynamics within high-stakes family law matters.
Job Titles:
- Baylee Buechel Communication & Intake Specialist
- Communication and Intake Specialist
Baylee Buechel is our wonderful communication and intake specialist. She is often the first person you meet when you call or come to our office. She was born and raised in Kansas City, studied criminal justice and politics during college through the University of Nebraska. During college, Baylee enjoyed many different charitable endeavors including being very active in the Dance Marathon which was a year-long fundraiser benefitting the Children's Hospital in Omaha. Constantly advocating for the injured and oppressed, Baylee served as a senator for her student body so that she could work to change the sexual misconduct laws at her university.
For graduate school, Baylee had the opportunity to attend the University of Edinburgh in Scotland where she studied Global Crime, Justice and Security. Her Master's dissertation was on the United Nation's response to the global war on drugs and specifically how the war on drugs can violate or hinder human rights for individuals. In this process, Baylee looked at and tried to dismantle how the war on drugs can often harm or affect an individual family or person rather than high level organized crime organizations. As part of this research, Baylee was able to learn about the unique needs of families in domestic violence and other difficult situations.
Looking forward to the future, Baylee hopes to attend law school. She is currently studying for the LSAT (the law school admissions test) and she hopes to work for the ACLU or another organization that advocates for individuals.
Outside of work, Baylee enjoys spending time with her two dogs, a Great Dane named LeRoy and a boxer/lab mix named Kelce. Baylee is a talented musician and can play nine (!) different instruments. She loves working with the firm and enjoys both, the people she gets to work with as well as serving our clients and helping to meet their needs when they call the firm, whether for the first time or the fiftieth time. We love having Baylee at the office and appreciate her compassionate approach to caring for our clients!
Pingel Family Law is fortunate to have Grace Komoe join the firm in 2019. Grace obtained her bachelor's degree in Political Science in 2019. Grace is the firm's medical records specialist and intake coordinator. Grace has spent her career working in family law and is a treasured member of the team. Grace is a skilled multitasker, a talented coordinator of the firm's schedules and skillfully oversees and manages communications for the entire legal team. In her role as a medical records specialist, Ms. Komoe helps to coordinate obtaining necessary medical and other records that are often necessary in complicated divorce and child custody situations, including with children who have special needs, spouses who have medical needs to consider in financial or maintenance (spousal support) needs and other similar considerations.
Grace is often the friendly voice of the firm that you will have the pleasure of speaking with when you first reach out to the firm. Grace helps the firm maintain and organize data, files and health information that she obtains for the firm. Grace is an excellent, kind and empathetic listener, helping to gather initial information needed to allow our attorneys to consult with your about your case and situation. She is a thoughtful and thorough resource to help clients understand the initial process of addressing their challenging family law issues. Her biggest strength is her passion for working with people and making sure our clients feel heard, understood and empowered. She helps our clients feel at ease and unintimidated.
When not working tirelessly for our clients, Grace enjoys spending time with her husband, Serge, travelling and beauty and fashion interests, as well as spending time with extended family and friends.
Kara Key, JD, is a trial attorney and associate for the Kansas City law firm of Pingel Family Law, licensed in Missouri. Her practice focuses exclusively in the areas of family law and divorce law, including assisting families with high conflict divorce or custody cases, post-divorce modifications, paternity cases, adoption, parenting plan changes, child support, domestic violence, orders of protection, guardianship and grandparents' rights, among many other unique aspects of family law cases. Ms. Key is passionate about compassionately guiding families through their difficult times and assisting them with finding unique and creative solutions to try to solve their problems and avoid litigation when possible. Of course, a good lawyer frequently avoids the necessity of proceeding with litigation by being willing to take the tough cases to trial, when called upon to do so and Ms. Key is an excellent advocate for clients both, in the court room and outside of the court room.
Job Titles:
- Founding Partner
- Partner
- Mandee Rowen Pingel Founding Partner
Mandee Rowen Pingel is a trial attorney and partner in the Kansas City family law firm of Pingel Family Law. Ms. Pingel is proud to serve families and clients in both, Missouri and Kansas. Her practice focuses exclusively in the areas of matrimonial and family law, including high conflict divorce, post-divorce modification, paternity, adoption, child custody and visitation, child support, domestic violence, juvenile abuse and neglect, guardianship and conservatorship, and grandparents' rights. Ms. Pingel is often referred cases from other lawyers, medical providers, therapists or other professionals where there are unusual of complicated issues for the needs of the children or in addressing asset division and financial issues.
Ms. Pingel has served as a member and author of three professional legal journals, including articles for the Journal of Matrimonial Attorneys, the official publication of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
Ms. Pingel is a zealous and committed advocate for clients, working tirelessly to make sure that they receive the help they need during one of the most difficult times in their lives. As a parent herself, Ms. Pingel is uniquely able to understand some of the issues and problems that parents need to address in their family law case. Mandee is married to Dr. Jason Pingel who owns Mission Eyecare in Mission, Kansas and Mission Eyecare of Lawrence, Kansas on Massachusetts Street in Lawrence. They are passionate about travelling, spending time with their children and family, supporting their children's various activities including soccer, cheer, and a variety of other interests. The Pingel's are also very involved in a variety of charitable and philanthropic organizations and are passionate about giving back to the community and spreading kindness in the world.
Rachel is an integral team member at Pingel Family Law. She brings her extensive experience, including her excellent organizational and communication skills to ensure that all areas of the firm run smoothly. Rachel will often be the kind and empathetic voice who greets you when you call the firm, whether as a new client, a long-standing client, or a colleague. She supports the attorneys in the office to make sure every client who reaches out or communicates with the firm has an excellent experience. Rachel spent more than twenty years in social work, including working with foster care, in-home preventative services, and family reunion services. Her life experiences, coupled with her education (a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Mizzou and her Master's degree in social work from Washington University in St. Louis) allow her to meet the needs of our family law clients with empathy, compassion, and care. Rachel is passionate about recognizing our clients, who are going through some of the most difficult and challenging times of their lives, and often need a listening ear and a bit of problem-solving guidance.
In her free time, Rachel enjoys partnering with local environmental agencies and spending time with her family. Rachel is married to Gerry and they have three boys together, Jacob, Nick, and Zane. Rachel can often be found on the soccer fields, at plays, Boy Scouts, or other activities involving supporting her three children. Rachel also enjoys spending time with her two dogs, Brownie and Scout, and her cat, Mellow.
Stephanie Russell is a dedicated and compassionate Associate Attorney at Pingel Family Law Firm. With a deep commitment to helping individuals navigate challenging legal issues, Ms. Russell brings a deep passion and client-focused approach.
As an Associate Attorney at Pingel Family Law, Ms. Russell brings a unique perspective and a wealth of experience cultivated during her tenure as a law clerk within the firm. Ms. Russell has navigated the legal landscape from the ground up allowing her to develop a deep, comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of the law and a deep commitment to client success. This hands-on experience became the foundation upon which she built her legal expertise. Working closely with seasoned attorneys, Attorney Key and Attorney Pingel, Ms. Russell gained invaluable insight into the firm's practices and nuances of various legal domains.
Ms. Russell made significant contributions to various cases, demonstrating a keen legal acumen and attention to detail. Ms. Russell works as a law clerk played a pivotal role in achieving positive outcomes for clients, solidifying her commitment to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those facing legal challenges. Fueled by a desire to further advocate for clients and contribute the legal community, Ms. Russell seamlessly transitioned from Law Clerk to Associate Attorney. Ms. Russell experience as a Law Clerk not only provided a solid foundation for her legal career but also instilled a sense of dedication to the principals of justice and fairness.
Ms. Russell earned her Juris Doctorate from University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she distinguished herself through academic excellence with an emphasis in advocacy. During law school, Ms. Russell actively participated in mock trial, Board of Barristers, and was on the Faculty Candidate Search Committee. Ms. Russell was honored with the prestigious Order of Barristers Award which is limited to graduating law student who demonstrate exceptional skill in trial advocacy, oral advocacy, and brief writing. Ms. Russell also developed a deep passion for research and writing, produce multiple research papers focused on children in the legal system.
Prior to attending law school, Ms. Russell was an educator for ten years and obtained her master's in education in Educational Administration. Her passion and commitment to children led her to pursue family law. Ms. Russell uses her experience in education to handle emotionally charged cases and strives to provide compassionate guidance through every step of the legal process. Ms. Russell takes the time to listen to her clients' concerns, ensuring the feel heard and supported throughout their legal journey.
Today, as an Associate Attorney at Pingel Family Law, Ms. Russell continues to draw upon the lessons learned while being an educator and her time as a Law Clerk. She remains committed to providing exceptional legal representation, guided by a deep understanding of the law and a genuine passion for assisting clients in navigating the complexities of the legal system.
Job Titles:
- Senior Paralegal and a Very Valued Member
Tsion Mehari is our firm's senior paralegal and a very valued member of our team. She received her associates degree in paralegal study from Metropolitan Community College and is in the process of obtaining her bachelor at Missouri Western State University. The firm was fortunate to have Tsion assigned to do her internship at our firm for the completion of her paralegal coursework in 2008 and she has been an essential member of our team ever since that time. Tsion was born and raised in Ethiopia and is able to speak three languages!
Tsion has more than thirteen years of experience in helping the clients of Pingel Family Law get through their difficult family law issues. Attorney Pingel often tells clients that Tsion being a part of their legal team is one of the best assets and selling points for the firm. With Tsion's significant experience, she often has creative and invaluable suggestions, problem solving ideas and is very capable in organizing trial preparation, outlines, identifying and prioritizing evidence for trials, among other things. When a client has an opportunity to have significant work in their case completed at half of the attorney's hourly rate, the firm is able to give our clients a significant value and best ensure and maximize the use of your limited legal resources.
Tsion will not only work tirelessly on your case to meet a client's needs, but she enjoys the relationships she's formed with our clients over the years. Family law matters can be tough and emotional and Tsion prides herself in being accessible to clients, keeping them informed throughout the process and ensuring each case progresses consistent with a client's goals. Tsion is also the firm's office manager and plays an essential role in supporting the operations of the firm behind the scenes!
Tsion is happily married to her husband Dawit and enjoys various volunteering and philanthropic opportunities. Attorney Pingel feels blessed to consider Tsion among her best friends after many years working with one another and feels that Tsion plays an invaluable role in ensuring the clients of Pingel Family Law have their needs met. Tsion can often be found cooking and taking care of her large extended family, and she enjoys travelling, trying new restaurants in Kansas City and health and fitness.